58465 - Landscape Ecology

Academic Year 2018/2019

  • Docente: Borja Jimenez-Alfaro
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: BIO/03
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Sciences and Management of Nature (cod. 9257)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have knowledge of: the fundamentals of landscape ecology; the central role of vegetation in landscape; the role of natural and anthropogenic disturbances; the factors affecting the management and conservation of landscapes and habitats. Students will be able to: identify causes and consequences of landscape heterogeneity; analyze patterns and processes in a multi-scalar and multi-temporal context; apply such knowledge to environmental issues, management and conservation of a territory.

Course contents

Introduction. Landscape: definitions. Landscape as the ecological dimension of the territory. Landscape Ecology: brief notes (principles and aims).

Landscape. Pattern, processes and scale (spatial and temporal); Landscape hierarchical organization. Patch-corridor-matrix model. Diversity, heterogeneity; connectivity and fragmentation. Abiotic and biotic factors affecting structure and dynamics of the landscape. Disturbance as an ecological factor. Man and landscape. Ecosystem Services. Ecological Network. Habitat Directive (92/43/EEC) and Natura 2000. Landscape conservation and management. Types of landscape (e.g. forest, urban and peri-urban, biocultural): characters and vulnerability.

Mapping and analysis. Vegetation, habitat and land use land cover maps. Analysis of landcape structure and dynamics. Data analysis (e.g. landscape metrics).

Readings/Bibliography

- Power Point presentations. At the end of each presentation a list of references referrred to each lesson will be provided plus further suggested readings

- Papers (English) discussed and/or provided during lectures and practicals

 

Further readings

Dramstad W.E., Olson J.D., Forman R.T.T., 1997. Landscape Ecology Principles in Architecture and Land-Use Planning. Island Press, Washington

Ferrari C., Pezzi G. 2013. L'ecologia del paesaggio. Collana "Universale Paperbacks il Mulino"

Forman R.T.T., Godron M. 1986. Landscape Ecology. Wiley

Forman R.T.T., 1995. Land mosaics. The Ecology of Landscape and Regions. Cambridge University Press

Teaching methods

Lectures and practicals. Case studies examined.

In particular, for each lesson or group of lessons a laboratory activity will be coupled (e.g. computer exercises, reading and discussing a scientific article, analysis of case studies) that students will carry out in groups. Results will be discussed in the classroom.

Assessment methods

Written test (exercise) and oral examination about the theoretical part. The exercise will be similar to those solved in the classroom

Teaching tools

- Personal computer, power point presentation, projector
- Scientific papers (English)
- GIS Open source software: GIS, for landscape metrics calculation
- Spreadsheets (e.g. Excel)
- WebGIS and interactive cartography for practicals

Office hours

See the website of Borja Jimenez-Alfaro