96465 - Habitat and Ecosystem Services in Agricultural Landscapes

Learning outcomes

This module aims to provide students with approaches and methods to understand and interpret the cultural landscape in terms of habitat, biodiversity and ecosystem services. In particular, the course will focus on the plant component (flora and vegetation) of the main habitats associated with cultural landscapes and on the relationships between biodiversity, functions and services of ecosystems.

Course contents

Basic concepts of flora and vegetation to understand the landscape

Flora. Chorotypes. Life forms. Species identification. Flora of Italy (notes) and its main families.

Vegetation. Composition, structure, biodiversity. Biotic and abiotic factors affecting vegetation. Vegetation dynamics. Physionomic and syntaxonomic vegetation classification systems. Vegetation zones and belts in Italy. Vegetation and habitats (Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC). Images and thematic maps. 

 

Landscape

Structure, function, dynamics. Diversity, heterogeneity. Abiotic and biotic factors affecting structure and dynamics of the landscape. Humans and landscape. Global changes (particularly land cover changes). Ecosystem Services. Cultural landscapes: features and vulnerability. Landscape conservation, management, development.

Readings/Bibliography

• Slides presented during the lectures. These documents will be available at the end of each topic session. A list of references is provided at the end of each lecture together with suggested supplementary study material.
• Pasqua G., Abbate G., Forni C., 2019. Botanica generale e diversità vegetale. IV Ed. Piccin, Padova. Chapters: 16, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26.
  
• Ferrari C., Pezzi G. 2013. L’ecologia del paesaggio. Il Mulino Universale Paperbacks.

 

Further readings

• Mauseth J.D., 2020. Botanica. Fondamenti di biologia delle piante. IV Italian Ed. Ildenson-Gnocchi, Napoli. Chapters: 27, 28, 29.

Teaching methods

• Class lectures on theoretical concepts and methodological approaches.
• Field excursion to acquire practical experience (also with the help of local experts) on the various theoretical aspects covered in the course through the analysis of a case study. Data collection in the field.
• Group discussion of case studies proposed by the lecturer or by the students.
  
• Seminar.

 

PLEASE NOTE:

“As concerns the teaching methods of this course unit, all students must attend Module 1, 2 [https://www.unibo.it/en/services-and-opportunities/health-and-assistance/health-and-safety/online-course-on-health-and-safety-in-study-and-internship-areas] online, while Module 3 on health and safety is to be attended in class. Information about Module 3 attendance schedule is available on the website of your degree programme”

Assessment methods

• Type of assessment:

Oral examination consisting in: 1) presentation of one project/report developed by the student on the basis of a case study discussed during the lectures, 2) two questions on the theoretical concepts introduced during the course.

• Assessment evaluation: 

The purpose of the project/report presentation and the answers to the two questions is to assess 1) the practical and theoretical skills acquired by the student through the course and 2) the capacity to apply the acquired knowledge to interpret the territory, its habitats, biodiversity and ecosystem services.

 

The evaluation is expressed in thirtieths and it will be used averaged with the evaluation of the other part of the integrated course held by prof. Cristina Giuliani (96466 VARIABILITÀ BIOCULTURALE NELL'EVOLUZIONE DEI SISTEMI ALIMENTARI).

Teaching tools

• Slides presented during the lectures.
• Acta Plantarum (www.actaplantarum.org) and Dryades (www.dryades.units.it) for plant species identification.
• GoogleEarth, WebGIS and interactive cartography supporting the analysis of case studies.
• Virtual learning platform (https://virtuale.unibo.it)
• Spreadsheets (e.g. Excel), word processor program (e.g. Word), slideshow presentation program (e.g. Power Point).
• Photographs.

The students are required to bring their own PC during the case study discussion.

 

Office hours

See the website of Giovanna Pezzi