Scienze Naturali, Scienze dei Sistemi Naturali,
Evoluzione del comportamento animale e dell’uomo

 The course aims to provide the necessary background for understanding the evolution of the terrestrial survey with particular regard to surface shapes and to deposits associated with them . Its acquired skills can be used in different fields of study of the physical geographical sciences , both in scientific perspective in the application area (spatial planning , study of natural phenomena such as landslides , river erosion and flooding , coastal erosion , earthquakes , volcanic activity etc . ) .

The course aims to develop critical skills in the analysis of the consequences of human action on the environment .

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) understand the fundamental processes of the Earth's surface modeling;                                                                                                                                                                      6) learn about the problems related to soil conservation and geoconservation .                                                                                                                            COMMUNICATION SKILLS - Ability to communicate the topics learned.

The course is organized in frntali lessons and exercises in the classroom and on the ground . It is foreseen the support of specific teaching materials ( power point presentations , articles , and web sources ) .

The oral examination is based on the educational material provided and the recommended texts . The oral test is on the whole program . The final examination is an oral test consisting of at least three questions.

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.

Introduction : principles and methods of geomorphology ; forms and deposits . Meteoric alteration : physical and chemical weathering processes. 

Processes , forms and slope deposits : soil creep and solifluction ; landslides and their classification , predisposing factors and triggering ; state of landslide activity . 

Processes , forms and deposits associated with the action channeled currents of water : elements of hydraulics ; dynamic channeled currents of water ; erosion, transport and sedimentation ; runoff widespread and concentrated ; watersheds and river basins ; riverbeds ; fluvial sediments ; flood plains ; alluvial fans ; estuaries and deltas ; longitudinal and knickpoints profiles .

Processes , forms and deposits of areal leveling: pediment ; summit relict surfaces .

Pprocesses , forms and deposits : karst dissolution and deposition ; epigean forms ; karst circulation ; caves and speleothems ; travertine .

Processes, forms and coastal deposits : dynamic wave near the coast ; coastal shipping ; coastal erosion and sedimentation ; cliffs, swing grooves and abrasion platforms ; beaches , barrier islands , lagoons ; coastal terraces .

Processes , forms , and glacial deposits : continental glaciers , plateau , valleys and circus ; glacier dynamics ( power , ablation, movement , crevasses ) ; cold and temperate glaciers ; erosion, transport and glacial sedimentation; esarazione glacial, striae ; moraines , flat moraines , kame terraces , kettle holes .

Processes , forms and periglacial deposits : Permafrost , structured soils , ice wedges and tundra polygons ; rock glaciers , stratified debris deposits .

Processes , forms and aeolian deposits : deflation and corrasion ; dunes ; loess; Yardang . Climatic geomorphology . Anthropogenic geomorphology .

Structural Geomorphology and morphotectonic : selective erosion ; horst and graben ; morphostructures in horizontal layers (plateau , butte ) ; morphostructures monoclonal ( cuesta , hogback ) ; forms produced from the active tectonics ; fault scarps ; paleo seismological analysis of active faults ; Action of faults on waterways ; antecedence and superimposition ; alluvial terraces ( climate , eustatic , tectonic ) .

Volcanic geomorphology : types of lava and eruptive event types ; magmatic emissions fissure , simple volcanic cones ; stratum volcanoes , submarine volcanism . introduction to geomorphological mapping .

Soils : physical characters ( micromorphology ); physical and chemical properties of soils . Pedogenic processes . Note on the classifications . Elements of soil and derived cartography. Qualitative evaluation of soils . Land capability and land suitability . fundamental concepts of soil conservation : function of the soil in the environmental system , dynamic relationships with the environment system. Land degradation : physical and chemical degradation degradation. The relationship with climate change and with the methods of use. soil status indicators and process .

T. Mc Knight, D. Hess - Geografia Fisica. Comprendere il paeseggio. Ed. Piccin

G.B. Castiglioni - Geomorfologia. Ed. UTET

S. Ciccacci – Le forme del rilievo. Ed. Mondadori Università.

F. Dramis, C. Ollier - Genesi ed evoluzione del rilievo terrestre: fondamenti di geomorfologia. Ed. Pitagora.

F. Dramis,  C. Bisci - Cartografia geomorfologica. Ed. Pitagora.

A. Biancotti – Corso di Geografia Fisica 2 Nuove Edizioni del Giglio Genova

A. Biancotti – Corso di Geografia Fisica 3 Edizioni Litocoop Srl Tortona

P. Casati e F. Pace – Scienze della Terra. L'atmosfera, l'acqua, i climi, i suoli. Ed. Clup

Curriculum: Ambienti e adattamenti