ITA | ENG
B024594 - ANIMAL BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
Main information
Teaching Language
Course Content
Suggested readings
Learning Objectives
Prerequisites
Teaching Methods
Type of Assessment
Course program
Academic Year 2017-18
Coorte 2016 - Second Cycle Degree in Scienze della Natura e dell'Uomo
Course year
Second year - Second Semester
Belonging Department
Biology (BIO)
Modulo di sola Frequenza of
Scientific Area
BIO/05 - ZOOLOGY
Credits
3
Teaching Hours
24
Teaching Term
26/02/2018 ⇒ 15/06/2018
Attendance required
No
Type of Evaluation
Giudizio Finale
Course Content
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Course program
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Lectureship
Teaching Language
Italian/English
Course Content
History of the discipline. Theories, terms and basic concepts. Main vectors and pathways of introductions. Invasion steps. Characterization of the invasive species and the more vulnerable areas. Impacts (ecological, socio-economic, ecosystem). Management of alien invasive species (hierarchical approach). Regulations and risk assessment. Alien species and climate change. The role of citizens. Case studies.
Suggested readings (Search our library's catalogue)
Nentwig W (2006). Biological Invasions. Springer
Davis MA (2009). Invasion Biology. Oxford University Press
Simberloff D, Rejmanek M (2011), eds. Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions. University of California Press.
Lockwood JL, Hoopes MF, Marchetti MP (2013), Invasion ecology, Wiley, 2ND edition
Simberloff D (2013) Invasive Species: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford University Press
Scientific papers on specific topics for updating and in-depth analysis will be also provided.
Davis MA (2009). Invasion Biology. Oxford University Press
Simberloff D, Rejmanek M (2011), eds. Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions. University of California Press.
Lockwood JL, Hoopes MF, Marchetti MP (2013), Invasion ecology, Wiley, 2ND edition
Simberloff D (2013) Invasive Species: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford University Press
Scientific papers on specific topics for updating and in-depth analysis will be also provided.
Learning Objectives
Knowledge acquired: Basic knowledge of biological invasions,
being able to distinguish an alien species from an invasive one, and of legislations and management issues.
Competence acquired:
Acquisition and use of an appropriate terminology; basic tools to deal with the problem of biological invasions, adopting a multidisciplinary approach.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course): using the main tools for species risk assessment; identifying the principal connections between human activities and invasion biology; managing invasive alien species from a scientific, social and legal perspective; identifying the main problems caused by the invasive alien species.
being able to distinguish an alien species from an invasive one, and of legislations and management issues.
Competence acquired:
Acquisition and use of an appropriate terminology; basic tools to deal with the problem of biological invasions, adopting a multidisciplinary approach.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course): using the main tools for species risk assessment; identifying the principal connections between human activities and invasion biology; managing invasive alien species from a scientific, social and legal perspective; identifying the main problems caused by the invasive alien species.
Prerequisites
Ecology, Fauna conservation
Teaching Methods
Lectures (Power point)/seminars/field excursions
Type of Assessment
Oral exam. Discussion of a Power point presentation prepared by the candidate on a topic of the course.
Course program
History of the discipline (from Elton to Davis). Theories, terms and basic concepts. Areas of origin, main vectors and pathways of introductions (e.g. ports, airports, nurseries, aquaculture, pet trade). Invasion steps (arrival, establishment, and invasion). Characterization of the invasive species and the more vulnerable areas. The role of behavior in the success of invasive species. Impacts (ecological, socio-economic, ecosystem). Management of alien invasive species (hierarchical approach: prevention, early detection and rapid response, mitigation and control). New molecular techniques for the early detection (e.g. environmental DNA). European and Italian regulations. Risk assessment protocols. Alien species and climate change. Forecasting models. The role of the wide public (social perception of the problem). Case studies with management indications from different environments (terrestrial, freshwater, marine).