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Scientific Disciplinary Sector Code
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Contact Hours
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Type of Activity
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Optional group:
OPZIONALI AFFINI ED INTEGRATIVI - (show)
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12
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20401656 -
BIOGEOGRAPHY
(objectives)
The student must be able to interpret the distributional processes of living organisms at global and local scale, according to both ecollgical and historical (palaeogeographic-palaeoecological) view. Processes must be explained by dispersal/vicariance hypotheses, according to the most recent techniques.
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BOLOGNA MARCO ALBERTO
( syllabus)
(a) Introductive elements.
What is Biogeography: This Science which considers synthetically information from Geography, Palaeogeography, Geology, Ecology, Palaeoecology, Phylogenetic Systematics, Faunistic, Floristic, Population Genetics, Evolutionary Biology. Summary of principles of Evolutionary Biology (micro and macro-evolution), Systematics (Phenetist, Evolutionary and Cladistic schools), ecosystem and population Ecology. Speciation models, radiation. Natural and anthropic causes of extinction. Biogeography and Conservation of Nature.
Story of Biogeography: The founders of the Science: Buffon, de Candolle, von Humboldt, Lyell, Hooker, Sclater, Darwin, Wallace, Haeckel, Merriam, Simpson, Darlington, Holdaus, Gridelli, De Lattin, Furon, La Greca, Croizat, Wilson e MacArthur, Rozen e Platnick, Morrone, Avise, Hewitt.
Biogeographic schools of the XX century: Historical Biogeography, bridges, filters, dispersal and dispersion; Croizat and Panbiogeography; Cladistic Biogeography; Ecological Biogeography; Statistic Biogeography; Molecular Biogeography and Phylogeography. The Italian School of Biogeography: Gridelli, La Greca, Baccetti, Ruffo, Vigna Taglianti, Poldini; the Italian Society of Biogeography.
(b) Historical Biogeography
Land and marine Biogeography: History of life on the Earth: Tectonic of terrestrial plates and the Continental drift Theory; macro-plates and micro-plates; evolution and displacement of terrestrial masses and seas; evolution of terrestrial ecosystems. Climatic and biogeographic effects of plates tectonic. Effects of Pliocene-Pleistocene glaciations; Pleistocene glacial refugia; megafauna extinction; expansion and contraction of biomes. Effects of glaciations on lands and seas in temperate and tropical regions.
The terrestrial biogeographic regions: Floristic realms and Zoogeographic Regions. Causes of floras and faunas differentiation of Biogeographic regions. Regions and sub-regions. Marine Biogeographic Regions. Palaearctic Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Nearctic Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Oriental (Indo-Malayan) Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Afrotropical Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Neotropical Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Australian-Oceanic (Australasian) Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements)). Antarctic (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Transitional Biogeographic Regions: Saharo-Sindian; Chinese; Indo-Australian (Wallacea); Meso-American. Regionalization of floras and faunas.
Biomes and Biogeographic Regions: Effects of climate and climatic cycles. Characteristics and geological origin in the Biogeographic regions. Effects of water circulation and of the sea depth on the marine regions. Biomes, and their distribution on the lands; dynamics of biomes. Marine biomes. Differences between biomes and biogeographic regions. Biomes and ecosystems. Anthropic transformation of biomes.
Biogeography of the Mediterranean area and the Europe: Tethys and Paratethys and Mediterranean origin. Shift, migration and positioning of microplates. Biogeography of Cenozoic: Messianian salinity crisis; Pliocene-Pleistocene effects of glaciations and refugia.
Range: specific and over-specific ranges; continuous, fragmented, disjunct ranges; historical and ecological causes of ranges; shape of ranges; terrestrial and marine ranges. Primary and Secondary ranges. Physical, ecological and palaeogeographic factors affecting limits of ranges: present barriers and limiting factors. Relicts. Endemism: ranges and conservation.
Generalized distributional models (chorotypes): examples in the Palaearctic and Afrotropical Regions. Examples of distribution of land plants and animals.
Dispersalist Biogeography (Simpson, Mayr). Dispersal and dispersion. Dispersion as biogeographic (range extension), evolutionary (genetic flow and speciation) and ecological process (niche realization). Overall similarity principles. Species-specific process and generalized models. Active and passive dispersal in plants and animals. Types of dispersal: jump dispersal, stepping stones dispersal. Dispersal and range enlargement. Barriers to dispersal (geographic and ecological). Colonization. Effects on biota due to immigrations.
Vicariance Biogeography. Vicariance (allopatric model; collapse of barrier model). Effects on biota. Cladistic Systematics and Vicariance Biogeography. Croizat’, Morrone’, Nelson’ and Platnick’ Vicariance models.
Distribution and abundance of populations. Variation of distribution and time. Range dynamic and conservation. Fossil and present ranges. Local and complete extinction.
Geographic variation in species (morphological and genetic characteristics). Continuous and discrete variation. Evolutionary and biogeographic importance of variation. Geographic variation and conservation. Geography of divergence and regionalization.
(c) Ecological Biogeography
Ecological Biogeography: present causes of species distribution; realized niche; colonization and competition. Distribution and dynamics of communities, ecosystems and biomes.
Island Biogeography: Wilson and Mac Arthur theory; experimental confirmation and problematic examples; Island Biogeography and Conservation Biology. Examples on geographic and ecological islands and on mountain peaks.
(d) New methods of biogeographic analysis
Molecular Biogeography. Phylogeography (mtDNA, nDNA, molecular and statistical methods). Examples on glacial refugia and postglacial spread.
Statistical Biogeography. Analysis of molecular data in Biogeography; dating; direction of dispersal; time of vicariance.
Cartographic representation of the biogeographic diversity: traditional cartography, areograms, georeferenced databases, GIS and remote-sensing systems. Mapping the ranges.
( reference books)
Lomolino M.V., Riddle B.R. & Whittaker R.J., Biogeography. Biological Diversity across Space and Time. Sinauer, Sunderland, USA.
Also useful: Zunino M. & Zullini A., Biogeografia. La dimensione spaziale dell’evoluzione. Ambrosiana, Milano.
The teacher supplies students with specialist literature and additional material.
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6
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BIO/05
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40
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10
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Related or supplementary learning activities
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ITA |
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20410278 -
MICROBIOLOGIA AMBIENTALE
(objectives)
1. acquire knowledge of the fundamental role of microorganisms in ecosystems and of the factors affecting their distribution and interactions with other organisms:
- metabolic and functional biodiversity, structure and dynamics of microbial communities
- bacteria and archea taxonomic groups
2. knowledge of traditional, molecular and cultivation-independent methods for identification/typing and analysis of microbial populations
3. evaluation of the multiple potential applications of environmental microorganisms also as bioindicators
4. acquisition of critical skills by reading scientific articles.
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VISAGGIO DANIELA
( syllabus)
1. Evolution and systematics of microorganisms: origin of bacteria; molecular phylogeny; 16S rRNA gene and evolution; fundamentals of systematics of microorganisms
2. Metabolic diversity in microorganisms: chemolithotrophy; fermentations; anaerobia; phototrophy
3. Functional diversity of microorganisms: phototrophic and chemotrophic bacteria
4. Study methods in microbial ecology: a) cultivation methods; b) methods independent of cultivation: microscopy, genetic analysis; metagenomics
5. Microbial ecosystems: a) principles of ecology; b) Microbial interactions (Quorum sensing; Biofilm);
c) Terrestrial environment (the soil); d) Aquatic environments (sea); c) Extreme environments (abysses; hydrothermal springs)
6. Microbial role in nutrient cycles: carbon, nitrogen, sulfur; others
7. Symbiosis between microorganisms and between microorganisms and different organisms such as a) plants, b) mammals, c) man; d) insects; e) aquatic invertebrates
8. Microorganisms in anthropized environments: bioremediation of contaminated sites; water treatment; biocorrosion; recovery of minerals from mines
( reference books)
Brock Biologia dei Microorganismi
Microbiologia generale, ambientale e industriale
Michael T. Madigan - Kelly S. Bender - Daniel H. Buckley - David A. Stahl - W. Matthew Sattley ISBN: 9788891906298 Pearson
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6
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BIO/19
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40
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10
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Related or supplementary learning activities
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ITA |
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20410259 -
ENTOMOLOGIA
(objectives)
The main formative targets are:
1) the acquisition of a basic knowledge on morphology, anatomy, physiology and evolution of the main insect groups.
2) the acquisition of both theoretical and practical knowledge on systematics and classification of the hexapoda.
3) the construction of a solid cultural background for an advanced discussion on causes and effects of the amazing evolutionary success and diversity of insects and on their importance in basic and applied studies.
4) the acquisition of the tools for the insect taxonomic identification, expecially for those orders and families present in the italian fauna.
5) to stimulate the curiosity and the ability of critically observe the nature.
6) the self-evaluation by the student of the competence whitin the animal biology, and in particular in the entomology.
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6
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BIO/05
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40
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Related or supplementary learning activities
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ITA |
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20402025 -
Bioindication and Environmental Monitoring
(objectives)
Knowing the importance of the bioindication and the use of plants and animals as bioindicators for monitoring environmental quality status (water, air, soil).
Have a thorough knowledge of the instrumental methods, acquisition methodology, data analysis in the field of bioindication and ecosystem monitoring.
Acquire the knowledge for using the modern systems of bioindication, biomonitoring and bioremediation.
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CESCHIN SIMONA
( syllabus)
The Bioindication: basic concepts. Main ecological characteristics of a biological indicator. Two ways for bioindicating: react and bioaccumulate. The homeostasis of the bioindicators. Time and ecological relationship of the bioindicator responses to environmental changes. The meaning of disturbance, stress and stressor. Analysis of the main environmental stressors (chemico-physical pollution, biological pollution by alien species, anthropogenic impact) and of the relative biological responses. Bioindication in different levels of biological organization (Biomarkers and Bioindicators). Assessment of the plant and animal community status and evaluation and monitoring of the environmental quality and ecosystem integrity. Bioindication and environmental monitoring in aquatic, terrestrial and aerial environment. Examples of application of the standardized and experimental bioindication and biomonitoring techniques (from Ecotoxicological essays to phyotoremediation of contaminated matrices). Bioindication and environmental monitoring. Evaluation and monitoring of the environmental quality by Ecological and Biotic Indices. Bioindication and Environmental monitoring in Italy. International and national Agencies, Authorities, Institutions for environmental monitoring.
( reference books)
Pdfs of the lessons performed during the course.
Studying in the book: Bioindicatori ambientali, 1998, edited by F. Sartori, Graphic Arts Juri Iodice, Sannazzaro (PV).
The teacher receives Mon, Wed, Fri from 9.00 to 10.00 by appointment via email: simona.ceschin@uniroma3.it
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6
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BIO/02
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40
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5
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Related or supplementary learning activities
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ITA |
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20410208 -
Biologia marina
(objectives)
The course is one of the optional training activities of the Master’s Degree in “Biodiversity and management of Ecosystems” and allows students to acquire a basic knowledge of Marine Biology and of the marine environment conservation, with a specific attention given to the Mediterranean Sea.
Educational objectives of the course are:
1) to acquire basic skills of Oceanography, related to the physico-chemical factors and the movement of the sea;
2) to acquire basic skills related to the biology and adaptations of marine organisms, as well as the most important Mediterranean species and habitats of conservation interest and Mediterranean biogeography;
3) to improve knowledge about monitoring and data collection techniques in the marine environment;
4) to acquire the concepts and skills related to the critical issues existing in the Mediterranean Sea, and the tools availablefor its management and protection.
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6
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BIO/07
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40
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-
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Related or supplementary learning activities
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ITA |
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20410731 -
Animal ecology
(objectives)
The main formative targets are:
1) to acquire an evolutionary approach in the study of animal ecology;
2) to acquire basic knowledge on autoecology, synecology and population ecology;
3) to acquire an experimental field experience in the collection and analysis of field data on population and community ecology;
4) to lead the students towards a self-evaluation of their own competence whitin animal ecology.
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VIGNOLI LEONARDO
( syllabus)
THE COURSE CONSISTS OF A PRELIMINARY MODULE OF LESSONS AND ONE OR TWO FINAL RESIDENTIAL STAGES IN A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING BOTH THEORETICAL LESSONS AND SEVERAL FIELD PRACTICES CONCERNING ASPECTS OF POPULATION AND COMMUNITY ECOLOGY, HABITAT PREFERENCE AND RESOURCE PARTITIONING BY THE SPECIES.
THE PRELIMINARY MODULE IS DEVOTED TO STUDY THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS:
(a) STRUCTURAL LEVELS OF ANIMAL DIVERSITY. (A) MEANING AND APPROACH OF THE COURSE. (B) ECOLOGY OF ANIMAL POPULATIONS: STRUCTURE, DYNAMICS, REGULATION, AGE CLASSES, SEX-RATIO. (C) ANIMAL POPULATION GROWTH MODELS: EXPONENTIAL MODEL, LOGISTIC MODEL, LOGISTIC MODEL WITH INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION, LOGISTIC MODEL WITH PREDATION. (D) NUMERICAL POPULATION ESTIMATES AND METHODS OF CAPTURE-MARK-RECAPTURE. (D) ECOLOGICAL NICHE: METHODS OF RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS OF DATA; PROBLEMS AND STUDY EXAMPLES OF: TROPHIC NICHE; SPATIAL NICHE; TEMPORAL NICHE; NICHE SIZE AND OVERLAP; INDIVIDUAL SPECIALISATION. (E) HOME RANGE. (F) LOCAL ADAPTATION AND ECOLOGICAL PLASTICITY. (G) ECOLOGY OF ANIMAL COMMUNITIES: INTERSPECIFIC RELATIONSHIPS; EXAMPLES OF AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL COMMUNITIES (TAXOCENOSIS AND GUILD); QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE METHODS OF THE STUDY OF ANIMAL COMMUNITIES; ASSEMBLY RULES AND NULL MODELS. NESTEDNESS MODELS, CO-OCCURRENCE, TURNOVER AND MODULARITY. METHODS OF ANALYSIS OF MODELS OF COMMUNITY STRUCTURE. DIVERSITY, EVENNESS, DOMINANCE, BIOTIC DIVERSITY INDICES, ECOLOGICAL ROLE OF SPECIES AND COMPETITIVE EXCLUSION.
THE COURSE PROVIDES, IN ADDITION TO THE RESIDENTIAL STAGE (CA. 6 HOURS A DAY OF PRACTICES IN NATURE AND 2 HOURS A DAY OF LECTURES), ALSO 2-3 EXERCISES IN NATURE OF A SINGLE DAY, INTERVALED TO THE FRONTAL LESSONS IN THE FIRST MODULE.
( reference books)
NOTES AND POWER POINTS ARE PROVIDED BY THE TEACHER. THE FOLLOWING TEXTBOOKS HELP TO STUDY SOME ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAMME:
- RICKLEFS R.E., 1997. ECOLOGIA. ZANICHELLI;
- BOITANI L. & FULLER T.K. (EDS.), 2000. RESEARCH TECHNIQUES IN ANIMAL ECOLOGY. CONTROVERSIES AND CONSEQUENCES. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS, N.Y.;
- KREBS J.R. & DAVIES N.B., 2002. ECOLOGIA E COMPORTAMENTO ANIMALE. BOLLATI BORINGHIERI;
- GOTELLI, N.J. AND A.M. ELLISON. 2004. A PRIMER OF ECOLOGICAL STATISTICS. SINAUER ASSOCIATES, INC., SUNDERLAND, MA.;
- GOTELLI, N.J. 2008. A PRIMER OF ECOLOGY. 4TH EDITION. SINAUER ASSOCIATES, INC., SUNDERLAND, MA.
- HENDERSON, P.A. 2003. PRACTICAL METHODS IN ECOLOGY. BLACKWELL SCIENCE LTD
Students are provided with a document that lists for each lesson topic which textbook and which chapters are most relevant for the study, and for
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6
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BIO/05
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24
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10
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Related or supplementary learning activities
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ITA |
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20410732 -
Plant ecology
(objectives)
Major goals of this course are:
-a knowledge of the main features of plant communities;
-to get a mastery of the main metodologies of vegetation study;
-to develop the interpretation abilities of ecological data and the specific paper in plant ecology.
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CUTINI MAURIZIO
( syllabus)
BALANCE CLIMATE-SOIL-VEGETATION. DEFINITION OF PLANT COMMUNITIES. MAIN FEATURES OF THE VEGETATION. VEGETATION ZONES AND VEGETATION BELTS. ZONAL, EXTRAZONAL, AZONAL VEGETATION. VEGETATION DYNAMICS AND POTENTIAL NATURAL VEGETATION.
BIOLOGICAL AND LIFE FORM, GRIME STRATEGIES (C-S-R), FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY, PLANT TRAITS AND FUNCTIONAL GROUPS.
METHODS OF VEGETATION STUDY (RANDOM AND SYSTEMATIC), DIVERSITY ANALYSIS: GENERAL CONCEPT AND CALCULATION METHODS (RAREFACTION CURVE, ABUNDANCE-DOMINANCE, RENY CURVES). PHYTOSOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH, GEO- AND SYNPHYTOSOCIOLOGY.
VEGETATION MAPPING OF THE COMMUNITIES AND PLANT LANDSCAPES. VEGETATION AND HABITAT’S INTEPRETEATION (EUNIS CLASSIFICATION AND ALL. I OF THE HABITAT DIRECTIVE).
MONITORING AND RED LIST OF THE HABITATS. MULTITEMPORAL ANALYSIS. HUMAN IMPACT AND EFFECT ON VEGETATION.
( reference books)
BRECKLE S.-W., 2002. WALTER’S VEGETATION OF THE EARTH. SPRINGER.
VAN DER MAAREL E. (ED.), 2005. VEGETATION ECOLOGY. BLACKWELL PUBLISHING.
KENT M., COKER P., 1992. VEGETATION DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS. JOHN WILWY & SONS.
CRISTEA V., GAFTA D., PEDROTTI F., 2015. FITOSOCIOLOGIA. TEMI ED.
PEDROTTI F., 2013. PLANT AND VEGETATION MAPPING. SPRINGER.
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ACOSTA ALICIA TERESA ROSARIO
( syllabus)
BALANCE CLIMATE-SOIL-VEGETATION. DEFINITION OF PLANT COMMUNITIES. MAIN FEATURES OF THE VEGETATION. VEGETATION ZONES AND VEGETATION BELTS. ZONAL, EXTRAZONAL, AZONAL VEGETATION. VEGETATION DYNAMICS AND POTENTIAL NATURAL VEGETATION.
BIOLOGICAL AND LIFE FORM, GRIME STRATEGIES (C-S-R), FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY, PLANT TRAITS AND FUNCTIONAL GROUPS.
METHODS OF VEGETATION STUDY (RANDOM AND SYSTEMATIC), DIVERSITY ANALYSIS: GENERAL CONCEPT AND CALCULATION METHODS (RAREFACTION CURVE, ABUNDANCE-DOMINANCE, RENY CURVES). PHYTOSOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH, GEO- AND SYNPHYTOSOCIOLOGY.
VEGETATION MAPPING OF THE COMMUNITIES AND PLANT LANDSCAPES. VEGETATION AND HABITAT’S INTEPRETEATION (EUNIS CLASSIFICATION AND ALL. I OF THE HABITAT DIRECTIVE).
MONITORING AND RED LIST OF THE HABITATS. MULTITEMPORAL ANALYSIS. HUMAN IMPACT AND EFFECT ON VEGETATION.
( reference books)
BRECKLE S.-W., 2002. WALTER’S VEGETATION OF THE EARTH. SPRINGER.
VAN DER MAAREL E. (ED.), 2005. VEGETATION ECOLOGY. BLACKWELL PUBLISHING.
KENT M., COKER P., 1992. VEGETATION DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS. JOHN WILWY & SONS.
CRISTEA V., GAFTA D., PEDROTTI F., 2015. FITOSOCIOLOGIA. TEMI ED.
PEDROTTI F., 2013. PLANT AND VEGETATION MAPPING. SPRINGER.
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6
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BIO/03
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24
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10
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Related or supplementary learning activities
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ITA |
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20410735 -
Community Ecology
(objectives)
Cultural competences (knowledge of): - Theoretical and practical bases of animal and plant community ecology - Macroecology - Morphological-functional traits measured on species and functional groups - Interactions among species (competition, facilitation, trophic) - Coexistence, co-occurrence among species and community assemblage - Ecological niche and niche overlap among species - Community diversity (taxonomic, functional, phylogenetic) -
Methodological competences (know how to perform): - Know how to define how to study animal and plant communities and analyze their structure - Know how to quantitatively analyze the relationships between organisms belonging to the same community - Know how to perform null models to conduct community simulation analyses - Know how to choose models for analysis and sampling techniques best suited to the groups of organisms analyzed - Know how to apply and understand diversity metrics - Know how to identify functional groups or guilds.
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VIGNOLI LEONARDO
( syllabus)
The course aims to provide the theoretical and practical foundations of animal and plant community ecology and macroecology and to present students with state-of-the-art concepts and methods on the use in ecology of morphological-functional traits measured on species (functional traits), across different trophic levels. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of traits as a generalization tool to understand ecological processes, such as response to environmental gradients (ecological niche), species interactions and community assembly, but also effects on ecosystem functioning and potential as bioindicators of ecosystem services.
- The student will learn the characteristics of animal and plant communities, descriptors to define them, and ways to study them to analyze their structure.
The techniques to quantitatively analyze the relationships between organisms belonging to the same community will be illustrated.
Some null models will be proposed to conduct community simulation analysis, the criteria for choosing the most suitable model and sampling techniques for the groups of organisms analyzed.
- The study of communities and macroecology will be organized in different modules.
(i) Co-occurrence: the co-occurrence module allows for the testing of non-random patterns of species co-occurrence in a presence-absence matrix;
(ii) Macroecology: the study of the partitioning among species of physical space and ecological resources. Macroecological studies consist of the analysis of species-level traits, such as body size, geographic area, and mean abundance, measured at large spatial scales;
(iii) Niche overlap: the study of niche overlap has a long history in community ecology.
Simple theories of similarity limitation and ecological character shift predict that intraspecific and interspecific interactions result in reduced niche overlap of interacting organisms and populations.
Testing this idea with empirical data leads to three questions:
1) what aspects of the niche should be measured?
2) how can niche overlap between species pairs be quantified?
(3) what niche overlap would be expected in the absence of interaction?
(iv) Body size overlap: this module allows us to test unusual patterns in the body sizes of co-occurring species and compare these patterns to those that might be expected in a random assemblage unstructured by interspecific interactions;
(v) Community diversity: species diversity is a central object of study in both basic and applied community ecology.
Two main issues in the study of species diversity will be addressed. The first is how we can quantify the diversity of an assemblage and the second is how we can statistically compare the diversity of two different assemblages;
(vi) Functional groups or guilds: groups of species within a community that share common resources are considered guilds. This module will allow the incorporation of guild structure into community analyses.
- Through laboratory and field simulations, the student will learn the dynamics that determine the organization and structure of selected communities.
- Interactive computer programs for null model analysis in community ecology will be used to test community models with experimental and non-experimental data.
Monte Carlo randomization will be illustrated as an analytical method for comparing real communities with "pseudo-communities" created using various algorithms.
The broad applicability of null models in applied and basic ecology will be illustrated.
( reference books)
Mittelbach, G. G., & McGill, B. J. (2019). Community ecology. Oxford University Press.
Morin, P. J. (2009). Community ecology. John Wiley & Sons.
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CARBONI MARTA
( syllabus)
The course aims to provide the theoretical and practical foundations of community ecology and macroecology.
- The student will learn the characteristics of animal and plant communities and the methods to analyze their structure. Techniques to quantitatively analyze the relationships between organisms belonging to the same community will be illustrated. Some null models will be proposed to conduct community simulation analyzes, the criteria for choosing the model and the sampling techniques most suitable for the groups analyzed.
- The study of communities and macroecology will be organized in different modules.
(i) Co-occurrence: the co-occurrence module allows to test non-random patterns of species co-occurrence in a presence-absence matrix;
(ii) Macroecology: the study of the division between species of physical space and ecological resources. Macroecological studies consist in the analysis of traits at the species level, such as body size, geographical area and average abundance, measured at large spatial scales;
(iii) Niche overlap: The study of niche overlap has a long history in community ecology. Simple theories of similarity limitation and ecological trait displacement predict that interspecific competition leads to a reduction in the niche overlap of competing species. Testing this idea with empirical data leads to three questions:
1) what aspects of the niche should be measured?
2) how can the niche overlap between pairs of species be quantified?
3) what niche overlap would you expect in the absence of competition?
(iv) Overlap of body dimensions: this module allows to test unusual patterns in the body dimensions of coexisting species and to compare these patterns with those that might be expected in a random assemblage not structured by interspecific interactions;
(v) Community diversity: Species diversity is a central subject of study in both basic and applied community ecology. Two main issues will be addressed in the study of species diversity. The first is how we can quantify the diversity of an assembly and the second is how we can statistically compare the diversity of two different assemblies;
(vi) Functional Groups or Guilds: Groups of species within a community that share common resources are considered guilds. This module will allow you to incorporate the guild structure into community analyzes.
- Through simulations in the laboratory and in the field, the student will learn the dynamics that determine the organization and structure of some selected communities.
- Interactive computer programs for the analysis of null models in community ecology will be used to test community models with experimental and non-experimental data.
Monte Carlo randomizations will be illustrated as an analytical method to compare real communities with "pseudo-communities" created using different algorithms.
The broad applicability of null models in ecology will be illustrated
( reference books)
Mittelbach, G. G., & McGill, B. J. (2019). Community ecology. Oxford University Press.
Morin, P. J. (2009). Community ecology. John Wiley & Sons.
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BIO/03
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20
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Attività formative affini ed integrative
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| 3
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BIO/05
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20
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Attività formative affini ed integrative
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ITA |
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20410738 -
Plant-environment interactions and environmental sustainability
(objectives)
The growing anthropogenic pressure, the ongoing climate changes and the intensification of extreme events, expose plants to unusual and unpredictable environmental conditions, subjecting them to abiotic stresses that are atypical in intensity, frequency and duration. As a result of non-optimal growth conditions, plants develop an increased vulnerability to pathogens and weeds. Moreover, the increasingly advanced process of globalization facilitates the accidental introduction of alien species of potentially harmful and invasive pests and pathogenic microorganisms which creates significant damage to agricultural production, as well as representing a concrete threat to native biodiversity. Understanding plant responses to environmental stresses provides a fundamental knowledge for the development of innovative strategies for sustainable agriculture in a context of strong climatic variations, which protects food security, health, ecosystem and both native and agronomical plant biodiversity. The aim of this course is to provide the necessary skills to understand the effects of abiotic and biotic stresses on plants and their responses to environmental changes, also considering the effects that these responses have on the environment.
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FRAUDENTALI ILARIA
( syllabus)
Acclimatative and adaptive responses to environmental stresses. Tolerance, defense and homeostasis. Avoidance and contrast strategies. Phenotypic plasticity. Physiological and metabolic responses to environmental stresses.
Secondary metabolism in plant-environment interaction. Main classes of secondary metabolites. Functional and ecological roles of secondary metabolism.
Typology of abiotic stresses and their impact on plants. Plant responses to abiotic stresses. Adaptations and acclimations to water deficit. Adaptations and acclimations to water excess and oxygen deficiency. Adaptations and acclimations to saline stress. Adaptations and acclimations to high and low temperatures. Adaptations and acclimations to different light conditions. High irradiance stress. Ultraviolet radiation stress.
Type of pollutants and their impact on plants. Plants responses to environmental pollutants. Nitrogen oxides. Tropospheric ozone. Heavy metals. Effects of high atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide.
Plant biotic interactions. Negative interactions between plants and other organisms. Constitutive defenses. Elicited defenses. Resistance and priming. Beneficial interactions between plants and other organisms. Nitrogen fixers, mycorrhizae and pollinators.
Biopesticides, bioherbicides, biostimulants from agri-food chain waste as starting material for the extraction of natural bio-active compounds.
( reference books)
1. Interazioni Piante-Ambiente. Luigi Sanità di Toppi; Piccin Editore
2. Biologia delle Piante Vol. 2: Interazioni con l’ambiente e Domesticazione. Smith A. M. et al; Zanichelli Editore
3. Fondamenti di Patologia Vegetale. Alberto Matta et al; Patron Editore, Bologna
4. Scientific articles and power point slides provided by the professor.
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6
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BIO/04
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40
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-
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10
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Related or supplementary learning activities
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ITA |
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20410594 -
L’Agenda 2030 delle Nazioni Unite per lo sviluppo sostenibile - Le implicazioni per le Scienze della Vita e della Terra
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Modulo di Base
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3
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20
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Elective activities
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ITA |
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L’Agenda 2030 delle Nazioni Unite per lo sviluppo sostenibile - Le implicazioni per le Scienze della Vita e della Terra
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3
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GEO/03
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28
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Elective activities
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ITA |
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Optional group:
OPTIONAL CHARACTERIZING - (show)
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12
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20401656 -
BIOGEOGRAPHY
(objectives)
The student must be able to interpret the distributional processes of living organisms at global and local scale, according to both ecollgical and historical (palaeogeographic-palaeoecological) view. Processes must be explained by dispersal/vicariance hypotheses, according to the most recent techniques.
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Derived from
20401656 BIOGEOGRAFIA in Biodiversità e Tutela dell'Ambiente LM-6 N0 BOLOGNA MARCO ALBERTO
( syllabus)
(a) Introductive elements.
What is Biogeography: This Science which considers synthetically information from Geography, Palaeogeography, Geology, Ecology, Palaeoecology, Phylogenetic Systematics, Faunistic, Floristic, Population Genetics, Evolutionary Biology. Summary of principles of Evolutionary Biology (micro and macro-evolution), Systematics (Phenetist, Evolutionary and Cladistic schools), ecosystem and population Ecology. Speciation models, radiation. Natural and anthropic causes of extinction. Biogeography and Conservation of Nature.
Story of Biogeography: The founders of the Science: Buffon, de Candolle, von Humboldt, Lyell, Hooker, Sclater, Darwin, Wallace, Haeckel, Merriam, Simpson, Darlington, Holdaus, Gridelli, De Lattin, Furon, La Greca, Croizat, Wilson e MacArthur, Rozen e Platnick, Morrone, Avise, Hewitt.
Biogeographic schools of the XX century: Historical Biogeography, bridges, filters, dispersal and dispersion; Croizat and Panbiogeography; Cladistic Biogeography; Ecological Biogeography; Statistic Biogeography; Molecular Biogeography and Phylogeography. The Italian School of Biogeography: Gridelli, La Greca, Baccetti, Ruffo, Vigna Taglianti, Poldini; the Italian Society of Biogeography.
(b) Historical Biogeography
Land and marine Biogeography: History of life on the Earth: Tectonic of terrestrial plates and the Continental drift Theory; macro-plates and micro-plates; evolution and displacement of terrestrial masses and seas; evolution of terrestrial ecosystems. Climatic and biogeographic effects of plates tectonic. Effects of Pliocene-Pleistocene glaciations; Pleistocene glacial refugia; megafauna extinction; expansion and contraction of biomes. Effects of glaciations on lands and seas in temperate and tropical regions.
The terrestrial biogeographic regions: Floristic realms and Zoogeographic Regions. Causes of floras and faunas differentiation of Biogeographic regions. Regions and sub-regions. Marine Biogeographic Regions. Palaearctic Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Nearctic Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Oriental (Indo-Malayan) Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Afrotropical Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Neotropical Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Australian-Oceanic (Australasian) Region (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements)). Antarctic (boundaries; sub-regions; distinctive elements). Transitional Biogeographic Regions: Saharo-Sindian; Chinese; Indo-Australian (Wallacea); Meso-American. Regionalization of floras and faunas.
Biomes and Biogeographic Regions: Effects of climate and climatic cycles. Characteristics and geological origin in the Biogeographic regions. Effects of water circulation and of the sea depth on the marine regions. Biomes, and their distribution on the lands; dynamics of biomes. Marine biomes. Differences between biomes and biogeographic regions. Biomes and ecosystems. Anthropic transformation of biomes.
Biogeography of the Mediterranean area and the Europe: Tethys and Paratethys and Mediterranean origin. Shift, migration and positioning of microplates. Biogeography of Cenozoic: Messianian salinity crisis; Pliocene-Pleistocene effects of glaciations and refugia.
Range: specific and over-specific ranges; continuous, fragmented, disjunct ranges; historical and ecological causes of ranges; shape of ranges; terrestrial and marine ranges. Primary and Secondary ranges. Physical, ecological and palaeogeographic factors affecting limits of ranges: present barriers and limiting factors. Relicts. Endemism: ranges and conservation.
Generalized distributional models (chorotypes): examples in the Palaearctic and Afrotropical Regions. Examples of distribution of land plants and animals.
Dispersalist Biogeography (Simpson, Mayr). Dispersal and dispersion. Dispersion as biogeographic (range extension), evolutionary (genetic flow and speciation) and ecological process (niche realization). Overall similarity principles. Species-specific process and generalized models. Active and passive dispersal in plants and animals. Types of dispersal: jump dispersal, stepping stones dispersal. Dispersal and range enlargement. Barriers to dispersal (geographic and ecological). Colonization. Effects on biota due to immigrations.
Vicariance Biogeography. Vicariance (allopatric model; collapse of barrier model). Effects on biota. Cladistic Systematics and Vicariance Biogeography. Croizat’, Morrone’, Nelson’ and Platnick’ Vicariance models.
Distribution and abundance of populations. Variation of distribution and time. Range dynamic and conservation. Fossil and present ranges. Local and complete extinction.
Geographic variation in species (morphological and genetic characteristics). Continuous and discrete variation. Evolutionary and biogeographic importance of variation. Geographic variation and conservation. Geography of divergence and regionalization.
(c) Ecological Biogeography
Ecological Biogeography: present causes of species distribution; realized niche; colonization and competition. Distribution and dynamics of communities, ecosystems and biomes.
Island Biogeography: Wilson and Mac Arthur theory; experimental confirmation and problematic examples; Island Biogeography and Conservation Biology. Examples on geographic and ecological islands and on mountain peaks.
(d) New methods of biogeographic analysis
Molecular Biogeography. Phylogeography (mtDNA, nDNA, molecular and statistical methods). Examples on glacial refugia and postglacial spread.
Statistical Biogeography. Analysis of molecular data in Biogeography; dating; direction of dispersal; time of vicariance.
Cartographic representation of the biogeographic diversity: traditional cartography, areograms, georeferenced databases, GIS and remote-sensing systems. Mapping the ranges.
( reference books)
Lomolino M.V., Riddle B.R. & Whittaker R.J., Biogeography. Biological Diversity across Space and Time. Sinauer, Sunderland, USA.
Also useful: Zunino M. & Zullini A., Biogeografia. La dimensione spaziale dell’evoluzione. Ambrosiana, Milano.
The teacher supplies students with specialist literature and additional material.
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6
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BIO/05
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40
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-
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10
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
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20410259 -
ENTOMOLOGY
(objectives)
The main formative targets are:
1) the acquisition of a basic knowledge on morphology, anatomy, physiology and evolution of the main insect groups.
2) the acquisition of both theoretical and practical knowledge on systematics and classification of the hexapoda.
3) the construction of a solid cultural background for an advanced discussion on causes and effects of the amazing evolutionary success and diversity of insects and on their importance in basic and applied studies.
4) the acquisition of the tools for the insect taxonomic identification, expecially for those orders and families present in the italian fauna.
5) to stimulate the curiosity and the ability of critically observe the nature.
6) the self-evaluation by the student of the competence whitin the animal biology, and in particular in the entomology.
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6
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BIO/05
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40
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-
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-
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-
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
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20410278 -
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(objectives)
1. acquire knowledge of the fundamental role of microorganisms in ecosystems and of the factors affecting their distribution and interactions with other organisms:
- metabolic and functional biodiversity, structure and dynamics of microbial communities
- bacteria and archea taxonomic groups
2. knowledge of traditional, molecular and cultivation-independent methods for identification/typing and analysis of microbial populations
3. evaluation of the multiple potential applications of environmental microorganisms also as bioindicators
4. acquisition of critical skills by reading scientific articles.
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Derived from
20410278 MICROBIOLOGIA AMBIENTALE in Biodiversità e Tutela dell'Ambiente LM-6 VISAGGIO DANIELA
( syllabus)
1. Evolution and systematics of microorganisms: origin of bacteria; molecular phylogeny; 16S rRNA gene and evolution; fundamentals of systematics of microorganisms
2. Metabolic diversity in microorganisms: chemolithotrophy; fermentations; anaerobia; phototrophy
3. Functional diversity of microorganisms: phototrophic and chemotrophic bacteria
4. Study methods in microbial ecology: a) cultivation methods; b) methods independent of cultivation: microscopy, genetic analysis; metagenomics
5. Microbial ecosystems: a) principles of ecology; b) Microbial interactions (Quorum sensing; Biofilm);
c) Terrestrial environment (the soil); d) Aquatic environments (sea); c) Extreme environments (abysses; hydrothermal springs)
6. Microbial role in nutrient cycles: carbon, nitrogen, sulfur; others
7. Symbiosis between microorganisms and between microorganisms and different organisms such as a) plants, b) mammals, c) man; d) insects; e) aquatic invertebrates
8. Microorganisms in anthropized environments: bioremediation of contaminated sites; water treatment; biocorrosion; recovery of minerals from mines
( reference books)
Brock Biologia dei Microorganismi
Microbiologia generale, ambientale e industriale
Michael T. Madigan - Kelly S. Bender - Daniel H. Buckley - David A. Stahl - W. Matthew Sattley ISBN: 9788891906298 Pearson
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6
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BIO/19
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40
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10
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
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20410731 -
Animal ecology
(objectives)
The main formative targets are:
1) to acquire an evolutionary approach in the study of animal ecology;
2) to acquire basic knowledge on autoecology, synecology and population ecology;
3) to acquire an experimental field experience in the collection and analysis of field data on population and community ecology;
4) to lead the students towards a self-evaluation of their own competence whitin animal ecology.
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Derived from
20410731 Ecologia animale in Biodiversità e Tutela dell'Ambiente LM-6 VIGNOLI LEONARDO
( syllabus)
THE COURSE CONSISTS OF A PRELIMINARY MODULE OF LESSONS AND ONE OR TWO FINAL RESIDENTIAL STAGES IN A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING BOTH THEORETICAL LESSONS AND SEVERAL FIELD PRACTICES CONCERNING ASPECTS OF POPULATION AND COMMUNITY ECOLOGY, HABITAT PREFERENCE AND RESOURCE PARTITIONING BY THE SPECIES.
THE PRELIMINARY MODULE IS DEVOTED TO STUDY THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS:
(a) STRUCTURAL LEVELS OF ANIMAL DIVERSITY. (A) MEANING AND APPROACH OF THE COURSE. (B) ECOLOGY OF ANIMAL POPULATIONS: STRUCTURE, DYNAMICS, REGULATION, AGE CLASSES, SEX-RATIO. (C) ANIMAL POPULATION GROWTH MODELS: EXPONENTIAL MODEL, LOGISTIC MODEL, LOGISTIC MODEL WITH INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION, LOGISTIC MODEL WITH PREDATION. (D) NUMERICAL POPULATION ESTIMATES AND METHODS OF CAPTURE-MARK-RECAPTURE. (D) ECOLOGICAL NICHE: METHODS OF RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS OF DATA; PROBLEMS AND STUDY EXAMPLES OF: TROPHIC NICHE; SPATIAL NICHE; TEMPORAL NICHE; NICHE SIZE AND OVERLAP; INDIVIDUAL SPECIALISATION. (E) HOME RANGE. (F) LOCAL ADAPTATION AND ECOLOGICAL PLASTICITY. (G) ECOLOGY OF ANIMAL COMMUNITIES: INTERSPECIFIC RELATIONSHIPS; EXAMPLES OF AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL COMMUNITIES (TAXOCENOSIS AND GUILD); QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE METHODS OF THE STUDY OF ANIMAL COMMUNITIES; ASSEMBLY RULES AND NULL MODELS. NESTEDNESS MODELS, CO-OCCURRENCE, TURNOVER AND MODULARITY. METHODS OF ANALYSIS OF MODELS OF COMMUNITY STRUCTURE. DIVERSITY, EVENNESS, DOMINANCE, BIOTIC DIVERSITY INDICES, ECOLOGICAL ROLE OF SPECIES AND COMPETITIVE EXCLUSION.
THE COURSE PROVIDES, IN ADDITION TO THE RESIDENTIAL STAGE (CA. 6 HOURS A DAY OF PRACTICES IN NATURE AND 2 HOURS A DAY OF LECTURES), ALSO 2-3 EXERCISES IN NATURE OF A SINGLE DAY, INTERVALED TO THE FRONTAL LESSONS IN THE FIRST MODULE.
( reference books)
NOTES AND POWER POINTS ARE PROVIDED BY THE TEACHER. THE FOLLOWING TEXTBOOKS HELP TO STUDY SOME ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAMME:
- RICKLEFS R.E., 1997. ECOLOGIA. ZANICHELLI;
- BOITANI L. & FULLER T.K. (EDS.), 2000. RESEARCH TECHNIQUES IN ANIMAL ECOLOGY. CONTROVERSIES AND CONSEQUENCES. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS, N.Y.;
- KREBS J.R. & DAVIES N.B., 2002. ECOLOGIA E COMPORTAMENTO ANIMALE. BOLLATI BORINGHIERI;
- GOTELLI, N.J. AND A.M. ELLISON. 2004. A PRIMER OF ECOLOGICAL STATISTICS. SINAUER ASSOCIATES, INC., SUNDERLAND, MA.;
- GOTELLI, N.J. 2008. A PRIMER OF ECOLOGY. 4TH EDITION. SINAUER ASSOCIATES, INC., SUNDERLAND, MA.
- HENDERSON, P.A. 2003. PRACTICAL METHODS IN ECOLOGY. BLACKWELL SCIENCE LTD
Students are provided with a document that lists for each lesson topic which textbook and which chapters are most relevant for the study, and for
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6
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BIO/05
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24
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-
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10
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
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20410732 -
Plant ecology
(objectives)
Major goals of this course are:
-a knowledge of the main features of plant communities;
-to get a mastery of the main metodologies of vegetation study;
-to develop the interpretation abilities of ecological data and the specific paper in plant ecology.
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Derived from
20410732 Ecologia vegetale in Biodiversità e Tutela dell'Ambiente LM-6 CUTINI MAURIZIO, ACOSTA ALICIA TERESA ROSARIO
( syllabus)
BALANCE CLIMATE-SOIL-VEGETATION. DEFINITION OF PLANT COMMUNITIES. MAIN FEATURES OF THE VEGETATION. VEGETATION ZONES AND VEGETATION BELTS. ZONAL, EXTRAZONAL, AZONAL VEGETATION. VEGETATION DYNAMICS AND POTENTIAL NATURAL VEGETATION.
BIOLOGICAL AND LIFE FORM, GRIME STRATEGIES (C-S-R), FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY, PLANT TRAITS AND FUNCTIONAL GROUPS.
METHODS OF VEGETATION STUDY (RANDOM AND SYSTEMATIC), DIVERSITY ANALYSIS: GENERAL CONCEPT AND CALCULATION METHODS (RAREFACTION CURVE, ABUNDANCE-DOMINANCE, RENY CURVES). PHYTOSOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH, GEO- AND SYNPHYTOSOCIOLOGY.
VEGETATION MAPPING OF THE COMMUNITIES AND PLANT LANDSCAPES. VEGETATION AND HABITAT’S INTEPRETEATION (EUNIS CLASSIFICATION AND ALL. I OF THE HABITAT DIRECTIVE).
MONITORING AND RED LIST OF THE HABITATS. MULTITEMPORAL ANALYSIS. HUMAN IMPACT AND EFFECT ON VEGETATION.
( reference books)
BRECKLE S.-W., 2002. WALTER’S VEGETATION OF THE EARTH. SPRINGER.
VAN DER MAAREL E. (ED.), 2005. VEGETATION ECOLOGY. BLACKWELL PUBLISHING.
KENT M., COKER P., 1992. VEGETATION DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS. JOHN WILWY & SONS.
CRISTEA V., GAFTA D., PEDROTTI F., 2015. FITOSOCIOLOGIA. TEMI ED.
PEDROTTI F., 2013. PLANT AND VEGETATION MAPPING. SPRINGER.
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6
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BIO/03
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24
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-
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10
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
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20410735 -
Community Ecology
(objectives)
Cultural competences (knowledge of): - Theoretical and practical bases of animal and plant community ecology - Macroecology - Morphological-functional traits measured on species and functional groups - Interactions among species (competition, facilitation, trophic) - Coexistence, co-occurrence among species and community assemblage - Ecological niche and niche overlap among species - Community diversity (taxonomic, functional, phylogenetic) -
Methodological competences (know how to perform): - Know how to define how to study animal and plant communities and analyze their structure - Know how to quantitatively analyze the relationships between organisms belonging to the same community - Know how to perform null models to conduct community simulation analyses - Know how to choose models for analysis and sampling techniques best suited to the groups of organisms analyzed - Know how to apply and understand diversity metrics - Know how to identify functional groups or guilds.
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Derived from
20410735 Ecologia delle Comunità in Biodiversità e Tutela dell'Ambiente LM-6 VIGNOLI LEONARDO, CARBONI MARTA
( syllabus)
The course aims to provide the theoretical and practical foundations of animal and plant community ecology and macroecology and to present students with state-of-the-art concepts and methods on the use in ecology of morphological-functional traits measured on species (functional traits), across different trophic levels. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of traits as a generalization tool to understand ecological processes, such as response to environmental gradients (ecological niche), species interactions and community assembly, but also effects on ecosystem functioning and potential as bioindicators of ecosystem services.
- The student will learn the characteristics of animal and plant communities, descriptors to define them, and ways to study them to analyze their structure.
The techniques to quantitatively analyze the relationships between organisms belonging to the same community will be illustrated.
Some null models will be proposed to conduct community simulation analysis, the criteria for choosing the most suitable model and sampling techniques for the groups of organisms analyzed.
- The study of communities and macroecology will be organized in different modules.
(i) Co-occurrence: the co-occurrence module allows for the testing of non-random patterns of species co-occurrence in a presence-absence matrix;
(ii) Macroecology: the study of the partitioning among species of physical space and ecological resources. Macroecological studies consist of the analysis of species-level traits, such as body size, geographic area, and mean abundance, measured at large spatial scales;
(iii) Niche overlap: the study of niche overlap has a long history in community ecology.
Simple theories of similarity limitation and ecological character shift predict that intraspecific and interspecific interactions result in reduced niche overlap of interacting organisms and populations.
Testing this idea with empirical data leads to three questions:
1) what aspects of the niche should be measured?
2) how can niche overlap between species pairs be quantified?
(3) what niche overlap would be expected in the absence of interaction?
(iv) Body size overlap: this module allows us to test unusual patterns in the body sizes of co-occurring species and compare these patterns to those that might be expected in a random assemblage unstructured by interspecific interactions;
(v) Community diversity: species diversity is a central object of study in both basic and applied community ecology.
Two main issues in the study of species diversity will be addressed. The first is how we can quantify the diversity of an assemblage and the second is how we can statistically compare the diversity of two different assemblages;
(vi) Functional groups or guilds: groups of species within a community that share common resources are considered guilds. This module will allow the incorporation of guild structure into community analyses.
- Through laboratory and field simulations, the student will learn the dynamics that determine the organization and structure of selected communities.
- Interactive computer programs for null model analysis in community ecology will be used to test community models with experimental and non-experimental data.
Monte Carlo randomization will be illustrated as an analytical method for comparing real communities with "pseudo-communities" created using various algorithms.
The broad applicability of null models in applied and basic ecology will be illustrated.
( reference books)
Mittelbach, G. G., & McGill, B. J. (2019). Community ecology. Oxford University Press.
Morin, P. J. (2009). Community ecology. John Wiley & Sons.
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| 3
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BIO/03
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20
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Core compulsory activities
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| 3
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BIO/05
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20
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
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20410738 -
Plant-environment interactions and environmental sustainability
(objectives)
The growing anthropogenic pressure, the ongoing climate changes and the intensification of extreme events, expose plants to unusual and unpredictable environmental conditions, subjecting them to abiotic stresses that are atypical in intensity, frequency and duration. As a result of non-optimal growth conditions, plants develop an increased vulnerability to pathogens and weeds. Moreover, the increasingly advanced process of globalization facilitates the accidental introduction of alien species of potentially harmful and invasive pests and pathogenic microorganisms which creates significant damage to agricultural production, as well as representing a concrete threat to native biodiversity. Understanding plant responses to environmental stresses provides a fundamental knowledge for the development of innovative strategies for sustainable agriculture in a context of strong climatic variations, which protects food security, health, ecosystem and both native and agronomical plant biodiversity. The aim of this course is to provide the necessary skills to understand the effects of abiotic and biotic stresses on plants and their responses to environmental changes, also considering the effects that these responses have on the environment.
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Derived from
20410738 Interazioni pianta-ambiente e sostenibilità ambientale in Biodiversità e Tutela dell'Ambiente LM-6 FRAUDENTALI ILARIA
( syllabus)
Acclimatative and adaptive responses to environmental stresses. Tolerance, defense and homeostasis. Avoidance and contrast strategies. Phenotypic plasticity. Physiological and metabolic responses to environmental stresses.
Secondary metabolism in plant-environment interaction. Main classes of secondary metabolites. Functional and ecological roles of secondary metabolism.
Typology of abiotic stresses and their impact on plants. Plant responses to abiotic stresses. Adaptations and acclimations to water deficit. Adaptations and acclimations to water excess and oxygen deficiency. Adaptations and acclimations to saline stress. Adaptations and acclimations to high and low temperatures. Adaptations and acclimations to different light conditions. High irradiance stress. Ultraviolet radiation stress.
Type of pollutants and their impact on plants. Plants responses to environmental pollutants. Nitrogen oxides. Tropospheric ozone. Heavy metals. Effects of high atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide.
Plant biotic interactions. Negative interactions between plants and other organisms. Constitutive defenses. Elicited defenses. Resistance and priming. Beneficial interactions between plants and other organisms. Nitrogen fixers, mycorrhizae and pollinators.
Biopesticides, bioherbicides, biostimulants from agri-food chain waste as starting material for the extraction of natural bio-active compounds.
( reference books)
1. Interazioni Piante-Ambiente. Luigi Sanità di Toppi; Piccin Editore
2. Biologia delle Piante Vol. 2: Interazioni con l’ambiente e Domesticazione. Smith A. M. et al; Zanichelli Editore
3. Fondamenti di Patologia Vegetale. Alberto Matta et al; Patron Editore, Bologna
4. Scientific articles and power point slides provided by the professor.
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6
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BIO/04
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40
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-
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10
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
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Optional group:
CFU A SCELTA DELLO STUDENTE - (show)
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12
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20410076 -
CFU A SCELTA DELLO STUDENTE
(objectives)
Students may select courses and/or other practical activities in order to strengthen their knowledge either with even more specific competences in the biology area or with transversal knowledge (by acquiring CFUs from other sectors) aimed at deepening a multidisciplinary preparation.
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12
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Elective activities
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ITA |
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20410739 -
Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecology of Inland Waters
(objectives)
Laboratory of Inland Water Biodiversity and Ecology is mainly focusing on providing students a solid basic knowledge of both abiotic and biotic features of diverse inland waters’ habitats. Furthermore, it will try to develop the ability to identify both native and non-native aquatic animals and plants, analyzing their different strategies and ways of colonization and adaptation to different environmental drivers. Students will develop the ability to use the environmental monitoring tools for aquatic habitats and will acquire the basics for (i) planning and carrying out water chemical-physical analyses and (ii) sampling aquatic organisms and banks, with the ability to analyze and represent data. Finally, students will have the opportunity to learn and test some application aspects related to hydrobiology, and the sector of ecosystem services and biomonitoring in the aquatic environments.
Prerequisiti
Knowledge of the basic concepts of the Botany, Zoology and Ecology.
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CESCHIN SIMONA
( syllabus)
Knowledge of the main physical (current water movements, tides and seiches, temperature, heat balance of water bodies, density, transparency, luminosity, salinity, conductivity, hardness) and chemical properties of freshwaters (dissolved oxygen and factors regulating its solubility, carbon dioxide, bicarbonates and carbonates, pH, nutrient cycle and organic matter, BOD, COD, contaminants). Instrumental methodologies for physico-chemical sampling of water.
Life in waters. Elements of classification of dominant animal and plant species in freshwater environments, metabolism and life cycles, forms of specific adaptation to lentic and lotic environments, methods of biological sampling and data collection, qualitative-quantitative measures of abundance and biomass, energy transfers and transformations, food chains and networks (primary production, consumers, breakers). Examples of ecological characteristics of lake and river systems. Application aspects relative to biodepuration and biomonitoring of water quality.
( reference books)
1. Bettinetti R., G. Crosa, S. Galassi. 2007. Ecologia delle acque interne. Edizioni CittàStudi.
2. Teaching materials provided during the course
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| 1
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BIO/02
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5
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-
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-
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-
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Elective activities
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| 2
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BIO/07
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5
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-
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-
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Elective activities
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ITA |
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20410740 -
Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Coastal Ecosystems
(objectives)
Major goals of this course are: the training in the ecology of coastal ecosystems and the achievement of solid skills in this sector, the understanding of its relationship with other ecological disciplines (animal ecology, plant ecology) and the strengthening of the knowledge acquired previously (botany, zoology, ecology).
This lab aims to analyze the wide biodiversity of coastal ecosystems, at national and European level and the major threats. Furthermore, the acquisition of a broad skills in the methodologies and techniques related to the collection, both in the laboratory and in the field, of biological and environmental data.
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ACOSTA ALICIA TERESA ROSARIO
( syllabus)
Coastal ecosystems as an interface between the terrestrial and marine environment. Diversity of sandy, rocky, brakish and lagoon ecosystems. Characteristics and distribution in the different continents. Coastal phytocoenosis of the Italian and European (Mediterranean and Atlantic) coasts. Main plant groupings. Main adaptive strategies of plants. The animals of the coastal dunes and relationships with the psammoalophilous vegetation. Fauna of the humid areas behind the dunes, nesting and wintering sites for birds. Stranding and recovery of marine vertebrates. Terrestrial and marine animals of the intertidal zone. Fauna of the cliff pools. The cliffs and the nesting of birds. Coastal Habitats of the European Directive 92/43 / EEC (Habitats Directive) and EUNIS present in Italy. Sampling and data analysis techniques. The conservation of the coasts. Main disturbing factors. Threatened habitats. Threatened species and exotic species. Environmental quality and state of conservation. Bioindicators. Problems of conservation and management. Main strategies for the conservation of coastal ecosystems.
( reference books)
Acosta A. & Ercole S. 2017. Gli habitat delle coste sabbiose italiane: ecologia e problematiche di conservazione. Quaderni ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale 215/2015.
Ruffo, S. (a cura di). (2002). Dune e spiagge sabbiose. Ambienti fra terra e mare. Quaderni Habitat, 4. Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio. Scaricabile dal sito del Ministero.
costa A. (2021). Le spiagge, queste sconosciute. Un viaggio negli ambienti più interessanti (e minacciati) d'Italia. Aracne editrice.
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| 1,5
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BIO/03
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10
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Elective activities
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| 1,5
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BIO/05
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Elective activities
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ITA |
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20410741 -
Laboratory of Zoological Sampling Techniques
(objectives)
The course aims at providing the theoretical and practical basis for data collection aimed at carrying out zoological research.
- The student will learn the criteria for choosing the model and sampling techniques most suitable for:
(i) the selected animal group (invertebrate, vertebrate, aquatic, terrestrial, flier etc.),
(ii) the type of research to be carried out on it (ecological, taxonomic, phylogenetic , anatomical, etc.),
(iii) the biology and ecology of the study species and populations (e.g. behaviour, spatial structure, biological cycle),
(iv) the evaluation of the number of sample units,
(v) the context of the sampling effort,
(vi) the spatial and temporal pattern of sampling.
- Through simulations in the laboratory and in the field, the student will learn the techniques for sampling the main Metazoan taxonomic groups, based on direct and indirect samplings, qualitative and quantitative collections, capture-marking-recapture methods, radiotrekking, traps (with or without attractants , photo-traps, light traps, pheromones, etc.)
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VIGNOLI LEONARDO
( syllabus)
The course includes theoretical and practical lessons on topics related to the sampling techniques of animal organisms, vertebrates and invertebrates, terrestrial and aquatic.
The main topics covered in the program are: Sampling theory; Monitoring; Biological invasions/eradication; Genetics/Genomics applied to taxonomy, systematics, ecology and conservation; Sampling of model taxa (bats, birds - ringing, micromammals, Soil Fauna, Insects, Inland water Macrobenthos, Ecotoxicology).
- The student will learn the criteria for choosing the most appropriate experimental model and sampling techniques:
(i) to the animal group analyzed (invertebrate, vertebrate, aquatic, terrestrial, flyer etc.),
(ii) to the type of research to be carried out on it (ecological, taxonomic, phylogenetic, anatomical, etc.),
(iii) to the biology and ecology of the species and populations studied (e.g. behavior, spatial structure, biological cycle),
(iv) to the assessment of the number of sample units,
(v) the context of the sampling effort, (vi) the spatial and temporal pattern of sampling.
- Through laboratory and field simulations, the student will learn the sampling techniques of the main taxonomic groups of Metazoa, based on direct, indirect, qualitative or quantitative collections, capture-mark-recapture methods, radio tracking, traps (with or without attractants, photo-traps, light traps, pheromone traps, etc.).
( reference books)
Didactic material provided by the teachers
-
RICCIERI ALESSANDRA
( syllabus)
The course includes theoretical and practical lessons on topics related to the sampling techniques of animal organisms, vertebrates and invertebrates, terrestrial and aquatic.
The main topics covered in the program are: Sampling theory; Monitoring; Biological invasions/eradication; Genetics/Genomics applied to taxonomy, systematics, ecology and conservation; Sampling of model taxa (bats, birds - ringing, micromammals, Soil Fauna, Insects, Inland water Macrobenthos, Ecotoxicology).
- The student will learn the criteria for choosing the most appropriate experimental model and sampling techniques:
(i) to the animal group analyzed (invertebrate, vertebrate, aquatic, terrestrial, flyer etc.),
(ii) to the type of research to be carried out on it (ecological, taxonomic, phylogenetic, anatomical, etc.),
(iii) to the biology and ecology of the species and populations studied (e.g. behavior, spatial structure, biological cycle),
(iv) to the assessment of the number of sample units,
(v) the context of the sampling effort, (vi) the spatial and temporal pattern of sampling.
- Through laboratory and field simulations, the student will learn the sampling techniques of the main taxonomic groups of Metazoa, based on direct, indirect, qualitative or quantitative collections, capture-mark-recapture methods, radio tracking, traps (with or without attractants, photo-traps, light traps, pheromone traps, etc.).
( reference books)
Didactic material provided by the teachers
|
3
|
BIO/05
|
-
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
Elective activities
|
ITA |
|
20410750 -
Experimental Laboratories of Environmental Biology
(objectives)
The course aims to introduce students to the many facets of environmental biology and its applied aspects. Through lectures and laboratory and field activities, the student will learn techniques for identifying and sampling plant and animal species, as well as analysing biological data. These laboratories will lead the student to understand the importance of environmental biology in the basic and applied research, the latter particularly in the sectors of the biomonitoring, environmental management and habitat, flora, and fauna conservation.
|
|
|
-
First module
(objectives)
The course aims to introduce students to the many facets of environmental biology and its applied aspects. Through lectures and laboratory and field activities, the student will learn techniques for identifying and sampling plant and animal species, as well as analysing biological data. These laboratories will lead the student to understand the importance of environmental biology in the basic and applied research, the latter particularly in the sectors of the biomonitoring, environmental management and habitat, flora, and fauna conservation.
|
1
|
BIO/02
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Elective activities
|
ITA |
|
-
Second module
(objectives)
The course aims to introduce students to the many facets of environmental biology and its applied aspects. Through lectures and laboratory and field activities, the student will learn techniques for identifying and sampling plant and animal species, as well as analysing biological data. These laboratories will lead the student to understand the importance of environmental biology in the basic and applied research, the latter particularly in the sectors of the biomonitoring, environmental management and habitat, flora, and fauna conservation.
|
1
|
BIO/05
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Elective activities
|
ITA |
|
-
Third module
(objectives)
The course aims to introduce students to the many facets of environmental biology and its applied aspects. Through lectures and laboratory and field activities, the student will learn techniques for identifying and sampling plant and animal species, as well as analysing biological data. These laboratories will lead the student to understand the importance of environmental biology in the basic and applied research, the latter particularly in the sectors of the biomonitoring, environmental management and habitat, flora, and fauna conservation.
|
1
|
BIO/07
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Elective activities
|
ITA |
|
Università Roma Tre