Ecosystem functioning and services
A.A. 2023/2024
Obiettivi formativi
The course aims at providing advanced knowledge of ecosystem ecology. The first part of the course aims at explaining the main mechanisms that govern ecosystems and regulate their functioning (such as state factors, interactive controls, fluxes and cycles), ecosystem dynamics and processes, boundaries, components, structures. The second part of the course provides knowledge on ecosystem services (ES), illustrating concepts, history, past and ongoing debates, and implementation (in research, policies, and decision-making); different types of ES are discussed, and the related key aspects are illustrated: coupled systems, ES bundles, synergies and trade-offs, biodiversity-mediates ES, ecosystem disservices, global change & ES, nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration. Spatially explicit approaches to the study of ES are discussed and practiced in the classroom.
Risultati apprendimento attesi
At the end of the course, students will be able to
- analyse an environment of their choice, highlighting its main ecological characteristics, its functioning, and the ecosystem services it provides
- describe relevant ecosystem services, identifying the associated environments and the main underpinning processes
- explain the differences and similarities between alternative approaches adopted in the field (e.g., ES vs. NCP, environmental economics vs. ecological economics)
- illustrate through a short technical report and/or a presentation the main state factors, interactive controls and ecosystem services that characterize an environment of their choice
- properly use some spatially explicit approaches to the study of ecosystem services
- analyse an environment of their choice, highlighting its main ecological characteristics, its functioning, and the ecosystem services it provides
- describe relevant ecosystem services, identifying the associated environments and the main underpinning processes
- explain the differences and similarities between alternative approaches adopted in the field (e.g., ES vs. NCP, environmental economics vs. ecological economics)
- illustrate through a short technical report and/or a presentation the main state factors, interactive controls and ecosystem services that characterize an environment of their choice
- properly use some spatially explicit approaches to the study of ecosystem services
Periodo: Primo semestre
Modalità di valutazione: Esame
Giudizio di valutazione: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Corso singolo
Questo insegnamento può essere seguito come corso singolo.
Programma e organizzazione didattica
Edizione unica
Responsabile
Periodo
Primo semestre
Detailed information on teaching methods for academic year 2023/24 will be given soon depending on the pandemic situation.
Programma
The course is subdivided into two main parts; the first integrates some basic ecology elements with more advanced examples, and provides the basis for the second one. The second part is more applied, includes practical examples, integrates different views and provides knowledge and skills for applied tasks.
Part 1: key concepts and basic principles about ecosystems and ecosystem approach, biogeochemical cycles, productivity and exchanges, ecosystem types and dynamics, biodiversity and ecosystem functions.
Part 2: Ecosystem Services of different types, biodiversity roles, disservices, quantification of ES and integration into policies. Global change and ecosystems, nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, GIS lectures.
Part 1: key concepts and basic principles about ecosystems and ecosystem approach, biogeochemical cycles, productivity and exchanges, ecosystem types and dynamics, biodiversity and ecosystem functions.
Part 2: Ecosystem Services of different types, biodiversity roles, disservices, quantification of ES and integration into policies. Global change and ecosystems, nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, GIS lectures.
Prerequisiti
Basic knowledge of ecology.
Metodi didattici
The course consists of lectures, seminars by external experts, practical lessons and class discussions.
Materiale di riferimento
Online resources consisting of different books, chapters, review and research papers, which are reported in the course's slides.
Modalità di verifica dell’apprendimento e criteri di valutazione
Students will be asked to prepare a final report to demonstrate they are able to analyse an environment of their choice, highlighting its main ecological characteristics, the main functioning and processes that affect or regulate the ecosystem, and some of the ecosystem services it provides.
Students may work singly or in a small group (2 or 3 persons), and can focus on an environment / ecosystem of their choice, or on an ecosystem function / process / service of their choice. Students will present and discuss their work during an oral examination.
Detailed guidelines are provided.
Students may work singly or in a small group (2 or 3 persons), and can focus on an environment / ecosystem of their choice, or on an ecosystem function / process / service of their choice. Students will present and discuss their work during an oral examination.
Detailed guidelines are provided.
Siti didattici
Docente/i