Learning objectives
The “Ecology” module aims at providing and improving the basic knowledge on the main topics of modern ecology, along with its evolution in the last century in relation to the main environmental issues. At the end of the course the student is expected:
- to achieve basic knowledge on fundamental topics in general ecology: ecosystem structure and processes; relationship between organisms and the environment; population and community ecology;
- to be able to critically evaluate the interrelationships between human species and the environment and to identify and analyse, at least in general terms, environmental problems related to the misuse and/or overexploitation of resources.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge acquired in the first year.
Course unit content
This course is divided into four parts.
In the first part, the scientific foundations of ecology are presented with respect to the problems of managing and conserving natural resources and altered environmental processes, and the concept of the ecosystem is presented as a fundamental unit for analysing environmental systems. Energy flows and the cycles of matter are then analysed.
The second part deals with the relationships between organisms and the environment. The concepts of habitat, niche, disturbance and tolerance are then presented.
In the third part, the ecology of populations is developed, with particular reference to structure, dispersal, growth and limiting factors, and the ecology of communities as a result of interactions between populations is presented. The concept of trophic networks is then presented.
In the fourth part, the factors controlling the structure and functioning of communities and ecosystems will be addressed.
Full programme
1. Basic concepts and history of ecology.
What ecology deals with. Ecology and environmentalism. The onset of the environmental problem versus the development of ecology. Challenges for ecology in the 21st century. Introduction to the ecosystem as a unifying concept in ecology: structural and functional characteristics. Types of ecosystems.
2. Ecology of the ecosystem.
The abiotic components of the ecosystem: matter and energy. Chemical factors and main environmental matrices: Atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere/pedosphere and biosphere.
Macro- and micronutrients. Ecological stoichiometry and limiting factors. Water and ecosystem properties.
Energy flow and conceptual models of energy analysis. The representation of energy flow: pyramids of numbers, biomass and energy. Food web concept: grazing and detritus food webs.
Energy acquisition of photosynthetic autotrophic organisms: limiting factors, resource allocation, adaptations to environmental conditions. Energy acquisition of heterotrophic organisms (outline).
Primary production and decomposition: reactions, processes and limiting factors.
Main cycles of matter: carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous. Fundamental cycles in typical ecosystems: tropical rainforest, continental deciduous forest, lake and agro-ecosystem. Anthropogenic alteration of biogeochemical cycles: causes and consequences.
3 Interactions between organisms, populations and the environment.
Habitat. Ecological niche: ecological responses at the individual level. Functional traits. Life history traits. Effect/response traits. Role of disturbance and adaptation.
Populations and meta-populations. Exponential growth. Resource limitation, intraspecific competition and logistic growth. r and K strategies.
Interactions between populations. Interspecific competition: exclusion and coexistence. Lotka Volterra equations. Predator-prey interactions. Prey defence against predators. Optimal foraging. Other biological interactions (outline): mutualism, symbiosis, parasitism.
The community as a biological component of the ecosystem resulting from interactions between populations. Trophic organisation and structure. Trophic networks. Temporal evolution: ecological succession.
4 Factors controlling the structure and functioning of ecosystems.
Trophic cascade interactions, top-down and bottom-up regulation. Disturbance as a deconstructing factor. Intermediate disturbance hypothesis. Interaction between biotic and abiotic factors. Bioturbation and the 'engineers' of ecosystems.
Bibliography
The lecture slides can be downloaded from the ELLY portal under the section 'Learning Material'.
recommended textbooks:
Pusceddu A., Sarà G., Viaroli P., 2020. Ecologia. UTET Università, Novara
Smith TM and Smith RL., 2023 Elementi di Ecologia. X Edizione. Pearson Italia, Torino
Teaching methods
All teaching activities will be conducted in the classroom:
- lectures in which the main concepts of modern ecology are outlined and discussed.
- review activities
- exercises
Assessment methods and criteria
It is expected that by the end of the course the student will be able to analyse and understand the main structural features of ecosystems and related processes. Based on this knowledge, the student will acquire the knowledge and tools to engage in the study of environmental problems of varying levels of complexity.
The achievement of the objectives will be assessed by a written examination of a maximum duration of 2 hours to be held in classroom. It consists of multiple-choice questions, open questions and problems with marks proportional to the level of difficulty, for a total of 35 marks. The pass mark is 18 points. Score >32 corresponds to 30 cum laude. Students who pass the test will be admitted to the exam of the second module “Environmental Systems Analysis”.
Other information
The “Ecology” module is complementary with the “Ecological Systems Analysis” module (Prof. Giampaolo Rossetti). The two modules are evaluated by separate exams. Admission to the “Ecological Systems Analysis” exam is conditional on passing the Ecology exam. The final overall evaluation will be the average of the scores of the two exams.
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
During the class, environmental sustainability issues are extensively covered and discussed, with particular reference to Goals 6, 13, 14 and 15 of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
