93616 - ECOSISTEMI MEDITERRANEI

Learning outcomes

The course identifies peculiarities of the Mediterranean basin ecosystems which determined the definition of the “Mediterranean Type Ecosystems” (MTE). It analyzes their structural characteristics, functional aspects, goods and services which they offer and which contributed to prosper of the Mediterranean civilizations, putting in evidence also elements of their vulnerability. At the end of the course the student has knowledge on types, organization and distribution of MTE, he/she is able to identify ecosystem processes important for human and environmental wellbeing, is familiar with tools for the evaluation of the environmental quality and of the critical elements caused by human disturbance.

Course contents

The course will offer information on peculiarities and global distribution of “Mediterranean Type Ecosystems” (MTE) and especially on the characteristics of terrestrial and marine ecosystems of the Mediterranean basin, their functional aspects, goods and services which they offer and which contributed to the development of the Mediterranean civilizations, the man’s impacts on Mediterranean ecosystems in the past e today, which led to their changes and degradation, and existent tools for their protection. The course will treat following themes:

1. Mediterranean type ecosystems (MTE): climatic and geographic aspects, global distribution, principal structural characteristics, functional aspects.
2. Terrestrial ecosystems of the Mediterranean basin: adaptations of plants, plant associations, biodiversity.
3. Coastal and aquatic ecosystems of the Mediterranean basin: coastal ecosystems, marine ecosystems, geological changes of the Mediterranean Sea and its biodiversity.
4. Ecosystem goods and services: provisioning services, supporting services, regulating services, cultural services.
5. Civilization development in the Mediterranean basin: human settlements, man-vegetation co-evolution, domestication of the edible plants and agriculture, urbanization and economic activities.
6. Changes and degradation of Mediterranean ecosystems: pollution, erosion, fires, deforestation, alien species, overfishing, effects of global climate changes, habitat loss, changes and disappearance of plant associations, changes and loss of biodiversity.
7. Protection of Mediterranean ecosystems and sustainable development: regulations and legislations on international, national regional and local level, establishment of protected areas, promotion of the low impact economies, environmental education.

Readings/Bibliography

The following bibliography will be used for the lessons; some of these publications will be indicated to students for the preparation of exam: 

ANPA (2001) La biodiversità nella regione biogeografia mediterranea. Stato dell’Ambiente 4/2001. 1-147. ISBN 88-448-0047-0

Aschmann H. (1973) Distribution and Peculiarity of Mediterranean Ecosystems. In: Castri F., Mooney H.A. (eds) Mediterranean Type Ecosystems. Origin and structure. Ecological Studies, vol 7. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 11-19.

Aschmann, H. (1973) Man’simpact on the several regions with mediterranean climates. In: Castri F., Mooney H.A. (eds) Mediterranean Type Ecosystems. Origin and structure. Ecological Studies, vol 7. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 363-371.

Blondel, J., Aronson, J. (1995) Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in the Mediterranean Basin: Human and Non-Human Determinants. In: Davis, G.W., Richardson, D.M. (Eds) Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems. The Function of Biodiversity. Ecological Studies, vol 109, Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 43–119.

Hobbs, R.J., Richardson, D.M., Davis, G.W. (1995) Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems: Opportunities and Constraints for Studying the Function of Biodiversity. In: Davis, G.W., Richardson, D.M. (Eds) Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems. The Function of Biodiversity. Ecological Studies, vol 109, Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 1–42.

Joffre, R., Rambal, S. (2002) Mediterranean Ecosystems. Encyclopaedia of life sciences. Macmillan Publishers Ltd, Nature Publishing Group, 1-7.

Mannino, A.M., Balistreri, P. Deidun, A. (2017) The Marine Biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea in a Changing Climate: The Impact of Biological Invasions. In: Fuerst-Bjeliš, B. (Ed) Mediterranean Identities - Environment, Society, Culture. IntechOpen Limited, London, 101-127.

Minelli, A. (2002) La macchia mediterranea. Formazioni sempreverdi costiere. Quaderni habitat, Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio, Museo Friulano di Storia Naturale, Udine, 1-73.

Mostafa, S., Baruch, B. Mediterranean Sea. Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Aug. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/place/Mediterranean-Sea. Accessed 12 July 2022.

Pignatti, S. (1986) The consequence of climate on the mediterranean vegetation. Annali di Botanica, 42, 123-130.

Pignatti, S. (1987) The relationships between natural vegetation and social system in the mediterranean basin. In: Miyawaki, A. et al. (eds) Vegetation ecology and creation of new environments, Tokai University Press, Tokyo, Japan, 35-45.

Pignatti, S. (1991) Man-environment relationships. The earliest phases of civilization. Biology Forum, 84 (1), 83-90.

Pignatti, S. (1995) Biodiversità della vegetazione mediterranea. Atti dei Convegni Lincei, 115, 7-31.

Pignatti, s. (2003) The Mediterranean Ecosystem. Bocconea 16 (1), 29-40.

Raven, P.H. (1973) The Evolution of Mediterranean Floras. In: Castri F., Mooney H.A. (eds) Mediterranean Type Ecosystems. Origin and structure. Ecological Studies, vol 7. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 213-224.

Rundel, P.W. (1998) Landscape Disturbance and Biodiversity in Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems: An overview. In: Rundel, P.W., Montenegro, G., Jaksic, F.M. (Eds) Landscape Disturbance and Biodiversity in Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems. Ecological Studies, Vol. 136, Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 3-22.

Trindade Lopes, H., Almeida, I. (2017) The Mediterranean: The Asian and African Roots of the Cradle of Civilization. In: Fuerst-Bjeliš, B. (Ed) Mediterranean Identities - Environment, Society, Culture. IntechOpen Limited, London, 3-25.

 

Other relevant bibliographic reports, used for the lessons and needed for the preparation of exam, will be indicated to students during the lessons.

 

The course program is the same for both attending and non-attending students. Attendance of the lessons is recommended, however, students who cannot attend are invited to contact the professor for the suggestion of supplementary texts.

Teaching methods

The course consists of classroom lectures. During the course, computer presentations are used.

Assessment methods

Verification of learning consists of an oral test on the topics indicated in the course program.

To pass the exam, the student must prove that he/she has acquired adequate knowledge of the various topics in program and that he/she has mastered the scientific and methodological tools specific to the discipline.

For the final grade of the test, it will be evaluated:

• the degree of scientific and methodological study of the topics covered
• the ability to sustain a critical and reasoned analysis on the topics
• the ability to make interdisciplinary connections
• the property of scientific language and expository quality

In detail, the final evaluation will follow the subseqent indications:

• Insufficient grade: lack of basic knowledge and inability to produce a correct interpretation of treated concepts.
• Sufficient grade: possession of basic knowledge; mainly correct interpretation, but conducted with imprecision and little autonomy.
• Good grade: possession of intermediate-level knowledge; fully correct interpretation, but not always precise and autonomous.
• Excellent grade: possession of high-level knowledge; interpretation of problems not only correct but conducted with autonomy and precision. Excellent oral expression skills.

The dates of the appeals will be published on the Almaesami website. Students can book exams only through the methods provided by the Alma Esami online system (https://almaesami.unibo.it/almaesami/welcome.htm).

Teaching tools

Powerpoint or PDF presentations, scientific articles.

Office hours

See the website of Barbara Mikac