33235 - Applied Ecology

Learning outcomes

Illustrate ecological processes supporting ecosystem structuring and functions. Define ecosystems goods and services provided to humans. Describe and analyse environmental issues related to the human use of natural resources. Identify the appropriate methods for the assessment of environmental impacts and for ecosystem restoration and conservation.    

Course contents

 

Humans benefits from ecosystems: definition of ecosystems goods and services. Species diversity and ecosystem functioning and processes, relevance of biodiversity to human well-being. Relevance of the understanding of ecological processes in a perspective of the sustainable use of natural resources. Analysis of some of the most relevant types of environmental degradation related the human activities. Definition of the sources of impacts, damages to living organisms, implication at the ecosystem level, tools for the environmental analyses, mitigation measures. Examples of complex meta-analyses, integrated environmental management and methods for the environmental monitoring. Economic development vs environmental conservation: renewable resources, ecological footprint and its applications. Providing bibliographic, methodological and technological tools for studies in applied ecology and environmental monitoring.

Readings/Bibliography

Ecologia applicata A. Provini, S. Galassi, R. Marchetti Città Studi Edizioni 1998
Applied ecology E.I. Newman Blackwell Scientific Publications 2000
Ecologia Applicata, WP Cunningham, MA Cunningham, BW Saigo, McGrawHill 2004

Teaching methods

The course is structured in lectures, practical exercises, team work and tests

Assessment methods

Written tests and oral exam

Teaching tools

Discussion of scientific papers selected by the students

Links to further information

http://www.ecology.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Marco Abbiati