INGLESE

Knowledge of topics of General Biology and of general biology and taxonomy of phytoplankton groups.

Theoretical lessons will be provided.

This course will provide students the instruments for understanding the inter-relationships between the physical chemical and biological oceanography and to predict how biological communities could be affected by physical structure of the water column.

Students will acquire the capability understand the main relationships between chemical, biological and physical oceanography and will acquire the basic instruments to plan an oceanographic cruise.

Chemical composition of seawater. Carbonates chemistry. Macro- and micronutrients and Redfield ratio. C, N and P cycles. Biological communities in the water column: phytoplankton, zooplankton. Phytoplankton groups and their annual cycle. Zooplankton annual cycle. Phytoplankton functional groups. Factors affecting phytoplankton biodiversity and seasonality. Stratification and mixing conditions. Phytoplankton spatial variability: horizontal and vertical distribution; Deep Chlorophyll Maximum. Phytoplankton and zooplankton temporal variability. Annual cycles and post-Sverdrup hypotheses. Biogeography and diversity of phytoplankton in the Mediterranean Sea. Algal blooms. Study case: phytoplankton in the Adriatic Sea. Planning an oceanographic cruise.

Evaluation of learning will be carried out by oral examination. Examination consists in three questions on the course topics.

In the oral examination, the student should prove a good knowledge of Program topics and should expose them clearly.

The final mark is given in thirtieths. The examination is passed when the mark is higher or equal to 18/30. The cum laude assignation is also possible (30 cum laude).

The final mark is given considering the student preparation, the thorough knowledge and the exposition ability.

D'Alelio D. 2020 La microgiungla del mare. Hoepli (in Italian)

MILLER C.B., WHEELER P.A. 2012. Biological Oceanography, 2nd Ed. Wiley Blackwell