Learning objectives
The course is aimed at providing a basic theoretical and practical background required for studying the main taxa of freshwater zooplankton.
Prerequisites
To have passed Ecology examination
Course unit content
What is plankton
The paradox of the plankton
General introduction to freshwater zooplankton.
Introduction to ecotoxicology.
Full programme
What is plankton
The paradox of the plankton
General introduction to freshwater zooplankton
Rotifers: taxonomy and morphology. Distribution, ecology, life cycle. The most common species in Northern Italy.
Copepods: taxonomy and morphology. Distribution, ecology, life cycle. The most common species in Northern Italy.
Cladocerans: taxonomy and morphology. Distribution, ecology, life cycle. The most common species in Northern Italy.
Ostracods: taxonomy and morphology. Distribution, ecology, life cycle. The most common species in Northern Italy.
An outline of marine zooplankton.
Introduction to ecotoxicology.
Transformation of percentage mortalities to probits.
Dose-response curve: calculation of ED50 and confidence limits of ED50. Acute toxicity tests and calculation of LC50.
Sampling methods.
Sorting.
Methods in data analysis
Case studies
1. Distribution and ecology of calanoid species in the Northern Apennines.
2. Succession of cladocerans in a northern Italian ricefield.
3. Ostracoda of the Italian ricefileds thirty years on: new synthesis and hypothesis.
Bibliography
Bellavere C. e Moroni A. 2001. Laghi e pozze del versante Nord dell’Appennino settentrionale. CIREA Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali Università di Parma. Tipografia Supergrafica Parma.
Boero F., Belmonte G., Fanelli G., Piraino S., Rubino F. 1996. The continuity of living matter and the discontinuities of its constituents: do plankton and benthos really exist? TREE 11: 177-179.
Braioni M.G. e Gelmini D. 1983. Rotiferi Monogononti (Rotatoria: Monogononta). Guide per il riconoscimento delle specie animali delle acque interne italiane. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche AQ/1/200.
Brown J.H. 1981. Two decades of homage to Santa Rosalia: toward a general theory of diversity. American Zoologist 21: 877-888.
Dussart B. 1969. Les copepodes des eaux continentales. Editions N. Boubee & Cie, Paris
Ghetti P.F. e McKenzie K.G. 1981. Ostracodi (Crustacea, Ostracoda). Guide per il riconoscimento delle specie animali delle acque interne italiane. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche AQ/1/108.
Hutchinson G.E. 1959. Homage to Santa Rosalia or why are there so many kinds of animals? The American Naturalist XCIII: 145-159.
Hutchinson G.E. 1961. The paradox of the plankton. The American Naturalist XCV: 137-145.
Hutchinson G.E. 1967. A treatise of limnology the nature and biology of the zooplankton. Wiley & Sons, NY.
Margaritora F.G. 1985. Cladocera. Edizioni Calderini Bologna.
Meisch C. 2000. Freshwater Ostracoda. Spektrum Akademoscher Verlag GmbH, Heidelberg.
Stella E. 1982. Calanoidi (Crustacea, Copepoda, Calanoida). Guide per il riconoscimento delle specie animali delle acque interne italiane. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche AQ/1/140.
Stella E. 1984. Crustacea Copepoda: Calanoida (d’acqua dolce). Edizioni Calderini Bologna.
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons, lectures, commentary of articles and practice.
Assessment methods and criteria
Learning objectives were verified by ongoing audits, in the form of questions put to the students during the lesson and random testing of exercises. The final proof is written and includes 20 open questions, the recognition of 10 mute figures and 2 exercises. The final vote comes from the sum of the scores obtained for each question (maximum 1 point) and for exercises (2 points per exercise).
Other information
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