Birds and Mammals. Biological cycle. Species identification. Data analysis and data storage. Spatial distribution of vertebrates. Census and monitoring methods. Species ecology, niche and habitat. Habitat suitability and its evaluation. Impact of vertebrates on vegetation and on arthropods. Species and populations management. Introductions, reintroductions, restocking.
Sutherland W.J. 2006. Ecological Census Techniques: A Handbook. Cambridge University Press.
Bibby C.J. Hill D.A., Burgess N.D. Mustoe S 2000. Bird Census Techniques. Academic press.
Fowler J. Cohen L. 2010. Statistica per ornitologi e naturalisti. Franco Muzzio Editore.
Petretti F. 2003. Gestione della fauna. Il management delle popolazioni animali negli ambienti naturali, agricoli e urbanizzati. Il Sole 24 Ore Edagricole (collana Ambiente e natura).
F. Morimando e A. Tassoni 2004. Manuale di gestione faunistica del territorio. Reda.
Brichetti P. Gariboldi A. Manuale di Ornitologia (voll. 1-3). Franco Muzzio Ed.
Pelliccioni E. R., Riga F. e Toso S. 2013.Linee guida per la gestione degli Ungulati. Cervidi e Bovidi. ISPRA (http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/files/pubblicazioni/manuali-lineeguida/MLG_91_2013.pdf).
Mustoni A. Pedrotti L. Zanon E. 2002. Ungulati delle Alpi. Biologia, riconoscimento, gestione. Nitida Immagine (collana Nitida oikos.
Learning Objectives
Knolewdge acquired: conservation and management of birds and mammals in Italian forest systems, with elements of wildlife management
Competence acquired: characters of animal communities in Italian forest systems. Main relationships between vertebrate fauna and the forest environment. Main critical issues linked with the conservation and management.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course): basic knowledge on species identification in the field, standard census methods for birds and mammals. Basics on the analysis of the ecology of species and communities.
Prerequisites
Courses to be used as requirements (required and/or recommended):
Courses required: ............................
Courses recommended: general zoology
Teaching Methods
CFU: 9
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 150
Hours reserved to private study and other indivual formative activities: 80
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 52
Contact hours for: Laboratory-field/practice (hours): 18
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab:
Not compulsory, but strongly recommended.
Teaching tools:
Video projector, PC, overhead projector, experimental fields, labs.
Type of Assessment
Oral examination
Course program
Main characters of birds and mammals, basics of ethology. Annual cycle and vital cycle of terrestrial species. Factors driving the phases of the cycle, role of the photo-period and of meteorological conditions. Migration, displacement and dispersion. Species identification for birds and mammals: direct observation, calls and song, traces and other presence indices. Critical analysis of data, validation and data-storing. Spatial distribution of vertebrates, the territory and the home-range concepts. Counting an monitoring methods. Classic census methods: direct census, abundance indices, indirect methods. Territory mapping. Line-transect method, points method. Limits, Application fields, relative efficiency of the methods. Deriving absolute densities from relative censuses. Principles of population monitoring, the replicability of results, the BACI protocol. Species ecology and their role in environmental systems. Auto-ecology and community ecology. Habitat and niche concepts. Alpha, beta and gamma diversity. Comparison between natural and anthropogenic systems, with a focus on Mediterranean area. Habitat selection, birds and mammals as environmental indicators: their use, limits and reference scale. The habitat suitability and its evaluation. Methods to define relationships between environmental factors and species presence. The impact of vertebrates on the environment, the keystone species, vertebrate impact on vegetation and in particular on forest regeneration. The impact of vertebrates on Invertebrates. The umbrella and flagship species concept. Conservation and management of species and populations. Principles of species conservation, defining threat level and rarity. Indirect population management, habitat management. The direct management of species, basics on wildlife management. Introductions, reintroductions, restocking.