Main aim of the course is to provide students with the basic knowledge necessary to understand the complexity of the interactions that allow the functioning of the ecosystems.
Course Prerequisites
The following courses of the first year are preparatory to Ecology: General and Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Elements of Physics, with particular reference to: molecular structure of the matter, chemical bonds, redox reactions, the chemical-physical properties of water, the laws of thermodynamics. The understanding of Ecology also requires knowledge of General and evolutionary Zoology, General Botany and Genetics.
Teaching Methods
The course includes lectures and exercises in the classroom. Lectures are based on Power Points presentations, which are available for the students on the moodle platform KIRO, in the course section. For the learning of some topics involving an analytical-quantitative approach, some exercises are proposed in the classroom, to be solved by the lecturer together with the students. Additionally, the course includes 0.5 credits of fieldwork (a day trip). Course attendance is strongly advised. For students participating to the DIDATTICA INCLUSIVA programme, video-lectures and vide-recordings of lectures are available on the KIRO platform
Assessment Methods
The oral exam aims to verify the capability of personal elaboration ofìthe main concepts presented during the course and to correlate the different issues within an ecosystem approach.
Texts
SMITH T.M. & SMITH R.L. Elements of Ecology. 9th Edition.
Contents
1.Introduction to Ecology and defintions. 2.Ecological factors: temperature, water, light, pressure, density and salinity. Organisms ecological tolerance and limiting factors. Macro and microclimates. 3. Biogeochemical cycles of the main elements (water, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Oxygen, Calcium and Magnesium). Eutrophication. 4. Population properties and intraspecific regulation. Species interactions and adaptative strategies. 5.Community and ecosystem ecology. 6.Bioindicators of environmental quality
Course Language
Italian
More information
Additional studying and working material will be directly provided by the teachers on UNIPV KIRO website (http://kiro2014.unipv.it.idcd/) together with the Powerpoint presentations used in class, if not copyrighted.
