Marine Biology and Ecology

The course aims to contribute to the training of master's graduates who have a full understanding of the fundamentals of biotic and abiotic characteristics of the marine environment. In particular the objectives of this course are to provide: a) Knowledge related to: physical and chemical characteristics of the marine environment; functional biology and ecology of marine organisms; conservation measures b) Cultural competences related to: general topics of marine biology and ecology; overview of the threats to the sea and its biodiversity; c) Methodological competences related to: identification of taxa, sampling and collection of data techniques, foundations for a science-based approach to the adoption of conservation measures.

At the end of the course, the student will acquire:
Knowledge of the basic concepts of marine biology (such as: physical and chemical characteristics of the marine environment; distribution of marine fauna and flora).
Knowledge of specific issues (such as: threats to the sea and to its biodiversity).
Knowledge of the mechanisms related to the productivity of the marine environment.
Knowledge of the principles underlying the main techniques for sampling and collection of data.
A general picture of the current knowledge on the evolution and diversity of life on sea and the foundations for a science-based approach to the adoption of conservation measures.