Microbial communities and ecosystems. Microbial growth and adaptations to environmental conditions. Microorganisms in their natural habitats: air, water and soil. Microbial interactions among populations and with other organisms. Biogeochemical cycling. Methods of analysis of microbial communities: sample collection, qualitative and quantitative analysis by conventional and molecular methods. Measurement of microbial activity. Environmental applications of microorganisms.
Madigan, M.T., J. M. Martinko, D.A. Stahl, D.P. Clark – Brock Biologia dei microrganismi, Volumi 1 e 2 – Pearson Italia, 2012.
P. Barbieri, G. Bestetti, E. Galli, D. Zannoni - Microbiologia ambientale ed elementi di ecologia microbica. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano. 2008
Learning Objectives
Knowledge acquired:
Knowledge on: microbial community structure, interactions, factors affecting growth of microorganisms in natural environments, methods of analysis of composition and activities of microbial communities.
Competence acquired:
See Knolewdge acquired.
Methodological Competence: to be able to set up a microbial ecosystem in laboratory and to check its evolution; to be able to identify the suitable methods of analysis of a microbial habitat.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course):
See Competence.
Prerequisites
Courses to be used as requirements (required and/or recommended):
General Microbiology
Courses required:
Courses recommended:
Teaching Methods
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 150 (= 6 x 25)
Hours reserved to private study and other indivual formative activities: 102 (= 6 x 17)
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 40
Contact hours for: Laboratory (hours): 8
Contact hours for: Laboratory-field/practice (hours):
Seminars (hours):
Stages:
Intermediate examinations:
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab:
Optional
Teaching tools:
Textbooks are listed in the course program and are available at the University Libraries.
Lessons are supported by electronic slides. Both lessons and laboratory procedures are given to students in electronic form during the course.
Websites of environmental microbiology interest are also indicated to students.
Type of Assessment
Oral test
Course program
Microorganisms in the environment: populations, microbial communities and ecosystems. Microbial ecology: interactions among populations of microorganisms and with other organisms. Microbial habitat. Biofilms. Microbial growth and adaptations to environmental conditions. Microorganisms in their natural habitats: air, water and soil. Biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur.
Methods of analysis of microbial communities: sample collection, qualitative and quantitative analysis by conventional and molecular methods. Measurement of microbial activity. Environmental applications of microorganisms.