Fundamentals of general biology, zoology, botany and ecology  are prerequisites to achieve high proficiency of this course

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are tightly related. In this course, we will study how important are the concepts of biodiversity, demography and population dynamics, trophic ecology and life cycles, environmental factors and biochemical cycles in understanding pelagic and benthic system functioning. Once these concepts and the related methods to quantify such parameters are explained, we will make a wide spectra of systems (e.g. coral reefs, Mediterranean sea, polar areas, deep sea communities, etc.), stressors and impacts to understand how the functioning of the pelagic and benthic systems in the oceans are changing. Direct impacts such as fisheries, pollution or coast transformation will be analyzed. The synergistic path with indirect stressors such as rising temperatures, ocean acidification or sea level rise will be also studied to understand how deep is the change on the functioning of these ocean systems. Finally, we will give tools for management and conservation: new aquaculture methods, new fishery approaches, marine restoration and marine protected areas design and management guides to improve ecosystem functioning enhancing biodiversity and complexity.

The student has to achieve the biodiversity and ecosystem function concepts but, more important, she/he has to be capable to apply quantitative tools to asses such functionality. She/he has to have at hand conservation and management measures/tools to confront real conservation/regulation measures.

The six credits are based on theoretical and practical concepts, with an open debate during the classroom.

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through an oral exam: four questions of the different developed concepts. Four perfect answers will give 28/30 punctuation. To reach the maximum score, before starting the oral exam, the student has to make a brief presentation based on a paper, book chapter or review related with the marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning subject. The choice of the text to make the presentation is free.

Introduction, the value of science. How we are transforming the oceans. Biodiversity, what are we talking about? Biodiversity: different habitats, different organisms, different methods. Posidonia oceanica and biodiversity. Antarctica: pristine environment for Biodiversity case studies. Biodiversity & impacts: examples with the intertidal. Approaching biodiversity with genetics: metabarcoding. Biodiversity: frontier systems. Demography and population dynamics. Demography: precious corals. ROV and other tools for benthic cartography and demography. Demography: some examples OF applied models. Self thinning role: understanding sessile long lived species population structure. Biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. Benthic-pelagic coupling and near bottom seston. Segrasses: an example for biogeochemical cycles. Biogeochemical cycles: carbon sinks. Trophic ecology of suspension feeders and heterotrophic energy inputs. Photobiology: mixotrophic cnidarians and the limits of photoadaptation. The cost of suspension feeding: energy output in suspension feeders. Trophic biomarkers (I): Stable isotopes. Trophic biomarkers (II): Macromolecules. Trophic ecology: combining methods. Trophic interactions and tipping points. Competition for space in benthic organisms. Alien species. Pelagic fisheries: the end of innocence. Bottom trawling: what happened with the cod? Artisanal and leisure fisheries. Medusa swarms: causes, frequency and consequences. Aquaculture: the blue revolution. Red tides, algal blooms & dead Zones. Solid marine pollution. Climate change in the oceans. Climate change and the poles. Changes of energy fluxes in marine animal forests of the Anthropocene: factors shaping the future seascape. Climate change and temperature: The Mediterranean Sea in a future world. Coral reefs, bleaching and El Niño. Ocean acidification. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-1. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-2. Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Marine restoration. Citizen science and scientific outreach.

All the material will be provided by the teacher in form of selected books, reviews and scientific papers

Fundamentals of general biology, zoology, botany and ecology  are prerequisites to achieve high proficiency of this course

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are tightly related. In this course, we will study how important are the concepts of biodiversity, demography and population dynamics, trophic ecology and life cycles, environmental factors and biochemical cycles in understanding pelagic and benthic system functioning. Once these concepts and the related methods to quantify such parameters are explained, we will make a wide spectra of systems (e.g. coral reefs, Mediterranean sea, polar areas, deep sea communities, etc.), stressors and impacts to understand how the functioning of the pelagic and benthic systems in the oceans are changing. Direct impacts such as fisheries, pollution or coast transformation will be analyzed. The synergistic path with indirect stressors such as rising temperatures, ocean acidification or sea level rise will be also studied to understand how deep is the change on the functioning of these ocean systems. Finally, we will give tools for management and conservation: new aquaculture methods, new fishery approaches, marine restoration and marine protected areas design and management guides to improve ecosystem functioning enhancing biodiversity and complexity.

The student has to achieve the biodiversity and ecosystem function concepts but, more important, she/he has to be capable to apply quantitative tools to asses such functionality. She/he has to have at hand conservation and management measures/tools to confront real conservation/regulation measures.

The six credits are based on theoretical and practical concepts, with an open debate during the classroom.

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through an oral exam: four questions of the different developed concepts. Four perfect answers will give 28/30 punctuation. To reach the maximum score, before starting the oral exam, the student has to make a brief presentation based on a paper, book chapter or review related with the marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning subject. The choice of the text to make the presentation is free.

Introduction, the value of science. How we are transforming the oceans. Biodiversity, what are we talking about? Biodiversity: different habitats, different organisms, different methods. Posidonia oceanica and biodiversity. Antarctica: pristine environment for Biodiversity case studies. Biodiversity & impacts: examples with the intertidal. Approaching biodiversity with genetics: metabarcoding. Biodiversity: frontier systems. Demography and population dynamics. Demography: precious corals. ROV and other tools for benthic cartography and demography. Demography: some examples OF applied models. Self thinning role: understanding sessile long lived species population structure. Biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. Benthic-pelagic coupling and near bottom seston. Segrasses: an example for biogeochemical cycles. Biogeochemical cycles: carbon sinks. Trophic ecology of suspension feeders and heterotrophic energy inputs. Photobiology: mixotrophic cnidarians and the limits of photoadaptation. The cost of suspension feeding: energy output in suspension feeders. Trophic biomarkers (I): Stable isotopes. Trophic biomarkers (II): Macromolecules. Trophic ecology: combining methods. Trophic interactions and tipping points. Competition for space in benthic organisms. Alien species. Pelagic fisheries: the end of innocence. Bottom trawling: what happened with the cod? Artisanal and leisure fisheries. Medusa swarms: causes, frequency and consequences. Aquaculture: the blue revolution. Red tides, algal blooms & dead Zones. Solid marine pollution. Climate change in the oceans. Climate change and the poles. Changes of energy fluxes in marine animal forests of the Anthropocene: factors shaping the future seascape. Climate change and temperature: The Mediterranean Sea in a future world. Coral reefs, bleaching and El Niño. Ocean acidification. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-1. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-2. Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Marine restoration. Citizen science and scientific outreach.

All the material will be provided by the teacher in form of selected books, reviews and scientific papers

Knowledge in geology, botanics, zoology and ecology

The course starts with the description of basic concepts about geology, physics, chemistry and biology of the oceans. Once the different zonation, depending on light availability and depth range, are described, the different benthic habitats (from supralittoral to the hadal zone) are explained with examples of different areas of the planet. The main threats and impacts in each are also introduced.

This course is a general introduction to marine biology and ecology. Basic concepts of zonation, habitat description or environmental parameters are explained with examples. The student will follow a roadmap to better apply concepts of ecology and biology, having the possibility to overview different areas of the world. From Polar systems to Mediterranean habitats,  the final target is explore the basic knowledge that will be essential for the follow-up of the rest of the courses.

Lectures, seminars and practical work on marine biology.

Oral exam with 5-6 different questions about the lectures

THE BLUE PLANET TRANSFORMATION. HISTORICAL ECOLOGY. GEOMORPHOLOGY. OCEAN ZONATION. WATER COLUMN PROPERTIES. SEDIMENTS. CIRCULATION PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PRODUCTIVITY. THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. ZONATION OF BENTHIC COMMUNITIES. LITTORAL BENTHOS. SUBLITTORAL BENTHOS. SEAGRASSES. CORALLIGENOUS AND MAËRL. SUBLITTORAL BENTHOS-Soft bottoms. CORAL REEFS. MESOPHOTIC CORAL REEFS. MARGINAL REEFS. MANGROVES. KELP FORESTS.ESTUARIES AND DELTAS. DEEP-SEA BENTHOS. COLD WATER CORALS. HYDROTHERMAL VENTS. POLAR ECOSYSTEMS. SUBMARINE CAVES. GENERAL IMPACTS. OVERVIEW OF THE METHODS IN MARINE BIOLOGY.

Marine biology / Peter Castro, Michael E. Huber. — 7th ed. ISBN 978–0–07–302819–4

Biologia, Ecologia

Durante il corso vengono presentati problemi e soluzioni legati alle risorse naturali (rinnovabili e non rinnovabili) degli oceani. C'è una breve introduzione al funzionamento ecologico degli oceani, un'introduzione ai capitoli relativi alla conservazione per poi passare ad argomenti come la pesca, l'acquacoltura, la produzione di biomassa e metaboliti secondari, la rigenerazione marina o l'estrazione mineraria.

Padroneggiare vari concetti legati ai prodotti del mare, come sono stati trattati fino ad ora ma, soprattutto, come viene considerato e pianificato il loro futuro.

Lezioni frontali, lettura di papers, capitoli di libro e reports, e discussione dei diversi problemi e soluzioni proposte.

Orale. Presentazione di un breve tema per parte dello studente e poi cinque domande sui temi svolti in classe. 

Introduzione agli oceani e alla produzione; Sistemi oceanici e limitazioni biofisiche; Concetto di risorsa rinnovabile; pesca industriale; Pesca artigianale; Alternative sostenibili alla pesca; acquacoltura industriale; Acquacoltura multitrofica integrata (IMTA); Microalge; Biocarburante di terza generazione; utilizzo di biomasse alternative; Il concetto di area marina protetta; cartografia subacquea; esplorazione e mappatura della biodiversità; eDNA; Buono Stato Ambientale (GES); restauro marino; educazione ambientale legata agli oceani; estrazione sottomarina; energie rinnovabili e piani globali di sviluppo e compensazione ambientale

Letteratura on-line, alcune prime indicazioni dei testi a seguire

FAO report Sofia 2022- https://www.fao.org/publications/home/fao-flagship-publications/the-state-of-world-fisheries-and-aquaculture/2022/en

Global aquaculture and its role in sustainable development- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1753-5131.2008.01002.x

Marine Microalgae Contribution to Sustainable Development- https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/10/1373

Bright Spots in Coastal Marine Ecosystem Restoration- chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/S0960-9822(20)31599-2.pdf

Incorporating climate change adaptation into marine protected area planning- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.15094

Conflicting Narratives of Deep Sea Mining- https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/9/5261

A review of combined wave and offshore wind energy- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032114008053

Fundamentals of general biology, zoology, botany and ecology  are prerequisites to achieve high proficiency of this course

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are tightly related. In this course, we will study how important are the concepts of biodiversity, demography and population dynamics, trophic ecology and life cycles, environmental factors and biochemical cycles in understanding pelagic and benthic system functioning. Once these concepts and the related methods to quantify such parameters are explained, we will make a wide spectra of systems (e.g. coral reefs, Mediterranean sea, polar areas, deep sea communities, etc.), stressors and impacts to understand how the functioning of the pelagic and benthic systems in the oceans are changing. Direct impacts such as fisheries, pollution or coast transformation will be analyzed. The synergistic path with indirect stressors such as rising temperatures, ocean acidification or sea level rise will be also studied to understand how deep is the change on the functioning of these ocean systems. Finally, we will give tools for management and conservation: new aquaculture methods, new fishery approaches, marine restoration and marine protected areas design and management guides to improve ecosystem functioning enhancing biodiversity and complexity.

The student has to achieve the biodiversity and ecosystem function concepts but, more important, she/he has to be capable to apply quantitative tools to asses such functionality. She/he has to have at hand conservation and management measures/tools to confront real conservation/regulation measures.

The six credits are based on theoretical and practical concepts, with an open debate during the classroom.

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through an oral exam: four questions of the different developed concepts. Four perfect answers will give 28/30 punctuation. To reach the maximum score, before starting the oral exam, the student has to make a brief presentation based on a paper, book chapter or review related with the marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning subject. The choice of the text to make the presentation is free.

Introduction, the value of science. How we are transforming the oceans. Biodiversity, what are we talking about? Biodiversity: different habitats, different organisms, different methods. Posidonia oceanica and biodiversity. Antarctica: pristine environment for Biodiversity case studies. Biodiversity & impacts: examples with the intertidal. Approaching biodiversity with genetics: metabarcoding. Biodiversity: frontier systems. Demography and population dynamics. Demography: precious corals. ROV and other tools for benthic cartography and demography. Demography: some examples OF applied models. Self thinning role: understanding sessile long lived species population structure. Biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. Benthic-pelagic coupling and near bottom seston. Segrasses: an example for biogeochemical cycles. Biogeochemical cycles: carbon sinks. Trophic ecology of suspension feeders and heterotrophic energy inputs. Photobiology: mixotrophic cnidarians and the limits of photoadaptation. The cost of suspension feeding: energy output in suspension feeders. Trophic biomarkers (I): Stable isotopes. Trophic biomarkers (II): Macromolecules. Trophic ecology: combining methods. Trophic interactions and tipping points. Competition for space in benthic organisms. Alien species. Pelagic fisheries: the end of innocence. Bottom trawling: what happened with the cod? Artisanal and leisure fisheries. Medusa swarms: causes, frequency and consequences. Aquaculture: the blue revolution. Red tides, algal blooms & dead Zones. Solid marine pollution. Climate change in the oceans. Climate change and the poles. Changes of energy fluxes in marine animal forests of the Anthropocene: factors shaping the future seascape. Climate change and temperature: The Mediterranean Sea in a future world. Coral reefs, bleaching and El Niño. Ocean acidification. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-1. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-2. Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Marine restoration. Citizen science and scientific outreach.

All the material will be provided by the teacher in form of selected books, reviews and scientific papers

No requirements are foreseen to attend the course and practicals on board of the R/V PELAGIA. A diving licence is required to attend underwater SCUBA diving practicals.

The course will deal with the main techniques for studying the coastal marine environment through scuba diving and from the sea surface, on board of the research vessel Pelagia.

The aim is to provide both theoretical and practical basic knowledge on the techniques of studying the marine environment by means of a scientific diver or by sampling from sea surface on board of a research vessel.

The course will be run by theoretical lessons (3 credits, 24 hours) and practical exercises in the field (3 credits, 30 hours).

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through a written test with five open-ended questions with different degrees of complexity, together with a qualitative assessment of the pratical achievements (non sufficient, sufficient, good, excellent) for each student given by the teaching staff.This will evaluate the learning outcomes acquired by the student. The analysis of answers to the written test will be carried out by direct interview with the teacher. Upon motivated request of the student, the written test is completely replaced by a full oral exam. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, with possible praise. For each given answer, the student will get up to 6 point, depending on the level of inclusivity and the supporting arguments provided by the answer. Any answer not given will equal to 0 points. To pass the exam it is necessary to obtain a minimum score of 18 points, equal to a grade of 18/30. If the exam is insufficient, or the final score is less than 18, the written test must be repeated. Following a double failure to pass the written test (due to insufficiency or non-acceptance of the grade obtained), the exam can only be taken by interview with the teacher. The attribution of the final score will be taken into account: of the level of theoretical and practical knowledge acquired (50%); the ability to apply the acquired knowledge (30%); autonomy of judgment (10%); of communication skills (10%).

General: Physiological effects of immersion on humans. Diving equipment: breathing systems and the use of mixtures; protection systems and cold water diving; communication systems; transport systems; cave diving. Destructive sampling techniques: scratches, panels, sorbonne, nets, traps. Non-destructive sampling techniques: squares, transects, video and photographic surveys, visual-census. ROV (remotely operated vehicles). Underwater environmental volunteering projects. Transplant techniques. Use of sensors. Use of underwater lifting bag for marine litter removal and for displacement of heavy underwater equipments. 

Details: Autonomous scuba diving, basic instrumentation for underwater research. Underwater activities in the various scientific disciplines: areas and specificities. Physical and chemical oceanography: currentometry, underwater optics, water sampling. Portable control units. Criteria of accessibility and specificity in the approach to submarine habitats. Geology: topography, clinometry, morphometry, sedimentology, ripple-marks, penetrometry. Portable underwater sonars.

Biology and ecology. Scientific immersion in the study of the pelagic environment and the benthos. Qualitative, quantitative, qualitative-quantitative surveys. Numerical descriptors: biomass and biovolume; abundance and density; roofing and covering; frequency. Destructive methods, non-destructive methods. Grating. Sorbona (air-lift sucking pump). Photo detection. Circumscribed and non-circumscribed visual methods: squares and transepts. Orthogonal and parallel transects. Type of parallel transects: Line Intercept Transect (LIT), Point Intercept Transect (PIT); Chain Transect (CT); Belt Transect (BT). National, EU and international regulations for scientific diving. Training and updating. Operating procedures. Technical and psychophysical requirements. Civil liability. Eligibility, insurance, certificates, dive booklets. Coordination of scientific immersion within the European Union. Notes on Legislative Decree 626/94 "Safety in the workplace". Risk assessment in scientific diving. Good practices for the safe performance of ISPRA and Environmental Agencies underwater activities

Case studies:
Installation of anti-jellyfish nets
Monitoring colonial invertebrates: a case study with 10x10, 20x20 squares, visual collection (picking up).
Posidonia: counting and measuring shoots and leaves, lepidocronology, epiphyte coverage.
Definition and notes on the safety of scientific diving.
Microplastic sampling with screen - sorting

Abbiati, M (ed.) (1991) Metodi di campionamento biologico subacqueo. In Lezioni del Corso Formativo per Ricercatore Scientifico Subacqueo. Pisa: International School of Scientific Diving, pp. 3–12.Google Scholar

Bianchi, CN, Pronzato, R, Cattaneo-Vietti, R, Benedetti-Cecchi, L, Morri, C, Pansini, M, Chemello, R, Milazzo, M, Fraschetti, S, Terlizzi, A, Peirano, A, Salvati, E, Benzoni, F, Calcinai, B, Cerrano, C and Bavestrello, G (2004) Hard bottoms. In Gambi, M and Dappiano, M (eds), Mediterranean marine benthos: a manual of methods for its sampling and study. Biologia Marina Meditteranea 11 (Suppl. 1), 185–215.

Hiscock, K and Hoare, R (1973) A portable suction sampler for rock epibiota. Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters 25, 35–38.10.1007/BF01609959CrossRef | Google Scholar

Danovaro R. Biologia marina. Biodiversità e funzionamento degli ecosistemi marini. II edizione UTET

ISPRA 2010. Metodologie di studio del Plancton marino. 

Gambi M.C., Dappiano M. 2004 (eds) “Mediterranean marine benthos: a manual of methods for its sampling and study” SIBM.

Fundamentals of general biology, zoology, botany and ecology  are prerequisites to achieve high proficiency of this course

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are tightly related. In this course, we will study how important are the concepts of biodiversity, demography and population dynamics, trophic ecology and life cycles, environmental factors and biochemical cycles in understanding pelagic and benthic system functioning. Once these concepts and the related methods to quantify such parameters are explained, we will make a wide spectra of systems (e.g. coral reefs, Mediterranean sea, polar areas, deep sea communities, etc.), stressors and impacts to understand how the functioning of the pelagic and benthic systems in the oceans are changing. Direct impacts such as fisheries, pollution or coast transformation will be analyzed. The synergistic path with indirect stressors such as rising temperatures, ocean acidification or sea level rise will be also studied to understand how deep is the change on the functioning of these ocean systems. Finally, we will give tools for management and conservation: new aquaculture methods, new fishery approaches, marine restoration and marine protected areas design and management guides to improve ecosystem functioning enhancing biodiversity and complexity.

The student has to achieve the biodiversity and ecosystem function concepts but, more important, she/he has to be capable to apply quantitative tools to asses such functionality. She/he has to have at hand conservation and management measures/tools to confront real conservation/regulation measures.

The six credits are based on theoretical and practical concepts, with an open debate during the classroom.

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through an oral exam: four questions of the different developed concepts. Four perfect answers will give 28/30 punctuation. To reach the maximum score, before starting the oral exam, the student has to make a brief presentation based on a paper, book chapter or review related with the marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning subject. The choice of the text to make the presentation is free.

Introduction, the value of science. How we are transforming the oceans. Biodiversity, what are we talking about? Biodiversity: different habitats, different organisms, different methods. Posidonia oceanica and biodiversity. Antarctica: pristine environment for Biodiversity case studies. Biodiversity & impacts: examples with the intertidal. Approaching biodiversity with genetics: metabarcoding. Biodiversity: frontier systems. Demography and population dynamics. Demography: precious corals. ROV and other tools for benthic cartography and demography. Demography: some examples OF applied models. Self thinning role: understanding sessile long lived species population structure. Biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. Benthic-pelagic coupling and near bottom seston. Segrasses: an example for biogeochemical cycles. Biogeochemical cycles: carbon sinks. Trophic ecology of suspension feeders and heterotrophic energy inputs. Photobiology: mixotrophic cnidarians and the limits of photoadaptation. The cost of suspension feeding: energy output in suspension feeders. Trophic biomarkers (I): Stable isotopes. Trophic biomarkers (II): Macromolecules. Trophic ecology: combining methods. Trophic interactions and tipping points. Competition for space in benthic organisms. Alien species. Pelagic fisheries: the end of innocence. Bottom trawling: what happened with the cod? Artisanal and leisure fisheries. Medusa swarms: causes, frequency and consequences. Aquaculture: the blue revolution. Red tides, algal blooms & dead Zones. Solid marine pollution. Climate change in the oceans. Climate change and the poles. Changes of energy fluxes in marine animal forests of the Anthropocene: factors shaping the future seascape. Climate change and temperature: The Mediterranean Sea in a future world. Coral reefs, bleaching and El Niño. Ocean acidification. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-1. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-2. Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Marine restoration. Citizen science and scientific outreach.

All the material will be provided by the teacher in form of selected books, reviews and scientific papers

Knowledge in geology, botanics, zoology and ecology

The course starts with the description of basic concepts about geology, physics, chemistry and biology of the oceans. Once the different zonation, depending on light availability and depth range, are described, the different benthic habitats (from supralittoral to the hadal zone) are explained with examples of different areas of the planet. The main threats and impacts in each are also introduced.

This course is a general introduction to marine biology and ecology. Basic concepts of zonation, habitat description or environmental parameters are explained with examples. The student will follow a roadmap to better apply concepts of ecology and biology, having the possibility to overview different areas of the world. From Polar systems to Mediterranean habitats,  the final target is explore the basic knowledge that will be essential for the follow-up of the rest of the courses.

Lectures, seminars and practical work on marine biology.

Oral exam with 5-6 different questions about the lectures

THE BLUE PLANET TRANSFORMATION. HISTORICAL ECOLOGY. GEOMORPHOLOGY. OCEAN ZONATION. WATER COLUMN PROPERTIES. SEDIMENTS. CIRCULATION PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PRODUCTIVITY. THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. ZONATION OF BENTHIC COMMUNITIES. LITTORAL BENTHOS. SUBLITTORAL BENTHOS. SEAGRASSES. CORALLIGENOUS AND MAËRL. SUBLITTORAL BENTHOS-Soft bottoms. CORAL REEFS. MESOPHOTIC CORAL REEFS. MARGINAL REEFS. MANGROVES. KELP FORESTS.ESTUARIES AND DELTAS. DEEP-SEA BENTHOS. COLD WATER CORALS. HYDROTHERMAL VENTS. POLAR ECOSYSTEMS. SUBMARINE CAVES. GENERAL IMPACTS. OVERVIEW OF THE METHODS IN MARINE BIOLOGY.

Marine biology / Peter Castro, Michael E. Huber. — 7th ed. ISBN 978–0–07–302819–4

Fundamentals of general biology, zoology, botany and ecology  are prerequisites to achieve high proficiency of this course

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are tightly related. In this course, we will study how important are the concepts of biodiversity, demography and population dynamics, trophic ecology and life cycles, environmental factors and biochemical cycles in understanding pelagic and benthic system functioning. Once these concepts and the related methods to quantify such parameters are explained, we will make a wide spectra of systems (e.g. coral reefs, Mediterranean sea, polar areas, deep sea communities, etc.), stressors and impacts to understand how the functioning of the pelagic and benthic systems in the oceans are changing. Direct impacts such as fisheries, pollution or coast transformation will be analyzed. The synergistic path with indirect stressors such as rising temperatures, ocean acidification or sea level rise will be also studied to understand how deep is the change on the functioning of these ocean systems. Finally, we will give tools for management and conservation: new aquaculture methods, new fishery approaches, marine restoration and marine protected areas design and management guides to improve ecosystem functioning enhancing biodiversity and complexity.

The student has to achieve the biodiversity and ecosystem function concepts but, more important, she/he has to be capable to apply quantitative tools to asses such functionality. She/he has to have at hand conservation and management measures/tools to confront real conservation/regulation measures.

The six credits are based on theoretical and practical concepts, with an open debate during the classroom.

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through an oral exam: four questions of the different developed concepts. Four perfect answers will give 28/30 punctuation. To reach the maximum score, before starting the oral exam, the student has to make a brief presentation based on a paper, book chapter or review related with the marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning subject. The choice of the text to make the presentation is free.

Introduction, the value of science. How we are transforming the oceans. Biodiversity, what are we talking about? Biodiversity: different habitats, different organisms, different methods. Posidonia oceanica and biodiversity. Antarctica: pristine environment for Biodiversity case studies. Biodiversity & impacts: examples with the intertidal. Approaching biodiversity with genetics: metabarcoding. Biodiversity: frontier systems. Demography and population dynamics. Demography: precious corals. ROV and other tools for benthic cartography and demography. Demography: some examples OF applied models. Self thinning role: understanding sessile long lived species population structure. Biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. Benthic-pelagic coupling and near bottom seston. Segrasses: an example for biogeochemical cycles. Biogeochemical cycles: carbon sinks. Trophic ecology of suspension feeders and heterotrophic energy inputs. Photobiology: mixotrophic cnidarians and the limits of photoadaptation. The cost of suspension feeding: energy output in suspension feeders. Trophic biomarkers (I): Stable isotopes. Trophic biomarkers (II): Macromolecules. Trophic ecology: combining methods. Trophic interactions and tipping points. Competition for space in benthic organisms. Alien species. Pelagic fisheries: the end of innocence. Bottom trawling: what happened with the cod? Artisanal and leisure fisheries. Medusa swarms: causes, frequency and consequences. Aquaculture: the blue revolution. Red tides, algal blooms & dead Zones. Solid marine pollution. Climate change in the oceans. Climate change and the poles. Changes of energy fluxes in marine animal forests of the Anthropocene: factors shaping the future seascape. Climate change and temperature: The Mediterranean Sea in a future world. Coral reefs, bleaching and El Niño. Ocean acidification. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-1. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-2. Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Marine restoration. Citizen science and scientific outreach.

All the material will be provided by the teacher in form of selected books, reviews and scientific papers

No requirements are foreseen to attend the course and practicals on board of the R/V PELAGIA. A diving licence is required to attend underwater SCUBA diving practicals.

The course will deal with the main techniques for studying the coastal marine environment through scuba diving and from the sea surface, on board of the research vessel Pelagia.

The aim is to provide both theoretical and practical basic knowledge on the techniques of studying the marine environment by means of a scientific diver or by sampling from sea surface on board of a research vessel.

The course will be run by theoretical lessons (3 credits, 24 hours) and practical exercises in the field (3 credits, 30 hours).

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through a written test with five open-ended questions with different degrees of complexity, together with a qualitative assessment of the pratical achievements (non sufficient, sufficient, good, excellent) for each student given by the teaching staff.This will evaluate the learning outcomes acquired by the student. The analysis of answers to the written test will be carried out by direct interview with the teacher. Upon motivated request of the student, the written test is completely replaced by a full oral exam. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, with possible praise. For each given answer, the student will get up to 6 point, depending on the level of inclusivity and the supporting arguments provided by the answer. Any answer not given will equal to 0 points. To pass the exam it is necessary to obtain a minimum score of 18 points, equal to a grade of 18/30. If the exam is insufficient, or the final score is less than 18, the written test must be repeated. Following a double failure to pass the written test (due to insufficiency or non-acceptance of the grade obtained), the exam can only be taken by interview with the teacher. The attribution of the final score will be taken into account: of the level of theoretical and practical knowledge acquired (50%); the ability to apply the acquired knowledge (30%); autonomy of judgment (10%); of communication skills (10%).

General: Physiological effects of immersion on humans. Diving equipment: breathing systems and the use of mixtures; protection systems and cold water diving; communication systems; transport systems; cave diving. Destructive sampling techniques: scratches, panels, sorbonne, nets, traps. Non-destructive sampling techniques: squares, transects, video and photographic surveys, visual-census. ROV (remotely operated vehicles). Underwater environmental volunteering projects. Transplant techniques. Use of sensors. Use of underwater lifting bag for marine litter removal and for displacement of heavy underwater equipments. 

Details: Autonomous scuba diving, basic instrumentation for underwater research. Underwater activities in the various scientific disciplines: areas and specificities. Physical and chemical oceanography: currentometry, underwater optics, water sampling. Portable control units. Criteria of accessibility and specificity in the approach to submarine habitats. Geology: topography, clinometry, morphometry, sedimentology, ripple-marks, penetrometry. Portable underwater sonars.

Biology and ecology. Scientific immersion in the study of the pelagic environment and the benthos. Qualitative, quantitative, qualitative-quantitative surveys. Numerical descriptors: biomass and biovolume; abundance and density; roofing and covering; frequency. Destructive methods, non-destructive methods. Grating. Sorbona (air-lift sucking pump). Photo detection. Circumscribed and non-circumscribed visual methods: squares and transepts. Orthogonal and parallel transects. Type of parallel transects: Line Intercept Transect (LIT), Point Intercept Transect (PIT); Chain Transect (CT); Belt Transect (BT). National, EU and international regulations for scientific diving. Training and updating. Operating procedures. Technical and psychophysical requirements. Civil liability. Eligibility, insurance, certificates, dive booklets. Coordination of scientific immersion within the European Union. Notes on Legislative Decree 626/94 "Safety in the workplace". Risk assessment in scientific diving. Good practices for the safe performance of ISPRA and Environmental Agencies underwater activities

Case studies:
Installation of anti-jellyfish nets
Monitoring colonial invertebrates: a case study with 10x10, 20x20 squares, visual collection (picking up).
Posidonia: counting and measuring shoots and leaves, lepidocronology, epiphyte coverage.
Definition and notes on the safety of scientific diving.
Microplastic sampling with screen - sorting

Abbiati, M (ed.) (1991) Metodi di campionamento biologico subacqueo. In Lezioni del Corso Formativo per Ricercatore Scientifico Subacqueo. Pisa: International School of Scientific Diving, pp. 3–12.Google Scholar

Bianchi, CN, Pronzato, R, Cattaneo-Vietti, R, Benedetti-Cecchi, L, Morri, C, Pansini, M, Chemello, R, Milazzo, M, Fraschetti, S, Terlizzi, A, Peirano, A, Salvati, E, Benzoni, F, Calcinai, B, Cerrano, C and Bavestrello, G (2004) Hard bottoms. In Gambi, M and Dappiano, M (eds), Mediterranean marine benthos: a manual of methods for its sampling and study. Biologia Marina Meditteranea 11 (Suppl. 1), 185–215.

Hiscock, K and Hoare, R (1973) A portable suction sampler for rock epibiota. Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters 25, 35–38.10.1007/BF01609959CrossRef | Google Scholar

Danovaro R. Biologia marina. Biodiversità e funzionamento degli ecosistemi marini. II edizione UTET

ISPRA 2010. Metodologie di studio del Plancton marino. 

Gambi M.C., Dappiano M. 2004 (eds) “Mediterranean marine benthos: a manual of methods for its sampling and study” SIBM.

Fundamentals of general biology, zoology, botany and ecology  are prerequisites to achieve high proficiency of this course

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are tightly related. In this course, we will study how important are the concepts of biodiversity, demography and population dynamics, trophic ecology and life cycles, environmental factors and biochemical cycles in understanding pelagic and benthic system functioning. Once these concepts and the related methods to quantify such parameters are explained, we will make a wide spectra of systems (e.g. coral reefs, Mediterranean sea, polar areas, deep sea communities, etc.), stressors and impacts to understand how the functioning of the pelagic and benthic systems in the oceans are changing. Direct impacts such as fisheries, pollution or coast transformation will be analyzed. The synergistic path with indirect stressors such as rising temperatures, ocean acidification or sea level rise will be also studied to understand how deep is the change on the functioning of these ocean systems. Finally, we will give tools for management and conservation: new aquaculture methods, new fishery approaches, marine restoration and marine protected areas design and management guides to improve ecosystem functioning enhancing biodiversity and complexity.

The student has to achieve the biodiversity and ecosystem function concepts but, more important, she/he has to be capable to apply quantitative tools to asses such functionality. She/he has to have at hand conservation and management measures/tools to confront real conservation/regulation measures.

The six credits are based on theoretical and practical concepts, with an open debate during the classroom.

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through an oral exam: four questions of the different developed concepts. Four perfect answers will give 28/30 punctuation. To reach the maximum score, before starting the oral exam, the student has to make a brief presentation based on a paper, book chapter or review related with the marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning subject. The choice of the text to make the presentation is free.

Introduction, the value of science. How we are transforming the oceans. Biodiversity, what are we talking about? Biodiversity: different habitats, different organisms, different methods. Posidonia oceanica and biodiversity. Antarctica: pristine environment for Biodiversity case studies. Biodiversity & impacts: examples with the intertidal. Approaching biodiversity with genetics: metabarcoding. Biodiversity: frontier systems. Demography and population dynamics. Demography: precious corals. ROV and other tools for benthic cartography and demography. Demography: some examples OF applied models. Self thinning role: understanding sessile long lived species population structure. Biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. Benthic-pelagic coupling and near bottom seston. Segrasses: an example for biogeochemical cycles. Biogeochemical cycles: carbon sinks. Trophic ecology of suspension feeders and heterotrophic energy inputs. Photobiology: mixotrophic cnidarians and the limits of photoadaptation. The cost of suspension feeding: energy output in suspension feeders. Trophic biomarkers (I): Stable isotopes. Trophic biomarkers (II): Macromolecules. Trophic ecology: combining methods. Trophic interactions and tipping points. Competition for space in benthic organisms. Alien species. Pelagic fisheries: the end of innocence. Bottom trawling: what happened with the cod? Artisanal and leisure fisheries. Medusa swarms: causes, frequency and consequences. Aquaculture: the blue revolution. Red tides, algal blooms & dead Zones. Solid marine pollution. Climate change in the oceans. Climate change and the poles. Changes of energy fluxes in marine animal forests of the Anthropocene: factors shaping the future seascape. Climate change and temperature: The Mediterranean Sea in a future world. Coral reefs, bleaching and El Niño. Ocean acidification. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-1. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-2. Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Marine restoration. Citizen science and scientific outreach.

All the material will be provided by the teacher in form of selected books, reviews and scientific papers

Knowledge in geology, botanics, zoology and ecology

The course starts with the description of basic concepts about geology, physics, chemistry and biology of the oceans. Once the different zonation, depending on light availability and depth range, are described, the different benthic habitats (from supralittoral to the hadal zone) are explained with examples of different areas of the planet. The main threats and impacts in each are also introduced.

This course is a general introduction to marine biology and ecology. Basic concepts of zonation, habitat description or environmental parameters are explained with examples. The student will follow a roadmap to better apply concepts of ecology and biology, having the possibility to overview different areas of the world. From Polar systems to Mediterranean habitats,  the final target is explore the basic knowledge that will be essential for the follow-up of the rest of the courses.

Lectures, seminars and practical work on marine biology.

Oral exam with 5-6 different questions about the lectures

THE BLUE PLANET TRANSFORMATION. HISTORICAL ECOLOGY. GEOMORPHOLOGY. OCEAN ZONATION. WATER COLUMN PROPERTIES. SEDIMENTS. CIRCULATION PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PRODUCTIVITY. THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. ZONATION OF BENTHIC COMMUNITIES. LITTORAL BENTHOS. SUBLITTORAL BENTHOS. SEAGRASSES. CORALLIGENOUS AND MAËRL. SUBLITTORAL BENTHOS-Soft bottoms. CORAL REEFS. MESOPHOTIC CORAL REEFS. MARGINAL REEFS. MANGROVES. KELP FORESTS.ESTUARIES AND DELTAS. DEEP-SEA BENTHOS. COLD WATER CORALS. HYDROTHERMAL VENTS. POLAR ECOSYSTEMS. SUBMARINE CAVES. GENERAL IMPACTS. OVERVIEW OF THE METHODS IN MARINE BIOLOGY.

Marine biology / Peter Castro, Michael E. Huber. — 7th ed. ISBN 978–0–07–302819–4

Basi di zoologia, ecologia, fondamenti di analisi dei sistemi ecologici

Zoologia applicata dará allo studente i mezzi per studiare la biodiversità, demografia e dinamica di popolazioni, relazione con fattori ambientali e studio dei cicli di vita di organismi animali. Si applicheranno questi strumenti a capire effetti sulle popolazioni animali di impatti indiretti( cambiamento climatico) o diretti (pesca, contaminazione, sfruttamento delle popolazioni animali, ecc.). Si studieranno pure le soluzioni applicate alla preservazione di queste popolazioni (regolazione della pesca, aree protette, restaurazione, ecc.).

L’alunno dovrà saper fare una valutazione multicriteriale dei possibili impatti antropogenici diretti o indiretti, e fornire soluzioni. Si impareranno processi integrativi (bottom-up) per la valutazione dei servizi ecosistemici

L’insegnamento è incentrato sull'utilizzo della biodiversità, life cycle, relazione con fattori ambientali e biomarcatori di diversi gruppi animali quale strumento di analisi delle condizioni ambientali in relazione ad impatti antropici.

Attraverso casi di studio, vengono forniti i criteri logici per una corretta pianificazione di programmi di monitoraggio sperimentale e le basi metodologiche per il campionamento in differenti contesti ambientali, e per l’ordinamento e analisi dei dati.

Si imparerà a gestire in modo basico un’area marina protetta, la sua biodiversità e gli interessi dei diversi collettivi (pesca, turismo, subacquei, ecc.).

Il conseguimento dei crediti attribuiti all’insegnamento è ottenuto mediante una prova orale e una prova scritta (opzionale, per aumentare il voto) su un tema a scelta tra quelli offerti durante il corso, con votazione finale in trentesimi ed eventuale lode. Gli studenti possono prenotarsi per l’esame finale esclusivamente utilizzando le modalità previste dal sistema VOL

Programma:

La Biodiversità animale come strumento per l’analisi dell’ impatto ambientale: la diversità alfa, beta e gamma. La scelta del livello di risoluzione tassonomica nella valutazione dei cambiamenti della struttura di comunità soggette a fattori di disturbo antropico.

La scelta di specie mobili e sessili come specie indicatrici. Studio della demografia con diverse metodiche. Metodologie di ecologia forestale applicati e adattati allo studio della distribuzione e della struttura e composizione di sospensivori bentonici. Studio di organismi bentonici e pelagici a larga scala.

Correlazione di variabili abiotiche e biotiche con misure di cambiamento della struttura di popolamenti animali in condizioni di impatto ambientale. Strumenti per capire l’impatto della qualità ambientale negli organismi: fattori fisici, chimici e biologici della colonna d’acqua. Crisi trofiche e impatto sulle popolazioni.

Strumenti per calcolare lo stress nelle popolazioni marine. Riproduzione, capacità di reclutamento e stato di salute delle popolazioni bentoniche. Calcolo delle variazioni di biomassa a differenti scale spaziali e confronto tra popolazioni disturbate e non disturbate. Studio di biomarcatori applicati alla fauna marina ai fini della conservazione dei sistemi naturali. Ecofisiologia applicata alla conservazione.

Cambiamenti climatici e globali. Effetto della temperatura e dell’acidificazione su animali bentonici e pelagici. Tropicalizzazione del Mediterraneo. Effetti dei cambiamenti climatici in habitat sensibili: coralligeno, tropical and deep coral reefs e zone polari. Altre fonti di impatto: eutrofizzazione, inquinamento luminoso, alterazioni del soundscape in mare, specie aliene, metaboliti algali ed alterazioni di reti trofiche, agenti patogeni.

Effetto della pesca industriale sugli stock ittici, sulle risorse rinnovabili e sulla struttura/complessità degli ecosistemi marini. Sfruttamento di organismi sospensivori bentonici (coralli preziosi, spugne e bivalvi). Gestione della piccola pesca professionale, interventi di mitigazione ambientale. Ecosystem Services: studio e categorizzazione. Strumenti per lapianificazone, il monitoraggio e la gestione delle Aree Marine Protette. Trapianti e strumenti di ristorazione sottomarina.

Il corso prevede esercitazioni pratiche mediante strumenti informatici, in laboratorio e sul litorale costiero  durante le quali saranno ripercorse e discusse le tappe di specifici casi di studio: identificazione della problematica, definizione del disegno sperimentale e del metodo di campionamento, organizzazione e analisi dei dati e interpretazione degli stessi.

An introduction to Marine Ecology. (1999) Barnes, RSK & Hughes, RN.  BlackwellScience, Ltd., Oxford, England.

Marine Ecology: Processes, Systems, and Impacts (2011). Kaiser MJ et al. OUP Oxford.

Marine Protected Areas (Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation). (2014) Joachim Claudet. CambridgeUniversity Press

The Mediterranean Sea: Its History and Present Challenges. Fauna. (2014) Goffredo S & Dubinsky Z (Eds.). Springer, Germany

Fundamentals of general biology, zoology, botany and ecology  are prerequisites to achieve high proficiency of this course

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are tightly related. In this course, we will study how important are the concepts of biodiversity, demography and population dynamics, trophic ecology and life cycles, environmental factors and biochemical cycles in understanding pelagic and benthic system functioning. Once these concepts and the related methods to quantify such parameters are explained, we will make a wide spectra of systems (e.g. coral reefs, Mediterranean sea, polar areas, deep sea communities, etc.), stressors and impacts to understand how the functioning of the pelagic and benthic systems in the oceans are changing. Direct impacts such as fisheries, pollution or coast transformation will be analyzed. The synergistic path with indirect stressors such as rising temperatures, ocean acidification or sea level rise will be also studied to understand how deep is the change on the functioning of these ocean systems. Finally, we will give tools for management and conservation: new aquaculture methods, new fishery approaches, marine restoration and marine protected areas design and management guides to improve ecosystem functioning enhancing biodiversity and complexity.

The student has to achieve the biodiversity and ecosystem function concepts but, more important, she/he has to be capable to apply quantitative tools to asses such functionality. She/he has to have at hand conservation and management measures/tools to confront real conservation/regulation measures.

The six credits are based on theoretical and practical concepts, with an open debate during the classroom.

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through an oral exam: four questions of the different developed concepts. Four perfect answers will give 28/30 punctuation. To reach the maximum score, before starting the oral exam, the student has to make a brief presentation based on a paper, book chapter or review related with the marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning subject. The choice of the text to make the presentation is free.

Introduction, the value of science. How we are transforming the oceans. Biodiversity, what are we talking about? Biodiversity: different habitats, different organisms, different methods. Posidonia oceanica and biodiversity. Antarctica: pristine environment for Biodiversity case studies. Biodiversity & impacts: examples with the intertidal. Approaching biodiversity with genetics: metabarcoding. Biodiversity: frontier systems. Demography and population dynamics. Demography: precious corals. ROV and other tools for benthic cartography and demography. Demography: some examples OF applied models. Self thinning role: understanding sessile long lived species population structure. Biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. Benthic-pelagic coupling and near bottom seston. Segrasses: an example for biogeochemical cycles. Biogeochemical cycles: carbon sinks. Trophic ecology of suspension feeders and heterotrophic energy inputs. Photobiology: mixotrophic cnidarians and the limits of photoadaptation. The cost of suspension feeding: energy output in suspension feeders. Trophic biomarkers (I): Stable isotopes. Trophic biomarkers (II): Macromolecules. Trophic ecology: combining methods. Trophic interactions and tipping points. Competition for space in benthic organisms. Alien species. Pelagic fisheries: the end of innocence. Bottom trawling: what happened with the cod? Artisanal and leisure fisheries. Medusa swarms: causes, frequency and consequences. Aquaculture: the blue revolution. Red tides, algal blooms & dead Zones. Solid marine pollution. Climate change in the oceans. Climate change and the poles. Changes of energy fluxes in marine animal forests of the Anthropocene: factors shaping the future seascape. Climate change and temperature: The Mediterranean Sea in a future world. Coral reefs, bleaching and El Niño. Ocean acidification. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-1. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-2. Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Marine restoration. Citizen science and scientific outreach.

All the material will be provided by the teacher in form of selected books, reviews and scientific papers

No requirements are foreseen to attend the course and practicals on board of the R/V PELAGIA. A diving licence is required to attend underwater SCUBA diving practicals.

The course will deal with the main techniques for studying the coastal marine environment through scuba diving and from the sea surface, on board of the research vessel Pelagia.

The aim is to provide both theoretical and practical basic knowledge on the techniques of studying the marine environment by means of a scientific diver or by sampling from sea surface on board of a research vessel.

The course will be run by theoretical lessons (3 credits, 24 hours) and practical exercises in the field (3 credits, 30 hours).

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through a written test with five open-ended questions with different degrees of complexity, together with a qualitative assessment of the pratical achievements (non sufficient, sufficient, good, excellent) for each student given by the teaching staff.This will evaluate the learning outcomes acquired by the student. The analysis of answers to the written test will be carried out by direct interview with the teacher. Upon motivated request of the student, the written test is completely replaced by a full oral exam. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, with possible praise. For each given answer, the student will get up to 6 point, depending on the level of inclusivity and the supporting arguments provided by the answer. Any answer not given will equal to 0 points. To pass the exam it is necessary to obtain a minimum score of 18 points, equal to a grade of 18/30. If the exam is insufficient, or the final score is less than 18, the written test must be repeated. Following a double failure to pass the written test (due to insufficiency or non-acceptance of the grade obtained), the exam can only be taken by interview with the teacher. The attribution of the final score will be taken into account: of the level of theoretical and practical knowledge acquired (50%); the ability to apply the acquired knowledge (30%); autonomy of judgment (10%); of communication skills (10%).

General: Physiological effects of immersion on humans. Diving equipment: breathing systems and the use of mixtures; protection systems and cold water diving; communication systems; transport systems; cave diving. Destructive sampling techniques: scratches, panels, sorbonne, nets, traps. Non-destructive sampling techniques: squares, transects, video and photographic surveys, visual-census. ROV (remotely operated vehicles). Underwater environmental volunteering projects. Transplant techniques. Use of sensors. Use of underwater lifting bag for marine litter removal and for displacement of heavy underwater equipments. 

Details: Autonomous scuba diving, basic instrumentation for underwater research. Underwater activities in the various scientific disciplines: areas and specificities. Physical and chemical oceanography: currentometry, underwater optics, water sampling. Portable control units. Criteria of accessibility and specificity in the approach to submarine habitats. Geology: topography, clinometry, morphometry, sedimentology, ripple-marks, penetrometry. Portable underwater sonars.

Biology and ecology. Scientific immersion in the study of the pelagic environment and the benthos. Qualitative, quantitative, qualitative-quantitative surveys. Numerical descriptors: biomass and biovolume; abundance and density; roofing and covering; frequency. Destructive methods, non-destructive methods. Grating. Sorbona (air-lift sucking pump). Photo detection. Circumscribed and non-circumscribed visual methods: squares and transepts. Orthogonal and parallel transects. Type of parallel transects: Line Intercept Transect (LIT), Point Intercept Transect (PIT); Chain Transect (CT); Belt Transect (BT). National, EU and international regulations for scientific diving. Training and updating. Operating procedures. Technical and psychophysical requirements. Civil liability. Eligibility, insurance, certificates, dive booklets. Coordination of scientific immersion within the European Union. Notes on Legislative Decree 626/94 "Safety in the workplace". Risk assessment in scientific diving. Good practices for the safe performance of ISPRA and Environmental Agencies underwater activities

Case studies:
Installation of anti-jellyfish nets
Monitoring colonial invertebrates: a case study with 10x10, 20x20 squares, visual collection (picking up).
Posidonia: counting and measuring shoots and leaves, lepidocronology, epiphyte coverage.
Definition and notes on the safety of scientific diving.
Microplastic sampling with screen - sorting

Abbiati, M (ed.) (1991) Metodi di campionamento biologico subacqueo. In Lezioni del Corso Formativo per Ricercatore Scientifico Subacqueo. Pisa: International School of Scientific Diving, pp. 3–12.Google Scholar

Bianchi, CN, Pronzato, R, Cattaneo-Vietti, R, Benedetti-Cecchi, L, Morri, C, Pansini, M, Chemello, R, Milazzo, M, Fraschetti, S, Terlizzi, A, Peirano, A, Salvati, E, Benzoni, F, Calcinai, B, Cerrano, C and Bavestrello, G (2004) Hard bottoms. In Gambi, M and Dappiano, M (eds), Mediterranean marine benthos: a manual of methods for its sampling and study. Biologia Marina Meditteranea 11 (Suppl. 1), 185–215.

Hiscock, K and Hoare, R (1973) A portable suction sampler for rock epibiota. Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters 25, 35–38.10.1007/BF01609959CrossRef | Google Scholar

Danovaro R. Biologia marina. Biodiversità e funzionamento degli ecosistemi marini. II edizione UTET

ISPRA 2010. Metodologie di studio del Plancton marino. 

Gambi M.C., Dappiano M. 2004 (eds) “Mediterranean marine benthos: a manual of methods for its sampling and study” SIBM.

Fundamentals of general biology, zoology, botany and ecology  are prerequisites to achieve high proficiency of this course

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are tightly related. In this course, we will study how important are the concepts of biodiversity, demography and population dynamics, trophic ecology and life cycles, environmental factors and biochemical cycles in understanding pelagic and benthic system functioning. Once these concepts and the related methods to quantify such parameters are explained, we will make a wide spectra of systems (e.g. coral reefs, Mediterranean sea, polar areas, deep sea communities, etc.), stressors and impacts to understand how the functioning of the pelagic and benthic systems in the oceans are changing. Direct impacts such as fisheries, pollution or coast transformation will be analyzed. The synergistic path with indirect stressors such as rising temperatures, ocean acidification or sea level rise will be also studied to understand how deep is the change on the functioning of these ocean systems. Finally, we will give tools for management and conservation: new aquaculture methods, new fishery approaches, marine restoration and marine protected areas design and management guides to improve ecosystem functioning enhancing biodiversity and complexity.

The student has to achieve the biodiversity and ecosystem function concepts but, more important, she/he has to be capable to apply quantitative tools to asses such functionality. She/he has to have at hand conservation and management measures/tools to confront real conservation/regulation measures.

The six credits are based on theoretical and practical concepts, with an open debate during the classroom.

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through an oral exam: four questions of the different developed concepts. Four perfect answers will give 28/30 punctuation. To reach the maximum score, before starting the oral exam, the student has to make a brief presentation based on a paper, book chapter or review related with the marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning subject. The choice of the text to make the presentation is free.

Introduction, the value of science. How we are transforming the oceans. Biodiversity, what are we talking about? Biodiversity: different habitats, different organisms, different methods. Posidonia oceanica and biodiversity. Antarctica: pristine environment for Biodiversity case studies. Biodiversity & impacts: examples with the intertidal. Approaching biodiversity with genetics: metabarcoding. Biodiversity: frontier systems. Demography and population dynamics. Demography: precious corals. ROV and other tools for benthic cartography and demography. Demography: some examples OF applied models. Self thinning role: understanding sessile long lived species population structure. Biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. Benthic-pelagic coupling and near bottom seston. Segrasses: an example for biogeochemical cycles. Biogeochemical cycles: carbon sinks. Trophic ecology of suspension feeders and heterotrophic energy inputs. Photobiology: mixotrophic cnidarians and the limits of photoadaptation. The cost of suspension feeding: energy output in suspension feeders. Trophic biomarkers (I): Stable isotopes. Trophic biomarkers (II): Macromolecules. Trophic ecology: combining methods. Trophic interactions and tipping points. Competition for space in benthic organisms. Alien species. Pelagic fisheries: the end of innocence. Bottom trawling: what happened with the cod? Artisanal and leisure fisheries. Medusa swarms: causes, frequency and consequences. Aquaculture: the blue revolution. Red tides, algal blooms & dead Zones. Solid marine pollution. Climate change in the oceans. Climate change and the poles. Changes of energy fluxes in marine animal forests of the Anthropocene: factors shaping the future seascape. Climate change and temperature: The Mediterranean Sea in a future world. Coral reefs, bleaching and El Niño. Ocean acidification. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-1. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-2. Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Marine restoration. Citizen science and scientific outreach.

All the material will be provided by the teacher in form of selected books, reviews and scientific papers

Knowledge in geology, botanics, zoology and ecology

The course starts with the description of basic concepts about geology, physics, chemistry and biology of the oceans. Once the different zonation, depending on light availability and depth range, are described, the different benthic habitats (from supralittoral to the hadal zone) are explained with examples of different areas of the planet. The main threats and impacts in each are also introduced.

This course is a general introduction to marine biology and ecology. Basic concepts of zonation, habitat description or environmental parameters are explained with examples. The student will follow a roadmap to better apply concepts of ecology and biology, having the possibility to overview different areas of the world. From Polar systems to Mediterranean habitats,  the final target is explore the basic knowledge that will be essential for the follow-up of the rest of the courses.

Lectures, seminars and practical work on marine biology.

Oral exam with 5-6 different questions about the lectures

THE BLUE PLANET TRANSFORMATION. HISTORICAL ECOLOGY. GEOMORPHOLOGY. OCEAN ZONATION. WATER COLUMN PROPERTIES. SEDIMENTS. CIRCULATION PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PRODUCTIVITY. THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. ZONATION OF BENTHIC COMMUNITIES. LITTORAL BENTHOS. SUBLITTORAL BENTHOS. SEAGRASSES. CORALLIGENOUS AND MAËRL. SUBLITTORAL BENTHOS-Soft bottoms. CORAL REEFS. MESOPHOTIC CORAL REEFS. MARGINAL REEFS. MANGROVES. KELP FORESTS.ESTUARIES AND DELTAS. DEEP-SEA BENTHOS. COLD WATER CORALS. HYDROTHERMAL VENTS. POLAR ECOSYSTEMS. SUBMARINE CAVES. GENERAL IMPACTS. OVERVIEW OF THE METHODS IN MARINE BIOLOGY.

Marine biology / Peter Castro, Michael E. Huber. — 7th ed. ISBN 978–0–07–302819–4

Basi di zoologia, ecologia, fondamenti di analisi dei sistemi ecologici

Zoologia applicata dará allo studente i mezzi per studiare la biodiversità, demografia e dinamica di popolazioni, relazione con fattori ambientali e studio dei cicli di vita di organismi animali. Si applicheranno questi strumenti a capire effetti sulle popolazioni animali di impatti indiretti( cambiamento climatico) o diretti (pesca, contaminazione, sfruttamento delle popolazioni animali, ecc.). Si studieranno pure le soluzioni applicate alla preservazione di queste popolazioni (regolazione della pesca, aree protette, restaurazione, ecc.).

L’alunno dovrà saper fare una valutazione multicriteriale dei possibili impatti antropogenici diretti o indiretti, e fornire soluzioni. Si impareranno processi integrativi (bottom-up) per la valutazione dei servizi ecosistemici

L’insegnamento è incentrato sull'utilizzo della biodiversità, life cycle, relazione con fattori ambientali e biomarcatori di diversi gruppi animali quale strumento di analisi delle condizioni ambientali in relazione ad impatti antropici.

Attraverso casi di studio, vengono forniti i criteri logici per una corretta pianificazione di programmi di monitoraggio sperimentale e le basi metodologiche per il campionamento in differenti contesti ambientali, e per l’ordinamento e analisi dei dati.

Si imparerà a gestire in modo basico un’area marina protetta, la sua biodiversità e gli interessi dei diversi collettivi (pesca, turismo, subacquei, ecc.).

Il conseguimento dei crediti attribuiti all’insegnamento è ottenuto mediante una prova orale e una prova scritta (opzionale, per aumentare il voto) su un tema a scelta tra quelli offerti durante il corso, con votazione finale in trentesimi ed eventuale lode. Gli studenti possono prenotarsi per l’esame finale esclusivamente utilizzando le modalità previste dal sistema VOL

Programma:

La Biodiversità animale come strumento per l’analisi dell’ impatto ambientale: la diversità alfa, beta e gamma. La scelta del livello di risoluzione tassonomica nella valutazione dei cambiamenti della struttura di comunità soggette a fattori di disturbo antropico.

La scelta di specie mobili e sessili come specie indicatrici. Studio della demografia con diverse metodiche. Metodologie di ecologia forestale applicati e adattati allo studio della distribuzione e della struttura e composizione di sospensivori bentonici. Studio di organismi bentonici e pelagici a larga scala.

Correlazione di variabili abiotiche e biotiche con misure di cambiamento della struttura di popolamenti animali in condizioni di impatto ambientale. Strumenti per capire l’impatto della qualità ambientale negli organismi: fattori fisici, chimici e biologici della colonna d’acqua. Crisi trofiche e impatto sulle popolazioni.

Strumenti per calcolare lo stress nelle popolazioni marine. Riproduzione, capacità di reclutamento e stato di salute delle popolazioni bentoniche. Calcolo delle variazioni di biomassa a differenti scale spaziali e confronto tra popolazioni disturbate e non disturbate. Studio di biomarcatori applicati alla fauna marina ai fini della conservazione dei sistemi naturali. Ecofisiologia applicata alla conservazione.

Cambiamenti climatici e globali. Effetto della temperatura e dell’acidificazione su animali bentonici e pelagici. Tropicalizzazione del Mediterraneo. Effetti dei cambiamenti climatici in habitat sensibili: coralligeno, tropical and deep coral reefs e zone polari. Altre fonti di impatto: eutrofizzazione, inquinamento luminoso, alterazioni del soundscape in mare, specie aliene, metaboliti algali ed alterazioni di reti trofiche, agenti patogeni.

Effetto della pesca industriale sugli stock ittici, sulle risorse rinnovabili e sulla struttura/complessità degli ecosistemi marini. Sfruttamento di organismi sospensivori bentonici (coralli preziosi, spugne e bivalvi). Gestione della piccola pesca professionale, interventi di mitigazione ambientale. Ecosystem Services: studio e categorizzazione. Strumenti per lapianificazone, il monitoraggio e la gestione delle Aree Marine Protette. Trapianti e strumenti di ristorazione sottomarina.

Il corso prevede esercitazioni pratiche mediante strumenti informatici, in laboratorio e sul litorale costiero  durante le quali saranno ripercorse e discusse le tappe di specifici casi di studio: identificazione della problematica, definizione del disegno sperimentale e del metodo di campionamento, organizzazione e analisi dei dati e interpretazione degli stessi.

An introduction to Marine Ecology. (1999) Barnes, RSK & Hughes, RN.  BlackwellScience, Ltd., Oxford, England.

Marine Ecology: Processes, Systems, and Impacts (2011). Kaiser MJ et al. OUP Oxford.

Marine Protected Areas (Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation). (2014) Joachim Claudet. CambridgeUniversity Press

The Mediterranean Sea: Its History and Present Challenges. Fauna. (2014) Goffredo S & Dubinsky Z (Eds.). Springer, Germany

Fundamentals of general biology, zoology, botany and ecology  are prerequisites to achieve high proficiency of this course

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are tightly related. In this course, we will study how important are the concepts of biodiversity, demography and population dynamics, trophic ecology and life cycles, environmental factors and biochemical cycles in understanding pelagic and benthic system functioning. Once these concepts and the related methods to quantify such parameters are explained, we will make a wide spectra of systems (e.g. coral reefs, Mediterranean sea, polar areas, deep sea communities, etc.), stressors and impacts to understand how the functioning of the pelagic and benthic systems in the oceans are changing. Direct impacts such as fisheries, pollution or coast transformation will be analyzed. The synergistic path with indirect stressors such as rising temperatures, ocean acidification or sea level rise will be also studied to understand how deep is the change on the functioning of these ocean systems. Finally, we will give tools for management and conservation: new aquaculture methods, new fishery approaches, marine restoration and marine protected areas design and management guides to improve ecosystem functioning enhancing biodiversity and complexity.

The student has to achieve the biodiversity and ecosystem function concepts but, more important, she/he has to be capable to apply quantitative tools to asses such functionality. She/he has to have at hand conservation and management measures/tools to confront real conservation/regulation measures.

The six credits are based on theoretical and practical concepts, with an open debate during the classroom.

The achievement of the credits attributed to teaching is obtained through an oral exam: four questions of the different developed concepts. Four perfect answers will give 28/30 punctuation. To reach the maximum score, before starting the oral exam, the student has to make a brief presentation based on a paper, book chapter or review related with the marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning subject. The choice of the text to make the presentation is free.

Introduction, the value of science. How we are transforming the oceans. Biodiversity, what are we talking about? Biodiversity: different habitats, different organisms, different methods. Posidonia oceanica and biodiversity. Antarctica: pristine environment for Biodiversity case studies. Biodiversity & impacts: examples with the intertidal. Approaching biodiversity with genetics: metabarcoding. Biodiversity: frontier systems. Demography and population dynamics. Demography: precious corals. ROV and other tools for benthic cartography and demography. Demography: some examples OF applied models. Self thinning role: understanding sessile long lived species population structure. Biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. Benthic-pelagic coupling and near bottom seston. Segrasses: an example for biogeochemical cycles. Biogeochemical cycles: carbon sinks. Trophic ecology of suspension feeders and heterotrophic energy inputs. Photobiology: mixotrophic cnidarians and the limits of photoadaptation. The cost of suspension feeding: energy output in suspension feeders. Trophic biomarkers (I): Stable isotopes. Trophic biomarkers (II): Macromolecules. Trophic ecology: combining methods. Trophic interactions and tipping points. Competition for space in benthic organisms. Alien species. Pelagic fisheries: the end of innocence. Bottom trawling: what happened with the cod? Artisanal and leisure fisheries. Medusa swarms: causes, frequency and consequences. Aquaculture: the blue revolution. Red tides, algal blooms & dead Zones. Solid marine pollution. Climate change in the oceans. Climate change and the poles. Changes of energy fluxes in marine animal forests of the Anthropocene: factors shaping the future seascape. Climate change and temperature: The Mediterranean Sea in a future world. Coral reefs, bleaching and El Niño. Ocean acidification. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-1. Marine Protected Areas monitoring and management-2. Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Marine restoration. Citizen science and scientific outreach.

All the material will be provided by the teacher in form of selected books, reviews and scientific papers

Basi di zoologia, ecologia, fondamenti di analisi dei sistemi ecologici

Zoologia applicata dará allo studente i mezzi per studiare la biodiversità, demografia e dinamica di popolazioni, relazione con fattori ambientali e studio dei cicli di vita di organismi animali. Si applicheranno questi strumenti a capire effetti sulle popolazioni animali di impatti indiretti( cambiamento climatico) o diretti (pesca, contaminazione, sfruttamento delle popolazioni animali, ecc.). Si studieranno pure le soluzioni applicate alla preservazione di queste popolazioni (regolazione della pesca, aree protette, restaurazione, ecc.).

L’alunno dovrà saper fare una valutazione multicriteriale dei possibili impatti antropogenici diretti o indiretti, e fornire soluzioni. Si impareranno processi integrativi (bottom-up) per la valutazione dei servizi ecosistemici

L’insegnamento è incentrato sull'utilizzo della biodiversità, life cycle, relazione con fattori ambientali e biomarcatori di diversi gruppi animali quale strumento di analisi delle condizioni ambientali in relazione ad impatti antropici.

Attraverso casi di studio, vengono forniti i criteri logici per una corretta pianificazione di programmi di monitoraggio sperimentale e le basi metodologiche per il campionamento in differenti contesti ambientali, e per l’ordinamento e analisi dei dati.

Si imparerà a gestire in modo basico un’area marina protetta, la sua biodiversità e gli interessi dei diversi collettivi (pesca, turismo, subacquei, ecc.).

Il conseguimento dei crediti attribuiti all’insegnamento è ottenuto mediante una prova orale e una prova scritta (opzionale, per aumentare il voto) su un tema a scelta tra quelli offerti durante il corso, con votazione finale in trentesimi ed eventuale lode. Gli studenti possono prenotarsi per l’esame finale esclusivamente utilizzando le modalità previste dal sistema VOL

Programma:

La Biodiversità animale come strumento per l’analisi dell’ impatto ambientale: la diversità alfa, beta e gamma. La scelta del livello di risoluzione tassonomica nella valutazione dei cambiamenti della struttura di comunità soggette a fattori di disturbo antropico.

La scelta di specie mobili e sessili come specie indicatrici. Studio della demografia con diverse metodiche. Metodologie di ecologia forestale applicati e adattati allo studio della distribuzione e della struttura e composizione di sospensivori bentonici. Studio di organismi bentonici e pelagici a larga scala.

Correlazione di variabili abiotiche e biotiche con misure di cambiamento della struttura di popolamenti animali in condizioni di impatto ambientale. Strumenti per capire l’impatto della qualità ambientale negli organismi: fattori fisici, chimici e biologici della colonna d’acqua. Crisi trofiche e impatto sulle popolazioni.

Strumenti per calcolare lo stress nelle popolazioni marine. Riproduzione, capacità di reclutamento e stato di salute delle popolazioni bentoniche. Calcolo delle variazioni di biomassa a differenti scale spaziali e confronto tra popolazioni disturbate e non disturbate. Studio di biomarcatori applicati alla fauna marina ai fini della conservazione dei sistemi naturali. Ecofisiologia applicata alla conservazione.

Cambiamenti climatici e globali. Effetto della temperatura e dell’acidificazione su animali bentonici e pelagici. Tropicalizzazione del Mediterraneo. Effetti dei cambiamenti climatici in habitat sensibili: coralligeno, tropical and deep coral reefs e zone polari. Altre fonti di impatto: eutrofizzazione, inquinamento luminoso, alterazioni del soundscape in mare, specie aliene, metaboliti algali ed alterazioni di reti trofiche, agenti patogeni.

Effetto della pesca industriale sugli stock ittici, sulle risorse rinnovabili e sulla struttura/complessità degli ecosistemi marini. Sfruttamento di organismi sospensivori bentonici (coralli preziosi, spugne e bivalvi). Gestione della piccola pesca professionale, interventi di mitigazione ambientale. Ecosystem Services: studio e categorizzazione. Strumenti per lapianificazone, il monitoraggio e la gestione delle Aree Marine Protette. Trapianti e strumenti di ristorazione sottomarina.

Il corso prevede esercitazioni pratiche mediante strumenti informatici, in laboratorio e sul litorale costiero  durante le quali saranno ripercorse e discusse le tappe di specifici casi di studio: identificazione della problematica, definizione del disegno sperimentale e del metodo di campionamento, organizzazione e analisi dei dati e interpretazione degli stessi.

An introduction to Marine Ecology. (1999) Barnes, RSK & Hughes, RN.  BlackwellScience, Ltd., Oxford, England.

Marine Ecology: Processes, Systems, and Impacts (2011). Kaiser MJ et al. OUP Oxford.

Marine Protected Areas (Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation). (2014) Joachim Claudet. CambridgeUniversity Press

The Mediterranean Sea: Its History and Present Challenges. Fauna. (2014) Goffredo S & Dubinsky Z (Eds.). Springer, Germany