37906 - Turtle and Cetacean Classification and Biology

Learning outcomes

In the Course of Biology of sea turtles and cetaceans students wil gain knowledge on: 1) biology and ecology of large marine vetebrates; 2) their status and conservation At the end of the course students will be able to predict general biological and ecological characteristics of a species.

Course contents

Sharks (3 hours)

Main anatomical characteristics of sharks

Biological characteristics of sharks:

• Sistematics and evolution
• Feeding strategies
• Reproduction
• Risks for the species

Sea turtles (4 hours)

Main anatomical characteristics of sea turtles

Biological characteristics of sea turtles:

• Sistematics and evolution
• Feeding strategies
• Reproduction

Main characteristics of each species

Penguins (2 hours)

Main anatomical characteristics of sea turtles

Biological characteristics of sea turtles:

• Sistematics and evolution
• Feeding strategies
• Reproduction

Main characteristics of each species

Marine mammals

Classification and evolution

General principle on:

• population dynamics
• distribution and habitat use
• sociobiology
• reproduction
• hunting and feeding strategies

Communication

 

Details on the course can be found in the syllabus

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory for the exam preparation:

1. Lessons notes

2. Chapters from the book Marine Mammals Evolutionary Biology, 3rd Edition, Annalisa Berta James Sumich Kit Kovacs, which will be uploaded by the professor on Virtuale.

 

Suggested lecture as integration and for personal culture:

1. Mark A. Simmons, 2014 Killing Keiko, Callinectes Press

2. Notarbartolo di Sciara G., Demma M., 1994. Guida dei Mammiferi marini del Mediterraneo. Franco Muzzio Editore, Padova.

3. Affronte M., Dominici C., Montanari C., 2001. Tartarughe marine. Biologia e conservazione. CTS-Edi.tur, Roma, 156pp.

4. Lipej L., De Maddalena A., Soldo A. « Sharks of the Adriatic Sea»

5. Lutz P.L., Musick J.A. «The Biology of sea turtles » Vol. I, II

6. Klimley A.P., "The Biology of Sharks and Rays", University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London

7. Wyneken J. « Anatomy of sea turtles » http://courses.science.fau.edu/~jwyneken/sta [http://courses.science.fau.edu/~jwyneken/sta/] / [http://courses.science.fau.edu/~jwyneken/sta/]

8.Hoelzel A.R. «Marine mammal biology . An evolutionary approach »
9. Shirihai H. «Whales dolphins and other marine mammals of the world»
 

All material necessary for the exam and most of suggested readings will be uploeaded on the virtuale.unibo.it platform of the course

Teaching methods

Front lessons, seminars of experts in italian or English and practicals at the aquatic park.

Although not mandatory, course attendance is strongly recommended as during classes information presented synthetically in the lesson slides are clarified in detail , as well as aspects present in the additional material provided by the teacher and in the chapters of the book indicated as mandatory to study are presented in detailed and explained. The frequency can then certainly facilitate the preparation of the exam.

Assessment methods

The assessment for the Integrated Course ‘Large Marine Vertebrates’ consists of four parts:

• The first part, relating to the teaching of Cetacean Biology (Prof. Zaccaroni), consists of a multiple-choice written test, which includes 20 questions on the topics covered in the course and is designed to assess the acquisition of the expected knowledge, and the preparation of a description card of a species.
• The second part, relating to the teaching of Transmissible Diseases of Marine Mammals (Prof. Gustinelli), consists of a multiple-choice written test, which includes 20 questions on the topics covered in the course and is aimed at assessing the acquisition of the expected knowledge.
• The other two parts relating to the courses on Cetacean Anatomy (Prof. Bombardi) and Cetacean Physiology (Prof. Parmeggiani) consist of an oral exam aimed at verifying the acquisition of the expected knowledge.

Please refer to the web guides for each course for details on how the exam is conducted.

The exam is considered passed if a positive result has been obtained in all the tests and the final mark is given by the average of the marks obtained in the different parts of the exam, expressed in thirtieths. A minimum final mark of 18/30 is required.

For Marine Biology students, the grade obtained will be recorded directly.

A negative assessment does not result in a grade being awarded, but only a judgement (withdrawn or rejected) recorded in the electronic report compiled on AlmaEsami, and therefore does not affect the student's academic career.

The assessments of the individual tests and the final exam grade will be published on the Virtual Platform (https://virtuale.unibo.it) of the designated course contact for this course within 5 working days of the exam date.

Students may reject the grade at least once by notifying the recording teacher by email within 5 working days.

The designated course contact for this course is Prof. Zaccaroni.

 

The Cetacean Biology exam includes a closed-ended test with multiple or open-ended questions and a description card of a species, which can also be prepared in advance and loaded. A score will be obtained for each section and the final grade will be given by the weighted evaluation of the two parts. The closed response test section "weighs" by 40%, while the description sheet "weighs" by 60%.

The test duration is maximum 2 hours.

CLOSED-ENDED TEST EVALUATION GRID

Multiple-choice questions automatically give the score, while open-ended questions will be evaluated by the teacher with a score of 1 to 5. For each question will be indicated in the text of the question the score that will result for the correct answer (unanswered questions are considered as a wrong question and give a score of 0).

GRID EVALUATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES

The description sheet of the species will be evaluated on the basis of some principles:

Accuracy in reporting information 10

Correctness of classification.

Use of bibliographic references.

Evidence of a verification of the sources used

Correctness of the use of Italian 3

Synthesis capacity 2

Adherence to the topics presented in the lecture 10

Correctness of the sources used 5

Graphical presentation 5

 

Oral exam as eventual integraton of the mark obtained, if the student wants to.

Final note, if oral exam is given, derives from the mean of the two marks.

It is underscored that although not mandatory and not affecting the final mark, course attendance can certainly facilitate the preparation of the exam.

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (University's Student Services for SLDs and Disabilities) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Frontal lessons, practical work, visit to an aquatic park, seminars. 

There will be a large use of immages and video.

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (University's Student Services for SLDs and Disabilities) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

For further information, you can also contact the representative for the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Dr Fabiana Trombetti (fabiana.trombetti@unibo.it), or the representative for the Master's Degree in Marine Biology, Prof. Chiara Samorì (chiara.samori3@unibo.it).

 

Office hours

See the website of Annalisa Zaccaroni