Definitions, terminology and essential topics in marine ecology. Oceans and seas, characterization of basins, hydrodynamics and productivity, food webs, effects of climate change. Marine coastal waters, pollution and human alteration.
Methods of sampling and analysis of biotic and environmental variables, and their relationships. Ecological indicators and indices. EU policy framework.
Della Croce N, Cattaneo-Vietti R, Danovaro R., 1997. Ecologia e protezione dell’ambiente marino costiero. UTET, Torino.
Danovaro R. - Biologia Marina. Biodiversità e Funzionamento degli Ecosistemi Marini (Città Studi Edizioni).
Tait & Dipper, Elements of Marine Ecology. Butterworths, 1998.
Provini A., Galassi S., Marchetti R., 1998. Ecologia Applicata. CittàStudiEdizioni, Milano.
ISPRA-SIBM,2010. Metodologie di studio del Plancton marino – Manuali e Linee Guida 56/2010.
Learning Objectives
Knowledge:
structure and functioning of marine ecosystems, effects of alterations due to human impact, mothods of study and monitoring
Skills:
analysis of biotic and abiotic data and their relationships, current and innovative monitoring of water, in the framework of the EU rules for the assessment of marine water quality.
Ability (at the end of the course): applications of methods of study and analysis, critical analysis and interpretation of marine environmental data related to examples of human impacts.
Prerequisites
Ecology
Teaching Methods
Lectures, laboratory and field practices
Type of Assessment
Oral examination
Course program
The relevance of marine ecosystems (resources, ecosystem services). Water-atmosphere interaction, deep and surface oceanic circulation, latitudinal differences, current environmental emergency. Physical factors, hydrodynamics, bio-optical components of the medium sea. Pelagic zone and planktonic communities, space-time variability, food webs, biodiversity. Phytoplankton ecology (taxonomic groups, morphology, adaptations, seasonal succession and spatial distribution).
Coastal waters, pollution and human alterations, trophic load and eutrophication, algal blooms (HABs).
Case studies (Mediterranean Sea, Southern Ocean, cases from transitional waters).
Methods of measurements and analysis of environmental factors and biotic components. Critical analysis of data and their relationships.
Protection of marine ecosystems and monitoring, index and indicators of the ecological state, EU directives and the new monitoring approach.
Laboratory and field activity: instruments and measurements of environmental factors, microscope training for taxonomic analysis and quantitative assessment of planktonic organisms.