2. Professors
  3. BALDANTONI Daniela
  4. Teaching

ECOLOGY

Daniela BALDANTONI ECOLOGY

0512700017
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY "ADOLFO ZAMBELLI"
EQF6
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
2024/2025

OBBLIGATORIO
YEAR OF COURSE 3
YEAR OF DIDACTIC SYSTEM 2022
FULL ACADEMIC YEAR
CFUHOURSACTIVITY
1ECOLOGIA (MODULO DI ECOLOGIA)
540LESSONS
112LAB
2ECOLOGIA APPLICATA (MODULO DI ECOLOGIA)
540LESSONS
112EXERCISES
DANIELA BALDANTONI21 Curriculum
ExamDate
ECOLOGIA14/01/2025 - 15:00
ECOLOGIA14/01/2025 - 15:00
ECOLOGIA04/02/2025 - 09:30
ECOLOGIA04/02/2025 - 09:30
Objectives
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE TEACHING ARE PART OF THE GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF THE DEGREE COURSE, WHICH AIMS TO TRAIN AN EXPERT PROFESSIONAL FIGURE IN THE FIELD OF MONITORING, ASSESSMENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, SUBJECTED TO NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC RISKS.
SPECIFICALLY, THE TEACHING OF ECOLOGY (MODULE 1 + MODULE 2) AIMS TO PROVIDE BASIC AND IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE ON THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING OF ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS (FROM ORGANISM TO ECOSYSTEM), AIMED AT THE ASSESSMENT AND PREVENTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS, AS WELL AS AT THE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION OF AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS AND THEIR RESOURCES.

MODULE 1

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING SKILLS
THE STUDENT WILL ACQUIRE, WITH THE SUPPORT OF UNIVERSITY TEXTBOOKS, KNOWLEDGE ON:
- THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION LEVELS OF ECOLOGY (FROM ORGANISMS TO ECOSYSTEMS) AND THE EMERGENT PROPERTIES THAT CHARACTERIZE THEM;
- THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING OF AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS UNDER NATURAL CONDITIONS.

CAPABILITY TO PUT IN PRACTICE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
THE ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE WILL ALLOW THE STUDENT TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, IN NEW (UNFAMILIAR) AND INTERDISCIPLINARY FIELDS, RELATED TO THE ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES.

JUDGEMENT INDEPENDENCE
THE STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO COLLECT, ANALYSE AND INTERPRET ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DATA. IN DETAIL, THE STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO AUTONOMOUSLY INTEGRATE THE ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, IN ORDER TO BETTER MANAGE THE PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE ANALYSIS OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS
THE STUDENT WILL DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE JARGON AND TO COMMUNICATE IN THE LANGUAGES OF ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DISCIPLINES, ALLOWING FRUITFUL EXCHANGES WITH DIFFERENT SPECIALISTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD.

LEARNING SKILLS
THE STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO:
- ACQUIRE INFORMATION AUTONOMOUSLY, THROUGH CONSULTATION OF THE RELEVANT SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE, FOR CONTINUOUS SCIENTIFIC AND METHODOLOGICAL UPDATING;
- CARRY OUT RESEARCH, CONSULT INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE, UNDERSTAND AND INTERPRET COMPLEX TEXTS.


MODULE 2

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING SKILLS
THE STUDENT WILL ACQUIRE, WITH THE SUPPORT OF UNIVERSITY TEXTBOOKS, KNOWLEDGE ON:
- THE ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPARTMENTS (ATMOSPHERE, HYDROSPHERE, PEDOSPHERE, BIOSPHERE) UNDER NATURAL AND ALTERED CONDITIONS;
- THE STABILITY OF AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS SUBJECTED TO ANTHROPOGENIC PRESSURE.
CAPABILITY TO PUT IN PRACTICE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
THE OBTAINED KNOWLEDGE WILL ALLOW THE STUDENT TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, IN NEW (UNFAMILIAR) AND INTERDISCIPLINARY FIELDS, RELATED TO THE ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES UNDER CONDITIONS OF ANTHROPOGENIC PRESSURE.

JUDGEMENT INDEPENDENCE
THE STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO COLLECT, ANALYSE AND INTERPRET ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DATA, OPERATING WITH HIGH AUTONOMY. IN DETAIL, THE STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO:
- AUTONOMOUSLY INTEGRATE THE ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, IN ORDER TO BETTER MANAGE THE PROBLEMS RELATED TO MONITORING, MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS;
- APPLY THE ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE TO PROPOSE NEW RESEARCHES AND SOLVE PROBLEMS CONCERNING BOTH THE NATURAL AND MAN-MADE ENVIRONMENTS.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS
THE STUDENT WILL DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE JARGON AND TO COMMUNICATE IN THE LANGUAGES OF ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DISCIPLINES, ALSO WORKING IN SYNERGY WITH OTHER SPECIALISTS, FOR THE PROMOTION OF STRATEGIES USEFUL FOR THE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF NATURE.

LEARNING SKILLS
THE STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO:
- ACQUIRE INFORMATION AUTONOMOUSLY, THROUGH CONSULTATION OF THE RELEVANT SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE, FOR CONTINUOUS SCIENTIFIC AND METHODOLOGICAL UPDATING;
- ANALYSE AND INTERPRET DATA DERIVING FROM ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING;
- CARRY OUT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AIMED AT THE ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
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 - BASIC PLANT, ANIMAL AND MICROBIAL BIOLOGY, BASIC INORGANIC AND ORGANIC CHEMISTRY.
MODULE 2 - MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS AND ECOLOGY (MODULE 1).
Contents
MODULE 1: 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: 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 : 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: 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 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.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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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