Learning objectives
This part of the module is offered to students of the 2nd year of the second degree who are expected to deal with the assessment and management of complex environmental issues that are relevant to human society.
Two main goals are proposed.
1-evaluate how selected ecosystem services can be managed at the local/regional scale;
2-address the ecological restoration as a tool for restoring altered and degraded ecosystems.
These goals will be achieved by addressing case studies at local/regional level.
Objectives 1 and 2 are aimed at the application of acquired knowledge in a professional context, whereby the ability to identify and analyze problems is required, as well as to propose solutions. In parallel, the students are trained at developing communication skills, judgment capacity and self-learning abilities.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge from the undergraduate program
Course unit content
This part of the course addresses ecosystem management and restoration. The basic concepts and methods of restoration ecology are presented as modes of managing altered and damaged ecosystems. This part of the course is organized with case studies, in collaboration with sector professionals and experts.
Full programme
FRONTAL LESSONS. MANAGE, REPAIR AND REBUILD ECOSYSTEMS TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THE SERVICES THEY OFFER
General considerations and goals of restoration ecology.
Ambiguities and limits of restoration ecology, or the 4Rs: Reclamation, Rehabilitation, Recovery, Restoration. Reference conditions. Analytical and integrative ecological approach. Adaptive approach to management. Evolution of the ecosystem and time scales of interventions and management: perturbations, resilience and regime shift. International initiatives: United Nation decade on ecological restoration (2021-2030); European biodiversity strategy 2030.
STUDY CASES. The study of the ecosystems restoration is proposed through some case studies referable to the research experience and collaborations of the teacher and to projects and applications that have been launched in the Po river basin.
CASE 1. Environmental rehabilitation of irrigation channels: methods, objectives and first results. In collaboration with the Central Emilia Reclamation Consortium.
CASE 2. Environmental design and rehabilitation of quarriy lakes as a tool for the restoration of river floodplains. In collaboration with companies in the aggregate sector and the Po River Basin District Authority.
CASE 3. Ecosystem services in urban centres: Picasso Food Forest (via Picasso, Parma) and Campus Garden (Science and Technology Campus). In collaboration with Fruttorti of Parma.
CASE 4. UNESCO MaB reserves as a tool to achieve sustainable development. The UNESCO MaB reserve "Po grande". This activity is carried out with the support of the Po River Basin District Authority.
CASE 5. The restoration project of the river Po within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. This activity is carried out with the support of the Po River Basin District Authority.
Bibliography
Textbook: Galassi, Ferrari, Viaroli, 2014. Introduzione all'Ecologia Applicata. Dalla teoria alla pratica della sostenibilità. CittàStudi Edizioni, Milano (Italian only).
A list of books available in the university libraries and open access papers, reporrts, e-books and web pages will be provided at the beginning of the course. In addition the lecture slides and note booklet on the main topics will be made available and uploaded in the Elly platform.
Teaching methods
The organization of the teaching activity consists of three methods with different levels of student participation.
activity 1: introduction and presentation of the case study by the teacher;
activity 2: field works related to the case study with the support of professionals/experts in the sectora;
activity 3: individual and/or group works aimed at preparing a technical report or a scientific paper. The work will then be presented orally in a dedicated workshop.
The topic of the written work and workshop is chosen by the students.
The preparation of the technical report/scientific paper is based on the peer review between students and the final revision by the teacher.
The workshop is organized and managed by the students according to pre-established rules.
Assessment methods and criteria
At the end of the course, the students are expected to be able to critically analyze the goods and services provided by the ecosystems. They are also expected to be capable of discriminating between natural and altered processes, to identify the causes of alterations and the most critical components, and to propose possible solutions.
Students will be evaluated with a final exam in which they have to submit and discuss one of the topics in the program. Specifically, this topic has to deal with the assessment and exploitation of ecosystem functions and services and the ecological tools for managing and restoring degraded ecosystems. The exam is evaluated by 50% from the contents (ability to apply knowledge and technical skills), and by 50% from the discussion (communication and judgment skills). The final vote ranges between 0 and 30. The exam is passed with 18/30, the maximum is 30/30, excellence deserves cum laude.
The workshops arnd report/paper are evualuated up to 3 points, which are summed up with the final mark.
The grade of this test is attributed 50% to the content (ability to apply knowledge and possession of technical skills), and 50% to the discussion (communication skills and independent judgement). The final mark is between 0 and 30. The exam passed with 18/30. Excellent exams will be evaluated with honours.
Active participation in the workshops and written work are evaluated up to a maximum of 3 points which are added to the final exam mark.
Other information
This module is divided into two parts: lectures (4 credits, 32 hours) and exercises/field works (2 credits, 40 hours).
The module is Module is integrated with the Module "Quality, functionality and sustainable use of soils" (Prof.ssa Cristina Menta).
