B8177 - MICROBES AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding on the diversity of soil microorganisms and their physiology, of the ecology and role of microorganisms in natural and man-made environments and of the role of microorganisms in biogeochemical cycles and how they are affected and affect climate change. Moreover, students will know the principles underlying the main techniques for the study of soil microbial communities, basic measurements of microbial activity in the field and in the lab and how to correctly interpret and analyze data, including in relation to biotic and abiotic factors. Finally, students will learn and be able to correctly use appropriate terminology to describe microbial diversity, ecology and physiological activities, as well as describing and analyzing data on communities and individual microbial components, while also being able to relate the teaching topics to his or her basic biological knowledge.

Course contents

The following topics will be covered in the lectures:

 

1) Introduction on soil ecology and climate change

2) Microbial diversity

3) Microbes and their environment

4) Ecology and phisiology of soil microorganisms

5) Carbon fixation and mineralization

6) Growth and anoxic processes

7) Methods in microbial ecology

8) Predation and symbiosis

9) Carbon cycling

10) Nitrogen cycling

Readings/Bibliography

PDFs of texts, monographs and scholarly articles on each of the topics covered in class will be provided by the lecturer, as well as pdfs of each lecture once the topic is completed.

Reference texts for the course include:

Soil microbiology, ecology, and biochemistry / edited by Eldor A. Paul and Serita Frey, Amsterdam, Elsevier : Academic Press, 2024

Processes in microbial ecology. David L. Kirchman. Oxford University Press, 2018

Not all the content of the recommended texts is actually to be considered for exam preparation, and purchase of the volumes is not required. The student should therefore select from among the topics covered in the texts, those that are to be considered for exam preparation, referring to what is detailed in the syllabus and slides.


Most of the texts are available for reference at the University Libraries.

Teaching methods

The teaching consists of 6CFU total, divided 3 CFUs of lectures and 3 CFUs of laboratory

Assessment methods

The knowledge and skills imparted by this teaching are assessed through an oral interview. The evaluation is based on the individual student's knowledge of the topics covered in the course. The duration of the oral examination averages 30 minutes.

Teaching tools

PC, video projector. Lecture materials presented in class will be made available to students in electronic format.

Office hours

See the website of Alberto Canarini