The aim of the course is to provide students with the information needed to understand the biology and diversity of the Fungal Kingdom, which remains one of the main gaps in a biologist's knowledge. Understanding the importance of these organisms in maintaining the balance of any ecosystem, the importance of their interaction with all the other compartments of the biota, the strategies of adaptation, the mechanisms of reproduction at the base of their conservation. Focus on the adaptive strategies to different environments, including extreme ones, and the remarkable metabolic abilities to understand the applicative potentialities of these organisms in biotechnological, medical and environmental fields. This knowledge is an indispensable requisite for understanding the role of Fungi in the balance of ecosystems, even in view of the risks associated to Global Change.
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1) Knowledge and understanding. To have developed the knowledge of the biodiversity of these organisms and their morphological and physiological characteristics, resulting from adaptation to specific and different environmental conditions and their potential in biotechnological, medical and environmental applications.
2) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. Knowing how to use the concepts learned in class and developed in the exercises to interpret any morpho-functional alterations due to changes in environmental parameters. Ability to elaborate molecular data ad build up the workflow for a phylogenetic analysis.
3) Autonomy of judgment. Ability to formulate hypotheses in response to possible problems.
4) Communication skills. The acquisition by the students of a scientifically correct terminology related to the topics will be stimulated.
5) Learning skills. Stimulate curiosity and knowledge on the world of Fungi.