Economic Botany and Zoology
A.Y. 2022/2023
Learning objectives
The main purposes of the course are:
1. to identify the most important plants and animals (both useful and harmful), their approximate taxonomic placement and their economic relevance on a local and global scale
2. to recognize animals and plants and products thereof encountered in everyday life.
3. to understand the issues related to the process of domestication of plants, its consequences, the potential of technology to improve sustainability of agriculture and wildlife exploitation, and the effects, both positive and negative, of regulatory oversight.
1. to identify the most important plants and animals (both useful and harmful), their approximate taxonomic placement and their economic relevance on a local and global scale
2. to recognize animals and plants and products thereof encountered in everyday life.
3. to understand the issues related to the process of domestication of plants, its consequences, the potential of technology to improve sustainability of agriculture and wildlife exploitation, and the effects, both positive and negative, of regulatory oversight.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course the students should be able to evaluate both domesticated and wild forms of plants and animals as resources of economic relevance and to identify species for their potential to be or to become useful or harmful to humans and ecosystems.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
The following topics will be covered during the course:
- General: hunters and gatherers: not so savage, after all. Origins of crops/ domestic animals and the domestication syndrome: major and minor traits; consequences on food safety, food security and environmental safety.
- Economic botany: Characteristics of crop plants, major classes thereof, their uses and major commodity classes. The nutritional components of crop edible parts: carbohydrates, proteins, oils, vitamins, micronutrients, fibers. Concepts of yield, harvest index and yield potential and their evolution in human history. Relevance of crop processing /storage. Are crops /domestic animals natural?
- Agrobiodiversity: value, mechanisms creating diversity and domestication centers. The Convention on Biodiversity and the Cartagena Protocol: effects vs. desires. Available technologies strategies to improve agricultural sustainability and wildlife exploitation. Positive and negative effects of regulatory oversight of old and new technologies.
- Economic zoology: exploitation of beneficial animals: insects, apiculture; sericulture, vermiculture, pearl and mollusk culture, venomous animals and model animals used for research. Exploitation of wild animals: economical values and sustainability issues. Quantifying the wildlife services to humans and to ecosystems.
- Relationships between economic development and changes in wildlife distribution. Impact of economic changes on ecosystems: effects on land-use changes and on the distribution of wild animals. Working lands conservation: strategies to support biodiversity while providing goods and services for humanity over the long term, assuring sustainability and resilience.
- Relationships between trade, economy, and the spread of alien invasive animals and plants. Impact of invasive species on humans and ecosystems. Strategies to control and mitigate the negative impacts of invasive species.
- General: hunters and gatherers: not so savage, after all. Origins of crops/ domestic animals and the domestication syndrome: major and minor traits; consequences on food safety, food security and environmental safety.
- Economic botany: Characteristics of crop plants, major classes thereof, their uses and major commodity classes. The nutritional components of crop edible parts: carbohydrates, proteins, oils, vitamins, micronutrients, fibers. Concepts of yield, harvest index and yield potential and their evolution in human history. Relevance of crop processing /storage. Are crops /domestic animals natural?
- Agrobiodiversity: value, mechanisms creating diversity and domestication centers. The Convention on Biodiversity and the Cartagena Protocol: effects vs. desires. Available technologies strategies to improve agricultural sustainability and wildlife exploitation. Positive and negative effects of regulatory oversight of old and new technologies.
- Economic zoology: exploitation of beneficial animals: insects, apiculture; sericulture, vermiculture, pearl and mollusk culture, venomous animals and model animals used for research. Exploitation of wild animals: economical values and sustainability issues. Quantifying the wildlife services to humans and to ecosystems.
- Relationships between economic development and changes in wildlife distribution. Impact of economic changes on ecosystems: effects on land-use changes and on the distribution of wild animals. Working lands conservation: strategies to support biodiversity while providing goods and services for humanity over the long term, assuring sustainability and resilience.
- Relationships between trade, economy, and the spread of alien invasive animals and plants. Impact of invasive species on humans and ecosystems. Strategies to control and mitigate the negative impacts of invasive species.
Prerequisites for admission
Knowledge of basic taxonomy and physiology of plants and animals.
Teaching methods
Lectures will be delivered in traditional format using powerpoint slides.
Teaching Resources
Lectures will be made available through the Ariel website as ppt or pdf files, as well as additional material (original literature, notes and bibliographic material).
Assessment methods and Criteria
Learning will be assessed by the evaluation of practical exercises, and by an oral examination of approximately 20 minutes for each part on the topics and issues discussed during lectures. A short report on a specific topic agreed with each instructor must be submittet two working days in advance.
BIO/04 - PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
BIO/05 - ZOOLOGY
BIO/05 - ZOOLOGY
Lessons: 48 hours
Professors:
Falaschi Mattia, Morandini Piero Angelo
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Please, contact me by email to fix an appointment
via Celoria 10, building 22120, floor -1