ID:
509719
Duration (hours):
60
CFU:
6
SSD:
PALEONTOLOGIA E PALEOECOLOGIA
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Primo Semestre (01/10/2025 - 10/01/2026)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course MicroMar aims at providing master’s students with a good knowledge of the main sampling methods, the preparation and analysis techniques, the role and meaning of the different marine microorganisms and their applications to fossil and modern records in the research fields of Geosciences and Natural Sciences.
At the end of the course, the master’s student must be able to independently recognize, from a taxonomic point of view, the different microorganisms treated in class (with particular regard to foraminifera, which will be identified at least at the genus level) and how these can be used to date and interpret from a paleoenvironmental and paleoecological point of view rocky samples from Cenozoic successions. They must also be able to recognize and interpret from an ecological point of view modern foraminiferal assemblages preserved in marine sediments, understand their living environment and the factors that controlled their abundance and spatial distribution (community structure and ecological indices).
At the end of the course, the master’s student must be able to independently recognize, from a taxonomic point of view, the different microorganisms treated in class (with particular regard to foraminifera, which will be identified at least at the genus level) and how these can be used to date and interpret from a paleoenvironmental and paleoecological point of view rocky samples from Cenozoic successions. They must also be able to recognize and interpret from an ecological point of view modern foraminiferal assemblages preserved in marine sediments, understand their living environment and the factors that controlled their abundance and spatial distribution (community structure and ecological indices).
Course Prerequisites
Marine Microorganisms and their Applications (MicroMar) was designed and organized for master's students of the degree classes LM 60 (Biodiversity conservation, education and scientific communication) and LM74 (Geosciences for sustainable development) and who attended a three-year degree suitable for access to these degree classes, therefore no specific prerequisites are required other than having an open mind and good observation skills.
However, given that the marine microorganisms explained during the course will be treated mainly on the basis of their use in Geosciences and in the Sciences of Nature, with applications to fossil and modern records, it will be necessary to know some basic concepts. These are: the taphonomic process (post-morten processes, burial and fossilization, difference among biocoenosis, thanatocoenosis and tafocoenosis,); the basic concepts of Stratigraphy; the concept of "time" recorded by a sedimentary succession and how this is identified through the time-diagnostic signals (biostratigraphic markers, radiometric dating, magnetostratigraphy, etc.), the standard table of relative times, marine depositional environments; factors limiting marine organisms; the trophic chain; the main metabolic pathways (fermentation, chemosynthesis, photosynthesis and respiration).
However, given that the marine microorganisms explained during the course will be treated mainly on the basis of their use in Geosciences and in the Sciences of Nature, with applications to fossil and modern records, it will be necessary to know some basic concepts. These are: the taphonomic process (post-morten processes, burial and fossilization, difference among biocoenosis, thanatocoenosis and tafocoenosis,); the basic concepts of Stratigraphy; the concept of "time" recorded by a sedimentary succession and how this is identified through the time-diagnostic signals (biostratigraphic markers, radiometric dating, magnetostratigraphy, etc.), the standard table of relative times, marine depositional environments; factors limiting marine organisms; the trophic chain; the main metabolic pathways (fermentation, chemosynthesis, photosynthesis and respiration).
Teaching Methods
The course includes lectures organized in Power Point presentations and practical activities in laboratory through the use of both stereo and polarized microscopes.
In order to also support the inclusion of students who cannot attend in-person teaching activities (Innovative Teaching Project – Attachment A-categories entitled to it), lesson video recordings will be made available. Limitedly to these students, it will also be possible to ask the teacher for a personal interview, also in online modality, dedicated to questions and explanations.
In order to also support the inclusion of students who cannot attend in-person teaching activities (Innovative Teaching Project – Attachment A-categories entitled to it), lesson video recordings will be made available. Limitedly to these students, it will also be possible to ask the teacher for a personal interview, also in online modality, dedicated to questions and explanations.
Assessment Methods
The final examination, that could be in English (on request), includes two parts:
1) oral discussion on arguments described during the course; this part consists of three different questions on the topics covered in the course. The first question, chosen by the student, can be related to any of the topics that deal with the applications of marine microorganisms to fossil or modern records; this first question can be accompanied by a short power point presentation of a scientific article chosen from a list of papers recommended by the teacher; the second question, chosen by the teacher, will focus on one of the taxonomic groups described in class while the third question will be aimed at evaluating the ability to make logical connections on the various topics presented in class.
2) Practical activity consisting in the analysis of the foraminiferal content determined in a washed residue.
1) oral discussion on arguments described during the course; this part consists of three different questions on the topics covered in the course. The first question, chosen by the student, can be related to any of the topics that deal with the applications of marine microorganisms to fossil or modern records; this first question can be accompanied by a short power point presentation of a scientific article chosen from a list of papers recommended by the teacher; the second question, chosen by the teacher, will focus on one of the taxonomic groups described in class while the third question will be aimed at evaluating the ability to make logical connections on the various topics presented in class.
2) Practical activity consisting in the analysis of the foraminiferal content determined in a washed residue.
Texts
-Ohtsuka S., Suzaki T., Horiguchi T. Suzuki N. Not F. (2016) - Marine Protists: Diversity and Dynamics. Springer. doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55130-0
-Pinet P.R. (2021) – Invitation to Oceanography. Eighth Edition. Johnes and Bartlett Learning.
-Armstrong H.A. and Brasier M.D. (2005) - Microfossils (II Edition). Blackwell Publishing
-Martin R.E. (2000) –Environmental Micropaleontology: the applications of microfossils to Environmental Geology. Kluwer Academic Publishers
-Sen Gupta B.K. (1999) – Modern Foraminifera. Kluwer Academic Publishers
-Murray J. (2006) - Ecology and Application of Benthic Foraminifera. Cambridge University Press.
The teaching material, the bibliographic references and the suggested manuals are provided in English. The shown slides are available online on “Kiro” http://elearning3.unipv.it/terra/.
-Pinet P.R. (2021) – Invitation to Oceanography. Eighth Edition. Johnes and Bartlett Learning.
-Armstrong H.A. and Brasier M.D. (2005) - Microfossils (II Edition). Blackwell Publishing
-Martin R.E. (2000) –Environmental Micropaleontology: the applications of microfossils to Environmental Geology. Kluwer Academic Publishers
-Sen Gupta B.K. (1999) – Modern Foraminifera. Kluwer Academic Publishers
-Murray J. (2006) - Ecology and Application of Benthic Foraminifera. Cambridge University Press.
The teaching material, the bibliographic references and the suggested manuals are provided in English. The shown slides are available online on “Kiro” http://elearning3.unipv.it/terra/.
Contents
The course consists of two complementary parts, which include both lectures and practical activities in laboratory using a microscope. The first part of the course, after a general introduction, focuses on the Taxonomy of the main modern and fossil Protista (foraminifera, calcareous nannoplankton, radiolaria, diatoms acritarchs, dinoflagellates spores and pollens), to their stratigraphical distribution through time and application in Geology and Marine Ecology. A conspicuous part of the course is dedicated to a theoretical and practical probing of the Taxonomy of planktonic and benthic foraminifera, mostly Cenozoic in age. The study material consists of washed residues prepared following standard procedures. The several practical activities spent in the laboratory will provide each student with a good knowledge and an autonomous ability of the integrated use of both biostratigraphic marker species and (paleo)environmental proxies.
The second part of the course is dedicated to the different applications of Marine Microorganims to Geosciences and Natural Sciences. The integrated methods and techniques in paleoenvironmental and paleoceanographic reconstructions and in biomonitoring (e.g. identification and use of bioindicators to assess the presence of pollutants or other stressors; alien species of protists, mainly benthic foraminifera in the Mediterranean area) are explained and applied to practical examples. Some of these issues will also be explored through invited seminars, delivered by experts in the sector, who will present parts of their research and specific case studies.
The second part of the course is dedicated to the different applications of Marine Microorganims to Geosciences and Natural Sciences. The integrated methods and techniques in paleoenvironmental and paleoceanographic reconstructions and in biomonitoring (e.g. identification and use of bioindicators to assess the presence of pollutants or other stressors; alien species of protists, mainly benthic foraminifera in the Mediterranean area) are explained and applied to practical examples. Some of these issues will also be explored through invited seminars, delivered by experts in the sector, who will present parts of their research and specific case studies.
Course Language
Italian
More information
To acquire a good knowledge on the use of fossil and modern foraminifera and of other microorganisms applied to the Geosciences and Natural Sciences will be necessary a conspicuous individual work and practice to be performed on washed residues observed under the microscope. To this purpose, students are invited to attend the microscope room (E25, floor E, Earth Science building), even outside of the scheduled exercises, to review the teaching material. Furthermore, at the end of the course, a few afternoons will be dedicated to correcting with the teacher the residues of washed products observed independently in the laboratory thus testing their taxonomic recognition skills in preparation of the exam.
Degrees
Degrees
GEOSCIENCES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Master’s Degree
2 years
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