2. Professors
  3. BALDANTONI Daniela
  4. Teaching

ECOLOGY

Daniela BALDANTONI ECOLOGY

0512800027
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY "ADOLFO ZAMBELLI"
EQF6
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
2023/2024

OBBLIGATORIO
YEAR OF COURSE 3
YEAR OF DIDACTIC SYSTEM 2016
AUTUMN SEMESTER
CFUHOURSACTIVITY
540LESSONS
112LAB
DANIELA BALDANTONI T Curriculum
Objectives
THE COURSE OF ECOLOGY (MODULE 1 + MODULE 2) ASPIRES TO PROVIDE BASIC AND DEEP KNOWLEDGES ON THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING OF AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS, AIMED AT THE EVALUATION AND PREVENTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS, AS WELL AS AT THE MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES.
MODULE 1 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI AND CDS SCIENZE BIOLOGICHE) AIMS TO:
- PROVIDE BASIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION LEVELS OF ECOLOGY (FROM ORGANISMS TO ECOSYSTEMS);
- PROVIDE BASIC KNOWLEDGE ON THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING OF BOTH AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS, IN NATURAL CONDITIONS;
- DEVELOP CAPACITY FOR THE ANALYSIS AND UNDERSTANDING OF ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES;
- COLLECT, ANALYZE AND INTERPRET DATA DERIVED FROM ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING;
- DEVELOP CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND AND COMMUNICATE IN THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DISCIPLINES;
- TRAINING THE CONSULTATION OF INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE FOR A CONTINUOUS SCIENTIFIC AND METHODOLOGICAL UPDATE.
MODULE 2 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI) AIMS TO:
- PROVIDE DEEP KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENTS (ATMOSPHERE, HYDROSPHERES, PEDOSPHERE, BIOSPHERE) IN BOTH NATURAL AND ANTROPOGENIC CONDITIONS;
- DEVELOP CAPABILITY FOR THE ANALYSIS AND UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, OPERATING WITH HIGH AUTONOMY;
- DEVELOP BEHAVIORS FOR MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF ECOSYSTEMS, PREPARING TO OPERATE IN SYNERGY WITH OTHER EXPERTS;
- APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED TO PROPOSE NEW RESEARCH LINES AND RESOLVE PROBLEMS REGARDING BOTH THE NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC ENVIRONMENT.
Prerequisites
WHIT A VIEW TO UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECTS COVERED IN THE COURSE, IT IS NEEDED TO HAVE ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE ON:
MODULE 1 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI AND CDS SCIENZE BIOLOGICHE) - BASIC PLANT, ANIMAL AND MICROBIAL BIOLOGY, BASIC INORGANIC AND ORGANIC CHEMISTRY.
MODULE 2 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI)- MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS AND ECOLOGY (MODULE 1).
Contents
MODULE 1 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI AND CDS SCIENZE BIOLOGICHE): THE COURSE INCLUDES 52 HOURS OF TEACHING, SHARED IN CLASSROOM-TAUGHT LESSONS (40 HOURS), AND IN FIELD EXCURSIONS AND LABORATORY ACTIVITIES (12 HOURS), DURING WHICH THE STUDENTS VERIFY WHAT THE PROFESSOR INTRODUCES DURING THE CLASSROOM-TAUGHT LESSONS.
THE SUBJECTS DEALT IN CLASSROOM-TAUGHT LESSONS ARE:
- THE ORGANISATION LEVELS (ORGANISMS, POPULATIONS, COMMUNITIES, ECOSYSTEMS); THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF ECOSYSTEMS; INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ORGANISMS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT (6 HOURS);
- CONDITIONS AND RESOURCES; THE NICHE CONCEPT (6 HOURS);
- THE SUBSYSTEM SOIL (6 HOURS);
- POPULATION ECOLOGY; COMPETITION, PREDATION, PARASITISM AND MUTUALISM; NATURAL SELECTION AND ADAPTATION (6 HOURS);
- COMMUNITY STRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT; THE FLUX OF ENERGY THROUGH COMMUNITIES (4 HOURS);
- PRIMARY PRODUCTION AND DECOMPOSITION; FOOD CHAINS AND ECOLOGICAL EFFICIENCY (6 HOURS);
- NUTRIENT BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES (6 HOURS).

MODULE 2 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI): THE COURSE INCLUDES 52 HOURS OF TEACHING, SHARED IN CLASSROOM-TAUGHT LESSONS (40 HOURS), AND IN FIELD EXCURSIONS AND LABORATORY ACTIVITIES (12 HOURS), DURING WHICH THE STUDENTS VERIFY WHAT THE PROFESSOR INTRODUCES DURING THE CLASSROOM-TAUGHT LESSONS.
THE SUBJECTS DEALT IN CLASSROOM-TAUGHT LESSONS ARE: ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENTS:
- ATMOSPHERE, HYDROSPHERE AND PEDOSPHERE (10 HOURS);
- STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING OF AGROECOSYSTEMS. URBAN-INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS. THE IMPACT OF ANTHROPOGENIC ACTIVITIES ON ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. ALTERATIONS OF THE MATTER CYCLE (8 HOURS);
- NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC EUTROPHICATION. GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGES. HOMEOSTASIS OF ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. EFFECTS OF AIR, WATER AND SOIL POLLUTION ON BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES (10 HOURS);
- THE ROLE OF ORGANISMS IN INTEGRATED SYSTEMS OF POLLUTION MONITORING; BIOAVAILABILITY, BIOINDICATION, BIOACCUMULATION AND BIOMAGNIFICATION. PHYTOREMEDIATION (8 HOURS);
- MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY (4 HOURS).
THE SUBJECTS DEALT IN FIELD AND LABORATORY ACTIVITIES ARE: PRACTICAL STUDIES WITH FIELD TRIPS, LABORATORY ACTIVITIES AND GUIDED EXCURSIONS AIMED TO EXAM IN DEPTH THE PROCESSES OCCURRING IN THE THREE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPARTMENTS (ATMOSPHERE, HYDROSPHERE AND PEDOSPHERE).
Teaching Methods
MODULE 1 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI AND CDS SCIENZE BIOLOGICHE): THE COURSE PROVIDES 52 TEACHING HOURS (6 ECTS), COMPRISING LESSONS AND PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES. IN PARTICULAR, 40 HOURS OF CLASSROOM-TAUGHT LESSONS (5 ECTS) AND 12 HOURS OF EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS AND LABORATORY ACTIVITIES (1 ECTS) ARE SCHEDULED. THE CLASSROOM-TAUGHT LESSONS, REGARDING ALL THE COURSE TOPICS, ARE KEPT WITH THE HELP OF SLIDES. EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS ARE TWO (3 HOURS EACH), LABORATORY ACTIVITIES ARE TWO (3 HOURS EACH).
MODULE 2 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI): THE COURSE PROVIDES 52 TEACHING HOURS (6 ECTS), COMPRISING LESSONS AND PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES. IN PARTICULAR, 40 HOURS OF CLASSROOM-TAUGHT LESSONS (5 ECTS) AND 12 HOURS OF EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS AND LABORATORY ACTIVITIES (1 ECTS) ARE SCHEDULED. THE CLASSROOM-TAUGHT LESSONS, REGARDING ALL THE COURSE TOPICS, ARE KEPT WITH THE HELP OF SLIDES. EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS ARE THREE (3 HOURS EACH), LABORATORY ACTIVITY IS ONE (3 HOURS).

REGULAR ATTENDANCE AT THE LESSONS IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
Verification of learning
THE ACHIEVEMENT OF TEACHING OBJECTIVES IS CERTIFIED BY PASSING AN EXAM, MARKED WITH SCORES EXPRESSED IN THIRTIETHS, EVENTUALLY CUM LAUDE. THE EXAM, FOR CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI, CONSISTS IN TWO ORAL EXAMINATIONS (MODULE 1 AND MODULE 2) OF ABOUT 40-60 MINUTES EACH. THEY ARE PASSED WITH A MINIMUM SCORE OF 18/30 FOR EACH OF THEM; THE FINAL SCORE IS OBTAINED BY THE MEAN OF THE SCORES OBTAINED IN THE TWO EXAMINATIONS. FOR CDS SCIENZE BIOLOGICHE, THE EXAM CONSISTS IN ONE ORAL EXAMINATION (MODULE 1) OF ABOUT 40-60 MINUTES, IT IS PASSED WITH A MINIMUM SCORE OF 18/30.

THE EXAM AIMS AT EVALUATING THE CAPABILITY OF THE STUDENT TO EXPLAIN, IN AN ORGANIC WAY, THE TREATED TOPICS. OVERALL, IT ALLOWS ASSESSING BOTH THE CAPABILITY TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND, THE CAPABILITY TO APPLY THE REACHED COMPETENCES, AS WELL AS TO EXPLAIN AND MANAGE SOLUTIONS IN COMPLETE AUTONOMY.
MODULE 1 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI AND CDS SCIENZE BIOLOGICHE): TOPICS RELATED TO THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING OF ECOSYSTEMS WILL BE DEALT WITH DURING THE ORAL EXAMINATION AND THE CAPABILITY OF LINKING THE TOPICS WILL BE POSITIVELY EVALUATED.
MODULE 2 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI): TOPICS RELATED TO THE THREE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPARTMENTS STUDIED (ATMOSPHERE, HYDROSPHERE, PEDOSPHERE) WILL BE DEALT WITH DURING THE ORAL EXAMINATION AND THE CAPABILITY OF LINKING THE TOPICS WILL BE POSITIVELY EVALUATED.

THE MINIMUM MARK (18/30) IS AWARDED WHEN THE STUDENT SHOWS A LIMITED KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY TO ESTABLISH CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE TOPICS COVERED.
THE MAXIMUM VOTE (30/30) IS AWARDED WHEN THE STUDENT SHOWS A COMPLETE AND IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE AND IS ABLE TO ESTABLISH CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE TOPICS COVERED.
Texts
MODULE 1 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI AND CDS SCIENZE BIOLOGICHE): ELEMENTI DI ECOLOGIA. T.M. SMITH, R.L. SMITH. PEARSON.
ECOLOGIA. M.L. CAIN, W.D. BOWMAN, S.D. HACKER. PICCIN NUOVA LIBRARIA S.P.A.
MODULE 2 (CDS SCIENZE AMBIENTALI): ECOLOGIA APPLICATA. A. PROVINI, S. GALASSI, R. MARCHETTI. CITTÀSTUDIEDIZIONI TORINO, 1998.
ECOLOGIA APPLICATA. R. VISMARA. HOEPLI, 1992.
More Information
TEACHING LANGUAGE: ITALIAN
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