Ecology and evolutionary biology. Fields of study, methodological approaches, temporal and spatial scales of enquiry.
Marine communities. Ecological factors and biodiversity patterns. The tidal range: causes and consequences of the zonation. Adaptations. Biological interactions, community structure, metacommunity.
Molecular and evolutionary ecology. Principles, methods and fields of investigation. Mechanisms of the evolutionary change. Species and speciation. Phylogeography and biogeography. Diversity and divergence. Dispersal, migration, gene flow. Landscape genetics.
Population and metapopulation. Structure, diversity and demographic changes. Census size, effective size. Historical demographic survey: methods based on demographic and genetic data.
Biological invasions. Causes, vectors and invasion paths. Factors behind successful invasions. Evolution of the invaders. Eco-evolutionary consequences of invasions. Lessepsian invasions.
Variations of the coastline. Causes, time scales, magnitude of changes, effects on biodiversity at the level of population, species, communities.
Evolutionary history of the Mediterranean basin and its shores. Tectonic evolution, climate evolution, impact on biodiversity.

Bertness, Bruno, Silliman, Stachowicz, 2014. Marine Community Ecology and Conservation. Sinauer Associates.
Freeland, Kirk, Petersen, 2011. Molecular Ecology. Wiley.
Rilov, Crooks, 2009. Biological Invasions in Marine Ecosystems. Springer.
Losos, 2013. The Princeton guide to Evolution. Princeton University Press.

Fundamentals of ethology. History of animal behaviour study; the four Tinbergen questions.. Imprinting, parental care; maternal effects. Stress response. Neuroendocrine correlates of behaviour. The role of genes and environment. The role of behaviour in evolution. Preys and predators. Migration, orientation, homing. Aggression and territoriality. Mate choice and breeding systems. Animal personality. Collective behaviours. Cognitive ethology. Animal welfare.
Behavioural ecology of marine organisms. Behavioural ecology and hypothesis testing. Evolutionary convergence and divergence of behavioural traits. Behavioural plasticity. Behavioural adaptations: islands and coastal fauna; pelagic environment; the deep sea; immersion in marine mammals. Social behaviour; schooling, group dynamics and self-organization; coloniality; sexual inversion; parental care; foraging strategies; orientation, migration, homing. Basis of bioacustics. Chemical communication. Bioluminescence. Electrolocation.
Methodological aspects. Capture, tagging, sampling and monitoring; experimental design and quantification of behaviour in the field and in controlled conditions. Satellite tracking. Geolocators. Accelerometers. Radar and sonar.
Conservation and management. Behavioural ecotoxicology; endocrine disruptors; effects of anthopogenic disturbance. Effects of climate change. The behaviour of invasive species. Aquaculture and behaviour. The relevance of behaviour in the conservation and management of marine biodiversity.

J.R. Krebs, N.B. Davies (eds) 2012 Behavioural Ecology. An Evolutionary Approach- Blackwell
P. Martin, P.P.G. Bateson 2012 Measuring behaviour: an introductory guide.Cambridge University Press
J. Alcock 2013 Animal Behaviour. An Evolutionary Approach. Oxford University Press
A. Manning, M.S. Dawkins 2012 An Introduction to Animal Behaviour. Cambridge University Press