Teaching code

4S008848

Teacher

Guido Gonzato

Coordinator

Guido Gonzato

Credits

6

Also offered in courses:

• History and Didactics of Geology of the course Master's degree in Mathematics

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

GEO/04 - PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY

Period

I semestre dal Oct 1, 2020 al Jan 29, 2021.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning outcomes

Learning Objectives

The course aims to provide a shared cultural foundation of the unifying concepts of Earth Sciences.

Knowledge

Concepts expounded in the course will allow students to:

- understand the history and evolution of planet Earth; the evolution of Earth processes and the underlying endogenous and exogenous dynamics; the formation of landforms and landscapes;
- provide the tools for the assessment of geological and geomorphological hazards; understand the scope of Earth Sciences in environmental science;
- understand the purpose of geological classifications; understand how fossils provide information about environment changes and the evolution of species in geologic time;
- identify the main rock types and their originating processes.

Abilities

- identification of the most common types of minerals and rocks, along with the originating geological processes;
- identification of the most common fossils, especially those that are found in the Veronese area;
- identification of the main geomorphological features of the territory;
- reading a geological and/or geomorphological map and extracting basic information.

Program

Course Syllabus

The entire course will be available online.

Adequate English proficiency is required, since the course will make use of teaching material in English. The course will focus on the following topics:

- scope and aims of Earth Sciences;
- elements of geophysics of solid Earth;
- geomorphology: general concepts; examples taken from the Italian and Veronese territory;
- mineralogy: origin and classification of minerals;
- petrography: origin and classification of rocks;
- sedimentology: origin and deposition of sediments; depositional environments;
- stratigraphy: general concepts; examples taken from the Veronese area;
- paleontology: general concepts; classification of the most common and most significant fossils;
- regional geology: geological framework of Italy in the Mediterranean context;
- karst and speleology;
- geological and geomorphological mapping using a GIS;
- geological risk assessment;
- climate and palaeoclimate.

Delivery Modes
Classroom and online lectures with slides (all sessons will be recorded) and outdoor lessons to be delivered at some localities in and around Verona. Outdoor lessons are required to put classroom lessons into practice; for instance, identification of rocks. Attendance of both classroom and outdoor lessons is highly recommended.

Examination Methods

Assessments Methods

Purpose of the examination is to assess if / how well the learning objectives have been met.
The examination will consist of a written test (open-ended questions) and of an oral test. Identification of rocks and fossil specimens will be part of the oral test.

Online assessment will be granted to all students who request it during the 2020/2021 course.