The contents of the course are designed to identify the issues arising at different space-temporal scales for the conservation of plant resources (Why to Conserve). We will try to answer the three main questions of conservation: What to Conserve, Where to Conserve, How to Conserve. Particular emphasis will be given to the Directive 92/43 EEC.
Biondi E., Blasi C. 2010 Manuale Italiano di interpretazione degli habitat della Direttiva 92/43/CEE. http://vnr.unipg.it/habitat/index.jsp
Blasi C. et al. (Eds.) 2009 A thematic contribution to the National Biodiversity Strategy - Mapping the Important Plant Areas in Italy. Ministry for the Environment Land and Sea Protection Nature Protection Directorate, Palombi & Partner S.r.l., Rome
Hunter M. L., Jr., Gibbs J. P. 2006 Fundamentals of Conservation Biology, 3rd Edition Wiley-Blackwell
Primack R.B. & Carotenuto L. 2003 Conservazione della Natura. Zanichelli, Bologna.
Blondel, J., Aronson, J., Bodiou, J. Y., & Boeuf, G. 2010. The Mediterranean Region. Biological Diversity in Space and Time (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press
Rossi R. & Vos W. 1993 Criteria for the identification of a Red List of Mediterranean landscapes: three examples in Tuscany. Landscape and Urban Planning, 24: 233-239.
Learning Objectives
EKnowledge of the evolution of the concept of conservation especially in relation to the changing paradigms in the eological theories
Understanding of the major threats on the Biosfera that threats the plant reourses; Understanding of the major problems affecting plants species and habitats distribution and consistence;
Skills to allocate and characterize the major connections among anthropogenic activities, the local populations of plant species and habitats; evaluate the local resourses of plants and habitats; evaluate the major threats and delineates priorities of intervention
Prerequisites
Courses to be used as requirements (required and/or recommended)
Courses recommended: Botanica, Ecologia, Vegetation Science
Teaching Methods
Frequency of lectures, practice and seminars:
not required but strongly recommended
Further information
Frequenza delle lezioni ed esercitazioni:
non obbligatoria ma raccomandata
Type of Assessment
Group work around an issue concerning the management of the plant resources of the site visited during the field exercitation. The performance of this part of the examination will take place by mean a power-point presentation. Single evaluation through discussion of the issues raised in the work group. For non-attending students through discussion of issues in the course program.
Course program
Introduction to the Biosphere problems with particular reference to the plant. Atmospheric pollution and plants. Climate change. The exploitation of tropical forests. The biological invasion of alien species. Why to conserve. The values of nature with particular reference to the values of the plant component. Worth and Value. Biodiversity: Issues in the application of the term. The science of preservation choices. From the protection of the conservation and the management of plant resources. What to conserve, where to conserve and ow to consrve: the three main questions that attempts to answer the Science of Conservation. Species (populations), habitats, landscapes: three levels of the hierarchy of nature to which direct attention. The rare and vulnerable species: connections and differences. Some scales of vulnerability. The IUCN categories. The Red List. Problems in applying the parameters required by the IUCN. Some examples of plant species. Habitats: concepts and issues. The worthy of preservation under the Habitats Directive. The position of the EEC and the Region of Tuscany: two examples of choices of what and where to keep. The problems of how to conserve. Relations between "technics and science of conservation." The red Landscapes. The example of the Mediterranean. Ager -saltus-sylva- and dehesa-montado. α-, β- and γ- diversity and the two different management models