The course is devoted to deeply analyse the major questions, approaches, applications and tools of modern ecology. This will include consideration of physical, chemical, and biological components of the ecosystems. The many threats facing the natural resources will be also considered in topic lectures. The course provide a general overview of European policy for sustainability and a more detailed information of the theoretical basis, the context of use and of the outcomes of some indicators of sustainability.
Learning outcomes: Understand and explain major ecological concepts. Use scientific skills to analyse and solve ecological problems. Effectively communicate ecological problems and solutions. Formulate logical hypotheses and test them by designing appropriate experiments analyses. Use scientific knowledge of ecology to analyse present environmental crisis. At the end of the course the student will have gained the following skills: a) knowledge on the principal environmental problematic; b) ability in analysing the different levels of the life forms organization; c) understanding of the basic mechanisms of interaction between biotic and abiotic components; d) this course introduces the academic approach of Sustainability and explores how today’s human societies can endure in the face of global change, ecosystem degradation and resource limitations.