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Course
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Credits
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Scientific Disciplinary Sector Code
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Contact Hours
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Exercise Hours
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Laboratory Hours
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Personal Study Hours
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Type of Activity
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Optional materials and exam in a foreign language
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Language
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15414 -
MARINE MICROBIOLOGY WITH LABORATORY
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MODULE A
(objectives)
Learning results
The course will permit the comprehension of the morphological, physiological and metabolic characteristic of marine microorganisms (mainly prokaryotes); their role in marine environments and the interactions with other organisms. The course will permit to understand the principal interactions between marine microorganisms and the environment (with particular attention to some extreme marine environments) in relation with the bio-geochemical cycles. The course will supply a reference framework to comprehend modern aspect related to the marine microbial world and the potential applications of useful microorganisms.
Knowledge and understanding ability. To get the knowledge regarding the peculiarities of the marine microbial biology, their metabolism, their role in the marine environment, their interaction with other organisms, and their potential in biotechnology.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. To understand the issues related to the relationships between marine microorganism and environment (including other organisms). To acquire the knowledge regarding the experimental approach to study the marine microbial world.
Independent judgement. The ability to construe the results obtained by the various studies in marine microbiology. The ability to understand the role of the marine microorganisms in the environment and their influence on the biology of other organisms.
Learning ability. Ability to describe scientific topics related to marine microbiology both in written and oral forms by a specific scientific/technical language. Ability to use the methods acquired for microorganism sampling, recognition/identification and cultivation. This ability will be developed also trough the active involvement of the students in discussions during the lectures, by laboratory experiences and field activities.
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6
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BIO/19
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40
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8
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
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MODULE B
(objectives)
The course will enable students to understand the peculiar morphological, physiological and metabolic characteristics of marine microorganisms (with particular reference to prokaryotes), their role in the marine environment and interactions with other organisms. Furthermore it will allow to know the basic techniques for their sampling and manipulation in the laboratory. The course will provide a framework for understanding current issues related to marine microorganisms and their potential applications (eg the importance of microorganisms for other marine organisms, their potential in biotechnology, the danger of some microorganisms and the necessary countermeasures to cancel potential damages of these). The course will provide the necessary insights to understand the ecological peculiarities of marine microorganisms, in particular those of some extreme marine environments.
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BARGHINI Paolo
( syllabus)
Introduction to the course, knowledge verification test of basic microbiology. Classification of microorganisms. Classic characters and molecular characteristics as criteria for the classification of microorganisms. Identification of microorganisms. Physiological methods: Biolog. Molecular methods: DNA extraction; amplification; sequencing; databank comparison. Definition and construction of phylogenetic trees. Choice of method; choice of sequences and multialignment; outgroup choice. The bootstrap. Critical analysis of the results obtained. Recombinant DNA technology. Restriction enzymes and construction of a restriction map. Realization of a construct. Plasmids: cloning, expression, secretion, integration, shuttle vectors and for the study of the promoter vectors. Gene-libraries Construction. Theory of PCR. Evolution and applications. Real Time PCR; chemistry of detection systems; sybr green, hybridization probes or fret probes, hydrolysis probes or TaqMan probes. Applications: quantitative analysis; revelations of mutations; products characterization. Theoretical aspects of quantitative PCR. Calibration curve. Principles of quantification. Absolute and relative quantification. Analysis of the melting curve. Set-up of the PCR with the internal control. DNA sequencing with the Sanger method. New Generation Sequencing technologies (NGS). Prokaryotes genetic transformation. Treatment of competence. Chemistry Competence. Electroporation. Triparental conjugation. Mutations. Recombination: methods and mechanisms. Gene-conversion and unequal crossing over. Transposable elements (transposons): types structure and mechanisms of action. The Plasposon. Biofouling and quorum sensing. The sampling: theoretical and practical aspects for a correct sampling and statistically significant.
Sampling of marine microorganisms from anthropized and not anthropized environments.
Viable and total count of marine microorganisms.
Isolation, cultivation and classification (cultivation methods and molecular) of marine microorganisms.
Detection of microbial biodiversity of marine environments.
Biotechnology from the sea.
Screening for the production of metabolites / enzymes of industrial interest.
Microbiological analysis of seawater.
( reference books)
Colin Munn. Marine Microbiology: Ecology and Applications. Garland Science
Brock Biologia dei microorganismi: microbiologia generale, ambientale e industriale. 14° edizione (2016). Casa Editrice Ambrosiana.
Roberto Danovaro - Biologia Marina: biodiversità e funzionalità degli ecosistemi marini. CittàStudi Edizioni.
Barbieri, Bestetti, Galli, Zannoni- Microbiologia ambientale ed elementi di ecologia microbica - Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, edizione 2008.
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6
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CHIM/11
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40
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8
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
Optional group:
esami obbligatori opzionali I anno - (show)
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12
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17509 -
PLANT BIOLOGY OF COASTAL MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
(objectives)
Expertise in Botany and in plant ecology of coastal and marine-coastal environment
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ONOFRI Silvano
( syllabus)
The shape of the coasts and their classification
Factors acting on the shores: waves, tides, winds
Sea level changes
Adaptations of plants to salinity, aridity and wind
Rocky shores, cliffs
Colonization of rocks, soil formation, ecological succession
Vegetation of rocky coasts
Mediterranean maquis and climax vegetation
The beaches: formation, classification, tourn over and morphology
Human impact on the beaches
Posidonia oceanica
Dune: definition, formation, zoning
Psammophilous vegetation, adaptations and succession of dunes
Degradation of the dune system
Plant communities
Coastal environments at risk: lagoons, coastal lakes and brackish ponds and their vegetation
Fire and pirophytism
Biodiversity conservation, red lists and germplasm bank
Botanic excursion
( reference books)
Quaderni habitat _ Ministero dell’Ambiente
Flora fitocenosi e ambiente. Elementi di Geobotanica e
Fitososciologia- Ubaldi _ CLUEB
Ecologia vegetale. La struttura gerarchica della vegetazione – Canullo
Falinska- Liguori Editore
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6
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BIO/03
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40
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8
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Related or supplementary learning activities
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ITA |
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18121 -
BIOLOGY OF MARINE ALGAE AND FUNGIORY
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7
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BIO/02
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48
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8
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
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18176 -
ECOLOGY, ETHOLOGY AND EVOLUTION OF MARINE ORGANISMS
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MODULE A
(objectives)
The main goal of the course is to provide a solid knowledge of the ecological, ethological and evolutionary processes at the basis of the functioning of marine environment; a particular focus is on the mechanisms that shape the distribution, abundance and relationship of the marine organisms with the biotic and abiotic environment. A second goal is to emphasize the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary nature of the issues, in order to stimulate the students to a correct approach to multi-scale and complex disciplines and questions, including the variety of methodologies needed to investigate them.
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CANESTRELLI Daniele
( syllabus)
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.
( reference books)
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.
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6
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BIO/07
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40
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8
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
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MODULE B
(objectives)
The main goal of the course is to provide a solid knowledge of the ecological, ethological and evolutionary processes at the basis of the functioning of marine environment; a particular focus is on the mechanisms that shape the distribution, abundance and relationship of the marine organisms with the biotic and abiotic environment. A second goal is to emphasize the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary nature of the issues, in order to stimulate the students to a correct approach to multi-scale and complex disciplines and questions, including the variety of methodologies needed to investigate them.
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CARERE Claudio
( syllabus)
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.
( reference books)
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
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5
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BIO/05
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32
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8
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
