Introduction to agro-ecology (0,5 CFU)
Benchmarking test. Agroecosystems, processes, factors, emerging properties. Nature of the issues.
Quantitative tools for the analysis of cropping systems (3,5 CFU)
Analysis, synthetic reporting and interpretation of weather data to be used for the climatic characterization of agroecosystems. Quantitative indicators of soil fertility. Soil sampling and agronomic interpretation of soil analysis certificates. Introduction to experimental design and analysis.
Practice: Case studies on water balance and fertilization in cropping systems. Application of mathematical models to cropping systems
Cropping ecosystems and environmental changes (1 CFU)
Impact assessment, adaptation and mitigation strategies to climate changes in agroecosystems. Soil tillage and C dynamics. Mitigation of soil erosion in agroecosystems. Secondary successions of vegetation after fire.
Practice: working groups to create a poster on one or more case studies extracted from scientific literature.
Tools for the integrated analysis of agroecosystems (2 CFU)
Combining quantitative and qualitative tools for multi-perspective analysis of agroecosystems. Systems’ diagramming. Design of an integrated analysis of agroecosystems. Emergent properties and ecological services of agroecosystems.
Practice: Case study analysis using interactive tools (diagrams, semi-structured interviews, working groups).