• Cotutela con mondo esterno

Planning, designing and managing landscapes requires the ability to read and understand complex interactions taking place among a number of physical, biological and socioeconomic factors over space and time. In particular, peri-urban spaces, the landscape interface between town and country, raise critical sustainability challenges. They are transitional zones at the urban fringe where urban and rural land uses mix and often clash, yet they are crucial to the liveability and sustainability of cities as they contribute significantly to the supply of natural resources such as water and food, and the satisfaction of recreational needs. Their proper management requires integrated approaches addressing environmental protection, ecosystem services provisioning and the creation of green infrastructures along with local socioeconomic development.

The main objectives of the course are to introduce students to the basic concepts of ecological and agronomic sciences and to foster their integration into landscape design. In particular, the course aims to develop students' knowledge and understanding of the main components of ecosystems and agro-ecosystems and their interactions, and the capability to read and understand landscapes in terms of ecological processes and dynamics.

At the end of the course, the student is expected to:

• know which are the main components of ecological and agro-ecological systems, the main processes that taking place therein, how they interact with each other and with the surrounding environment
• understand the main benefits provided to humans by ecosystems and agro-ecosystems, as well as the main impacts of human activities on their functioning
• be able to analyse landscapes from an ecological viewpoint, understanding how different spatial configurations of the landscape mosaic can influence the main ecological processes
• be able to communicate effectively the results of his/her work, finding the right balance between analysis and synthesis and using appropriate forms of communication to interact with professionals from different disciplines.

The course is articulated into two parallel modules, one on Agronomy and agroecology and one on Ecology.

Agronomy and agroecology

The module will provide basic knowledge of botany, meteorology, principles of soil physics and chemistry, mainly referred to cropping systems (cultivated fields) and/or crops, their morphology and physiology. The module will also provide knowledge related to main agroecological principles and practices, that is how to sustainably design and manage cropping systems and farming systems to effectively provide ecosystem services. This module is particularly connected to the second goal of Agenda 2030 (Zero Hunger).

Agricultural heritages: values, systems, knowledge, practices: origin and development of crops; ecological analysis of the original centres of agriculture. Analysis of farming systems and their biological components: basic concepts and main properties of cropping, farming, agricultural systems; components of the farming system: climate, soils, vegetation. Farm level: strategies and tactics, crop rotations/irrigation/fertilization/agroforestry design for sustainable productions and ecosystems services. Sustainability of agro-food system and the Agenda 2030, with focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2, 3, 4, 12, 15.

Ecology

The module will introduce the fundamental concepts of ecology, providing basic knowledge on how organisms interact with the surrounding physical and biological environment, both under natural conditions and under current anthropogenic change. The module is primarily related to the development goal number 15 (Life on Land) of Agenda 2030.

Introduction to ecology: introductory concepts; ecological levels; basic structure and functioning of ecosystems. Interactions between organisms and their environment: environmental conditions and resources; fundamental ecosystem processes; trophic interactions; energy and matter flows through ecosystems. Biodiversity concepts and indices: geographical patterns in biodiversity; main threats to biodiversity; measuring biodiversity; biogeography. Landscape ecology: landscape patterns and drivers of landscape disturbance; landscape analysis and metrics; interactions of organisms with landscape heterogeneity. Urban ecology: anthropogenic biomes; human disturbance and novel ecosystems; effects of urbanization on the physical environment; biological responses to urbanization. Development and sustainability: the triple bottom line of sustainability; sustainability indicators; natural capital and ecosystem services; life cycle thinking and life cycle assessment. The topics covered by the module are directly linked to SDGs 12, 13, 14 and 15.

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The exam is articulated into two parts, a group work and an individual written test. The group work, to be carried out during the semester, consists in the analysis of a case study and in the presentation of the case study to the class. The individual part consists in a written exam including closed and open-ended questions, as well as numerical exercises related to the topics covered by the two modules. The final mark will be the sum of three scores, one associated to the group presentations, the other two associated to the two parts in which the written test will be subdivided (one for each module).