05095 - Biology

Learning outcomes

Outcomes. The course provides the knowledge of animal and  plant biology requested for the understanding of the biological and productive cycle of the main animal and plant species of veterinary interest. Particular interest will be given to main animal aquatic phyla and toxic  marine plants or potentially toxic phytoplankton. At the end of course, the students will know the basis of biology, cell biology and reproduction. More over they will be able to recognize and characterize marine animal and plants.

Course contents

LEARNING OUTCOMES. Students should acquire knowledge on systematics and biology of main aquatic phyla, with particular interest on fishery and aquaculture species.

Zoology part 1, general principles. Living organisms: prokaryota (Monera) and eukaryota (Protozoa, Fungi, Plants and Animals). Autotrophic organisms and heterotrophic organisms. Definition of “Animal”. Principles of taxonomy: species concept, speciation, main systematic categories, binomial nomenclature. Principles of cellular biology: prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells, nucleic acids, DNA replication, cell replication: mitosis and meiosis, spermatogenesis and oogenesis, biological meaning of meiosis. Marine biology and Ecology principles. The Mediterranean sea: its hydro-geographic features, biodiversity of its marine fauna, tropicalization and meridionalization. Necton, plankton, benthos. Animal reproduction. Sexuate and asexuate processes, fecundation, embryogenesis, metagenesis, hermaphroditism, parthenogenesis, heterogony.

Zoology part 2, main aquatic groups. Invertebrates: Porifera; Cnidaria; Elmintes; Molluscs: gastropods, bivalves, cephalopods; Arthropods: Crustacea Malacostraca, Decapods, Stomatopoda, Isopoda; minor crustaceans: branchiopoda, copepoda, branchiura, cirripeda, cladocera; Echinodermata. Vertebrates: cyclostomata, cartilaginous fishes: holocephala, plagiostomi (Lamniformes, Carcharhiniformes, Squaliformes, Squatiniformes, pristiformes, rajiformes, Myliobatiformes); Bony fishes: chondrostei (Acipenseriformes) and teleostei (Clupeiformes, Salmoniformes, Anguilliformes, Cypriniformes, Siluriformes, Gadiformes, Lophiiformes, Scorpaeniformes, Perciformes, Pleutonectiformes, Tetraodontiformes, Sygnathiformes); Amphibians, Marine Reptiles, Marine Birds and Marine Mammals.

Botany -  Introduction to botany. The plant cell: morphological and structural characteristics. The plant cell wall. The plant: hystology and anatomy. Main metabolic pathways: glycolysis, respiration, fermentations and photosynthesis. Morpho-physiological plant adaptation to abiotic and biotic stress. Reproduction. Outlines of bacteria. fungi, algae and spermatophytes. Marine plants: Cyanophyta with particular regard to toxic species; Prochlorophyta; eukaryotic algae(Dinophyta , Bacillariophyta and Raphidophyta ). Species producing ichthyotoxins.

Readings/Bibliography

HICKMAN  CP, Roberts LS, LARSON A, I'ANSON H.  - Integrated Principles of  Zoology - McGraw-Hill Eds.

MANZONI P. – Enciclopedia illustrata delle specie ittiche marine di interesse commerciale - Istituto Geografico De Agostini, Novara

CERRANO C., PONTI M., SILVESTRI S. – Guida alla Biologia Marina del Mediterraneo, Ananke editore

VENTURELLI F. & VIRLI L. – Invito alla botanica. 1° Ed. Zanichelli, 1995, Bologna

PANCALDI et al. – Fondamenti di Botanica Generale. McGraw-Hill, 2011, Milano

RAVEN, EVERT & EICHHORN – Biologia delle piante. 6° Ed. Zanichelli, 2002, Bologna

CERUTI A. , CERUTI M. & VIGOLO G. – Botanica medica, farmaceutica e veterinaria con elementi di botanica generale. 1° Ed. Zanichelli, 1993, Bologna.

Other references are indicated by the teacher during the course and are available for the students.

Teaching methods

Teacher-led lessons and laboratory classes.

Assessment methods

Final test with multiple choice and open ended questions.

Teaching tools

Teacher-led lessons and laboratory classes in which students will observe animal species described in frontal lessons and dissect fresh ichthycal samples.

Teaching tools: Powerpoint presentations.  Supplementary notes and teaching materials will be available on request. 

Links to further information

http://www.unibo.it/SitoWebDocente/default.htm?UPN=paola.minardi%40unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Ilaria Guarniero

See the website of Paola Minardi