The aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge of the main geological phenomena occurring in the marine environment.
Therefore at the end of the course the students will acquire notions regarding the following topics:
a) different types of ocean basins and the geological phenomena that generated them;
b) techniques of investigations of ocean basins;
c) different types of marine sediments;
d) sampling and analysis techniques for marine sediments;
e) characteristics of the ocean masses;
f) beaches and coastal dynamics;
g) superficial and deep ocean circulation;
h) mineral resources at sea;
i) international marine geology projects.
Acquisition of methodologies for the study of benthic marine flora and vegetation on hard and soft substrates, aiming at assessing and monitoring the health of marine coastal environment.
The course is organized as follows:
- Traditional lectures, carried out using a participative approach in order to obtain the maximum
involvement of the students;
- Practical exercises. Such exercises are supervised in order to be sure that all the students will learn
during the class-time how to apply the most important concepts and methods to be used in the field of
Marine Geology;
- Periodic tests, aimed to verify the level of understanding of the topic of the course and the problemsolving
capacity of the students;
- Excursion in the field with practical application of methodologies learnt during lectures.
If the teaching is given in mixed or remote modalities, the necessary changes may be introduced with
respect to what previously stated, in order to respect the program envisaged and reported in the
syllabus.
Exams can also be carried out in remote modality, should the conditions require it.
Lectures supported by power-point presentations (5 CFU=35 hours) and observations both in nature and in laboratory (1CFU=12 hours).
Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.
Part I: formation of ocean basins and geological processes.
Introductions and purposes of Marine Geology. Classification of ocean basins. Types of margins and
associated structures. Current examples (Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean
Sea).
Ocean basin investigation techniques with particular reference to acoustic waves and seismic waves.
Part II: marine sedimentation.
Terrigenous, mixed, carbonate sediments. The "ooze". Use of marine sediments for paleoecological and
paleoenvironmental purposes. Beach sediments and coastal dynamics. The stable isotopes of Oxygen
and Carbon. Evaporitic sediments and the Mediterranean salinity crisis.
Methods of sampling of marine sediments.
Part III: Oceanography.
Characteristics of ocean masses. Shallow and deep ocean circulation.
Water sampling methods. Mineral resources in the ocean.
Elements of benthic bionomics of the Mediterranean - Concept communities and identification criteria. Zonation of marine benthos. Littoral zone; mediolittoral; infralittoral; circalittoral. Macroflora marina of the Mediterranean sea: biogeographical origin and characteristics; alien species distribution; structure of the marine vegetation of hard and soft substrates. Characterisation and evaluation of a Posidonia oceanica meadows - Methods of sampling and preservation of samples - Study of the surveys and their grouping in the table - The benthic vegetation as indicator of environmental quality: indices synecological - assessment of the ecological status of waters [Framework Directive in the Field of Water (WFD 2000/60/EU)] according to the method CARLIT (Cartography of littoral and benthic communities uppersublittoral) using the biological element macroalgae. Risk factors for biodiversity: habitat destruction and fragmentation, pollution and alien species - national and international standards for the protection of macroalgae and seagrasses.
1. Bascom W. Onde e spiagge dinamica della superficie marina, Zanichelli, 195 pp.
2. Pinet P.R. 2003 – “Invitation to Oceanography” 3rd Ed., Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 556 pp. (www.jbpub.com/oceanlink)
3. Thurman, H. V. – Burton E.A. 2001 - “Introductory Oceanography”, 9th Ed., Prentice Hall, 554 pp. (www.prenhall.com/thurman)
4. Dispense e “slides” fornite dal docente
1 - MANUALE DI METODOLOGIE DI CAMPIONAMENTO E STUDIO DEL BENTHOS MARINO MEDITERRANEO. M.C. Gambi & M. Dappiano (Editori). Biologia Marina Mediterranea, vol. 10 (suppl.). 638 pp.. Genova 2003 (ISSN 1123-4245):
1a - Capitolo 5 - M.C. Buia, M.C. Gambi, M. Dappiano. I sistemi a Fanerogame marine. Pagg. 145-198;
1b - Capitolo 7 - M. Cormaci, G. Furnari, G. Giaccone. Macrofitobenthos. Pagg. 263-262;
1c - Capitolo 18 - C. Morri, D. Bellan-Santini, G. Giaccone, C.N. Bianchi. Principi di Bionomia: definizione dei popolamenti e uso dei descrittori tassonomici (Macrobenthos). Pagg. 605-634.
2 - Quaderni Habitat n. 19 - Praterie a fanerogame marine. Piante con fiori nel Mediterraneo. Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare in collaborazione con il Museo Friulano di Storia Naturale.
3 - ISPRA, 2008 - Quaderno Metodologico sull’elemento biologico MACROALGHE e sul calcolo dello stato ecologico secondo la metodologia CARLIT.
4 - Scientific articles and slides