Laurea magistrale in Biologia dell'Ambiente

Acquisition of elements in the analysis of physical space and the Earth's
surface modeling processes, ie reading and interpretation of the
landscape and the dynamics that govern the evolution.
In particular, in the course will be analyzed aspects related to the climate
and to the influences of this variable, together with the lithological
component, the structural component and the man-made forms of the
landscape, the potential instability (hazard) and on the problems of
geoconservation. They will also analyze the main features of the regional
geomorphology and methods of cartographic representation of the
landscape.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING - The student will be integrated, whenever possible, the knowledge and skills acquired through the course with those derived from other courses (in particular hydro-geological risk and Geography with the laboratory).
After the lectures, classroom exercises and excursion must also possess the following capabilities:

1) understand the principal morphoclimatic systems

2) know the main factors that contribute to the climates variety

3) interpret the different geomorphological processes that affect the shaping of the territory

4) know the geomorphological forms of erosion and deposition in different environments

5) have understood and assimilated the main processing used in climatical and environmental geomorphology

6) understand the fundamental processes of the Earth's surface modeling.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS - Ability to communicate the topics learned.

AA. 2014-2015 CLIMATE, NATURAL SYSTEMS AND SOCIETY

It s expected at the end of the course, that students achive a general and basic level  on climatology, recognizing
(1) the importance of climate as a component of Earth System,
(2) the main factor that contribute to spatial distribution of climate elements and processes and
(3) identifies and relates climate processes with other Earth´s processes (from biota, geomorphological landscapes, society...), including global warming and climate change.

At the end of the course, the students also should be able to produce basic climate reports from  original data and,  irrespectively of his original background, be able to begin to participate  in research and professional activities in which climate were  involved (i.e. EIA, landscape planning, environmental risk  etc)

Includes 44 hours of in-class lectures and seminars, 6  hours of in-class tutorials on selected topics and 8 hours of field excursion. The schedule of all activities can be downloaded from the teaching materials.

Oral exam on the whole program. The final examination is an oral test consisting of at least three questions. Each answer is evaluated as a mark between 0 and 30 and the mathematical average is used as the global evaluation.

The oral questions test the abilities of the students to understand and communicate both basic and specific concepts of the discipline, including analytical and methodological aspects.

Colloquio sulle tematiche affrontate a lezione, sulla base del programma del Corso. AA 2014-15: test and exercises

(See more information in Didactical instruments)

General hand-books of Physical Geography ussually include a chapter of climate, as Strahler, Patton et al., etc. A more recent, an excellent presentation is shown in McKnight TM and Hess D (2002) Physical Geography. A landscape appreciation. Prentice Hall. Excellent CD. Classical handbook is Barry RG and Chorley RJ (1980) Atmosphere, weather anc climate. Methunen, London. Recently re-edited with modifications. Also, more simplified,  Barry RG and Hall-McKim AH (2014) Essential of the Earth Climate System.Cambrigde Uni. Press. A nice climate handbook is Aguado E and  Burt  J (2004). Understanding weather and climate. Prentice Hall. Includes an excellent CD. Principles of atmospheric physic (in italian) can be found in a Giuffrida A and Sansosti G (2007) Manuale di meteorología. Una guida alla comprensione dei fenomeni atmosferici e climatici. Gremese Ed., Roma. The Global Change (including Climate Change) discussion can be found in J Houghton (2009) Global Warming. The complete briefing. Cambridge UP.