BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF ANIMAL POPULATIONS

This course is a basic training activity of the Master Degree in Environmental Sciences- Curriculum “Capitale Naturale e Servizi ecosistemici”. Being the analysis, monitoring and management of natural resources, landscape and biodiversity the main aspects of the professional profile of the Graduate in this curriculum of studies, the main goal of the present course is to provide approaches and methods for wildlife management. The wild fauna is designated by the Italian laws as “ Unavailable heritage of the State” and its management, conservation, as well as its exploitation, are regulated by specific laws and planned by the public Institutions in accordance with precise guide-lines and technical/scientific indications, provided by ISPRA (Istituto Superiore Protezione e Ricerca Ambientali). Furthermore, the wild fauna is a relevant component within the VINCA procedures (Valutazione di Incidenza), and for land use planning and the design of protected areas. Finally, different animal groups can be used as indicator species for the assessment of habitat’s conservation status, in accordance with the European Directives (Habitat Directive, Bird Directive) and in the context of monitoring, study and mitigation of environmental alterations, due for example to climate change effects.

1. Knowledge and understanding:

• Knowledge of biology, ecology, life history and ethology of the main animal groups of interest for wildlife management (such as Italian vertebrate Fauna)
• Knowledge of principles, approaches and methodologies applied to the study of wildlife, such as monitoring plans, censuses, demographic investigations
• Knowledge of legislation dealing with conservation and exploitation of wild fauna
• Knowledge of principles of game management, and control of alien invasive species
• Knowledge of the network of Italian protected areas, with a particular focus on wild fauna

2. Ability to apply knowledge
• Applying principles of population analysis on the Italian wild Fauna
• Applying and integrating the bio-ecological aspects related to the wild fauna, to the evaluation of structural and functional properties of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, in relation to the environmental variability and the anthropic pressures
• Applying and connecting the legislative and land use planning to the analysis of the socio-ecological systems

3. Judgement skills

• Skills to interpret and analyse critically the results of monitoring plans, wildlife censuses and demographic investigations, and study cases applied to the Italian wild fauna.
• Skills to plan monitoring programs, censuses and demographic investigations of animal populations
• Skills to interpret the spatial distribution models of animal species
• Skills for consulting and interpreting the relevant legislation on wildlife conservation and management

To access to the Master Degree LM_75, the student should possess either the Bachelor Degree in L-32, or at least 60 creditis in more than one of the following areas: math, Physics and Statistics, chemical and engineering disciplines , biological and ecological disciplines, earth sciences, legal, agricultural and economic disciplines. The student should therefore possess and scientific background that should be sufficient to afford this course. In case of a limited bio-naturalistic and ecological background, an integration with elements of zoology, animal ecology and ethology is suggested.

Historical background related to wildlife management and game theory.

General Part:
• Conservation Biology: basic principles, methods and approaches
• Population biology applied to the wildlife management: censuses, monitoring, demographic investigations, conservation genetics, behavioural ecology and life history

Special part:
• The Italian fauna
• The game management
• Alien invasive species and exuberant populations, and their control
• Faunal translocation, ex situ and in situ conservation
• Protected areas and legislation

Field trip to a protected area, to observe and analyse the relevant faunistic components

Fryxell et al. Wildlife Ecology, Conservation and Management. Wiley-Blackwell.

The verification of learning is consisting of an oral discussion aiming at assessing the ability of the student to discuss the different aspects of the course programme. Both scientific disciplinary aspects (zoology, ecology and ethology) and applied aspects (conservation and management of wildlife) will be discussed during the oral exam.

The frontal lectures will use teaching modules (ppt slides), provided by means of the moodle platform. On the platform, also pdf articles- scientific literature, scientific reports - will be uploaded, to integrate the preparation obtained through the frontal lectures.Seminars on specific topics of wildlife management will be organised with the participation of technicians and researchers from external Institutions.
Teaching in the field during naturalistic trip.

Italian

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