69576 - Primary Productivity and Sustainable Development

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will possess adequate knowledge on plant primary production, both in natural and agricultural systems, and will understand its connections with the dynamics of atmospheric gases and greenhouse gases in particular, with special attention to climate change in progress and regulations, practices and procedures that intend to mitigate these effects. In particular, the student will achieve a global awareness of the role of plants in relation to the processes of anthropogenic modification of the planet.

Course contents

Details of the program vary annually depending on specific seminars given by experts from different disciplines. A general program is exposed below:

Approaching the topic: elements of demography, nutrition, agriculture, economic growth and energetic needs of human population.

The issue of food. Primary production and agriculture. Limits of the conversion of energy from the sun into biomass for food. Human diet and economic development. Future scenarios: how can we feed an ever growing population? How will agriculture cope with global climate change?

The issue of climate. Terrestrial atmosphere and solar radiation. Natural greenhouse effect and contribution by human activities. Carbon cycle and emissions of CO2. Primary production and carbon balance in natural environments and in agriculture. Climate change: present situation and models for the future. International protocols for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The issue of energy . Fossil fuels, nuclear energy and renewable energy. Energy conservation. Is it possible to combine economic growth with sustainable development?  

Readings/Bibliography

M.J. CHRISPEELS, D.E. SADAVA, Genetica, Biotecnologie e Agricoltura sostenibile. IDELSON GNOCCHI (2005)
N. ARMAROLI, V. BALZANI, ENERGIA PER L'ASTRONAVE TERRA. Nuova edizione aggiornata e ampliata con gli scenari energetici per l'Italia di domani ZANICHELLI (2011)
K. EMANUEL, Piccola lezione sul clima. Il Mulino (2008)
D.B. BOTKIN, E.A. KELLER,  ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. Eigth Edition. International student version. WILEY (2012)

Teaching methods

The course includes a part of lectures and a part of seminars given by experts from different disciplines. At the end of each lesson or seminar, a significant amount of time will be dedicated to student questions and a general discussion of the topic.

Assessment methods

The exam includes an oral presentation of a short thesis dealing with a topic agreed with the teacher. The second part of the oral exam will cover the general program of the course.

Teaching tools

The course will take place in classrooms with PC projection. All lectures and seminars will be given with power point presentations. The files of power point presentations and teaching materials supporting lectures and seminars (articles, reviews, bibliography and websites) will be made ​​available to students at the end of the course (downloadable files from AMSCAMPUS).

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Bernardo Trost