ID:
509334
Duration (hours):
26
CFU:
3
SSD:
ZOOLOGIA
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Primo Semestre (01/10/2025 - 16/01/2026)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course aims to provide the student with detailed knowledge about habitat loss and fragmentation and its impact on individuals, populations and animal communities. At the end of the course the student will be able to apply the knowledge acquired in order to examine the degree of habitat loss and fragmentation, quantify the degree of landscape’s ecological connectivity, analyse the effects of these phenomena on animal populations and communities (both through process and pattern-based studies and observational and experimental studies), to predict the future impacts of these phenomena by interpreting connectivity and metapopulations’ models. Furthermore, students will be able to identify management measures and plan simple landscape management designs to be adopted to reduce the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on animal populations. The objectives of the course follow the guidelines of the UN Agenda 2030, precisely those specified by objective 15 (points 15.2 and 15.5).
Course Prerequisites
It is recommended that students have acquired the fundamental knowledge of Zoology and Animal Ecology, familiarity with the use of GIS programs, the ability to interpret the results of statistical and modeling analyses (specifically analyses of species distribution models). It is also advisable, but not necessary, for students to have background on population genetics.
Teaching Methods
The topics of the course will be presented during lectures using PowerPoint presentations, which will be available to students. The topics will be addressed from a theoretical point of view and will be complemented by the presentation of specific examples related to recent studies carried out on different species and animal communities around the world. During the course, real case studies, taken from scientific articles and concerning the topics covered from a theoretical point of view during the lectures, will also be presented in detail. Seminars will also be held by external lecturers on specific topics. Students will also be asked to present in groups, the number of which will be defined on the basis of the number of students, two / three PowerPoint presentations in which a real case study, published in a scientific journal and relating to topics proposed by the teacher, will be illustrated to the class.
Assessment Methods
The student's learning level will be verified through an individual oral exam aimed at ascertaining the acquisition of knowledge and analytical and planning skills in accordance with the teaching objectives. The subject of the exam is the contents of the PowerPoint presentations presented in class, including presentations of specific case studies. During the exam, the student will be asked two questions. The first will require an organized, in-depth presentation of a general topic accompanied by examples, while the second will require a detailed and precise description of a specific topic. The score of the vote will be based on the degree of understanding and in-depth analysis of the topics presented in class, on the ability to critically analyze the case studies (also deducted by the case study presentations carried out by the students during the course) and on the ability to explain what has been learned.
Texts
In addition to studying the content of the PowerPoint presentations showed in class (which will be available to students), students are invited to deepen the course topics on one of the following texts: Lindenmayer, D. B., & Fischer, J. (2013). Habitat fragmentation and landscape change: an ecological and conservation synthesis. Island Press. Collinge, Sharon K. Ecology of fragmented landscapes. JHU Press, 2009. Bennett, A. F. (1999). Linkages in the landscape: the role of corridors and connectivity in wildlife conservation (No. 1). Iucn. Crooks, K. R., & Sanjayan, M. (Eds.). (2006). Connectivity conservation (Vol. 14). Cambridge University Press.
Contents
1) Landscape configuration changes -Pattern of landscape configuration changes -Model of landscape configuration changes 2) How landscape configuration changes affect individuals and animal populations -Deterministic processes (exogenous and endogenous) - Stochastic processes (exogenous and endogenous) -Which species are extinction prone? 3) How landscape configuration changes affect and animal communities -Fragment size and species richness -Habitat degradation and species richness -Edge effect effect -Habitat isolation and species richness -Nested subset theory 4) Ecological connectivity -What is ecological connectivity -Importance of ecological connectivity for the conservation of animal populations -Quantifying ecological connectivity -Landscape elements that contribute to ecological connectivity (corridors, stepping stones, soft matrix, the concept of the least cost path) 5) Study the effects of landscape changes on animal populations and communities - Process-based studies (species distribution models and animal movement studies) - Pattern-based studies (observational and experimental studies) -Models (ecological connectivity models: resistance maps, modeling of least cost paths, complex modeling of movement flows; metapopulation models; spatially explicit population models) 6) Landscape genetics - What is landscape genetics - The gene flow - How to study landscape genetics (populations defined a priori; populations not defined a priori) - Calibration of resistance maps using landscape genetics 7) Mitigating the effects of landscape changes on animal populations and communities Maintain / restore large fragments of habitat Properly manage forest fragments Maintain / restore corridors and stepping-stones Defragment ecological barriers Maintain / restore a "soft" matrix An integrated approach: the ecological network Targeting mitigation interventions
Course Language
Italian
Degrees
Degrees (2)
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION, SCIENCE EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION
Master’s Degree
2 years
2 years
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People
People
Teaching staff
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