ECOLOGY - channel 1

The main aim of the Ecology course is the knowledge of the biosphere as a single large ecosystem in which different species, including humans, interact each other within their environment.

This involves the understanding of ecological systems as functional units and in particular the flow of energy and cycle of matter as well as the numerical fluctuations of populations and interspecific interactions.

Origin and evolution of ecology. Ecosystem and its properties. Relationships between organisms and their environment. Physical and chemical resources. Ecological niche. Ecological stoichiometry. Population ecology. Autoecology and behavioural ecology. Community ecology. Relationships among organisms. Food webs and their history. Functional traits. Allometric scaling. Energy flux. Ecological networks. Ecosystem changes over time. Biomes. Case studies. Ecological footprint. Insular biogeography, Fragmentation. Biodiversity and stability

1) M. Begon, J. L. Harper & C. R. Townsend - Ecologia: individui, popolazioni, comunità. Zanichelli