First module: Environmental rhythms and biological rhythms. Origin and development of chronobiology. Mechanisms and models of endogenous periodicity; the biological clocks. Ecological importance, genetic bases and evolution of rhythms.
Second module: Orientation. Kineses and Txes . Space - temporal use of the environment. Secondary orientation, mediated and Immediate orientation. Unidirectional, pluridirectional orientation. Sun and magnetic compass. Homing, Navigation. Emigration, Dispersal, Migration. Migration routes . Genetic basis
No textbooks in Italian.
Notes, photocopies and handouts. Lessons attendance is strongly recommended
Learning Objectives
Knowledge of terminology regarding rhythm, orientation, navigation and migration; characteristics of the rhythmic activity at different levels (cellular and organismic) and in different groups of organisms (protists, fungi, plants, animals and humans); mechanisms of orientation in different animal groups, genetic basis of setting and development of biological clocks, and of the mechanisms of migratory attitude and orientation.
Being able to do: recordings of endogenous rhythms, analysis of rhythms (attograms and periodograms); analysis of angular distributions using the tests of circular statistics.
Skills: Set up a study on biological rhythms and of experiments of orientation; bibliographic search and critical reading of scientific articles concerning biological rhythms, orientation and migration.
Prerequisites
v
Teaching Methods
PC, projector for power point presentations and videos, overheads.
During the courses, discussions are encouraged and the background from other courses is used. Copies of the scientific articles presented during the course will be distributed to the students for critical reading and discussion. The students are invited to participate in the seminars organised within the university on evolutionary biology and ethology.
Laboratory sessions with setting up, carrying out and analysis of experiments of rhythms and orientation.
Type of Assessment
Final oral examination on the topics presented during the course.
The students are asked to write an article on the experiments performed within the course; the article will be discussed during the oral examination.
Course program
First module: Environmental rhythms and biological rhythms. Circadian, ultradian and infradian rhythms. Origin and development of chronobiology. The methods used to study biological rhythms. Mechanisms and models of endogenous periodicity; the biological clocks. Period analysis. Ecological importance of rhythms. Genetic bases of rhythms. The evolution of rhythms in plants, animals and humans.
Second module: Definition of orientation. Kinetic and Tactic behaviour (classification and examples). space - temporal use of the environment. Concept of goal. Secondary orientation, mediated orientation (definite and indefinite goal), Immediate orientation. unidirectional (stratale, zonal) orientation. Sun compass, Lunar compass, Magnetic compass. Orientation: Pluridirectional, Homing, Navigation (classification and mechanisms). Emigration, Dispersal, Migration. Migration routes and migration mechanisms used during day and night. Genetic basis for Migration (outline).