OVERVIEW

The geomorphological survey and mapping course provides the basic knowledge and practices indispensable to support urban and land planning, design of civil and environmental engineering works, environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment, cultural heritage and landscape enhancement.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course has the educational goal to provide knowledge on geomorphological survey technique and mapping, as a basic tool: i) for the earth surface representation continuously shaped by natural/anthropic processes; ii) for land-use management and planning, with particular reference to geomorphological hazard and related risk assessment.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The attendance and participation in the training activities will allow the student to acquire general knowledge of ‘geomorphological survey and mapping’ as skills of the geologist in order to interact with other practitioners working on land planning and management with particular reference to geomorphological hazards and related risk.

In detail the student will be able to:

• know the basic methods for geomorphological survey;
• read and understand geomorphological maps
• write geomorphological reports

PREREQUISITES

Geomorphology basic knowledge is required to deal effectively with the teaching content.

TEACHING METHODS

Teaching includes frontal lessons, classroom exercises of geomorphological mapping, on-site surveying. The frontal lessons in the classroom are delivered through multimedia presentations. The classroom exercises are aimed at applying the theoretical knowledge achieved during the frontal and on-site surveying. In particular, the following are envisaged: reading and comprehension of geomorphological maps; realization of geomorphological maps from existing studies and available from scientific literature; realization of original geomorphological map obtained from on-site survey; realization of original geomorphological map in an urban environment.

The filed survey will be carried out mainly in the Genoese Metropolitan Area and aimed at the identification of the natural and modified landforms; a part of the teaching is dedicated to the recognition of the landforms of the urban landscape.

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The program of the course includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics:

• history and evolution of geomorphological maps
• proposal for a legend for an application-oriented geomorphological map (ed. 1993)
• guidelines of the Geomorphological Map of Italy at the 1:50.000 scale (ed. 1994, 2018)
• reading and comprehension of geomorphological maps
• collection of existing cartographic data, field survey, borehole  databases, photo-interpretation and 'remote sensing' for the geomorphological survey purpose
• compilation of a report accompanying a geomorphological map

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All slides used during the lessons and other educational materials will be available on MS-Teams and AulaWeb at the end of each cycle of lectures/exercises in the classroom.

Some references can be found on-line, others are available from the MF&N School of Sciences Library or from the responsible lecturer; students may also use other university-level material.

• D’Orefice M.,  Graciotti R. (2015) - Rilevamento geomorfologico e cartografia. Dario Flaccovio editore, 360 pp.
• Gruppo Nazionale Geografia Fisica E Geomorfologia (1993) A cura di G.B. Pellegrini, A. Carton, D. Castaldini, A. Cavallin, L. D'Alessandro, F. Dramis, B. Gentili, L. Laureti, A. Prestininzi, G. Rodolfi, U. Sauro, M. Sorriso Valvo & V Spagna - Proposta di legenda geomorfologica ad indirizzo applicativo. Geogr. Fis. Dinam. Quat., 16, 129-152.
• ISPRA (2018) - Quaderni serie III, volume 13, fascicolo I ‘aggiornamento ed integrazioni delle linee guida della carta geomorfologica d’italia alla scala 1:50.000, progetto CARG: modifiche ed integrazioni al quaderno n. 4/1994 (a cura del Gruppo di lavoro per la cartografia geomorfologica Servizio Geologico Nazionale e Gruppo Nazionale di Geografia fisica e Geomorfologia), Roma
• Servizio Geologico Nazionale (1994) - Quaderni serie III, volume 4, Carta geomorfologica d’italia – 1:50.000 guida al rilevamento (a cura del Servizio Geologico d‘Italia ISPRA, Associazione Italiana di  Geografia fisica e Geomorfologia, Consiglio Nazionale dei Geologi), Istituto poligrafico e zecca dello stato, Roma

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

FRANCESCO FACCINI (President)

ANDREA MANDARINO

IVANO RELLINI

PIERLUIGI GIORGIO BRANDOLINI (President Substitute)

LESSONS

Class schedule

GEOMORPHOLOGICAL MAPPING AND CARTOGRAPHY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Please refer to the AulaWeb instance specific of the teaching for any updates due to health and epidemiological situation changes

The final examination consists of a practical test and an oral test. The practical test consists in the realization of an original geomorphological map linked to an explanatory report; the choice of the map and scale must be agreed with the lecturer.

The oral exam consists in the discussion of the practical test and in the verification of the learning of the subjects treated during the teaching, as explained in the program course.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The methods for the final exam preparation and the levels of detail required will be provided during the lessons.

The practical test will verify the ability to read, understand and realize geomorphological maps.

The student should be able to link the knowledge gained during the classroom exercise activities with that provided during the frontal lessons by applying it to case studies developed during the on-site exercises.

The oral test concerns the discussion of the practical test and aims to evaluate the level of knowledge achieved, the ability to recall theoretical notions by applying them to real contexts. The ability to present the arguments and the use of correct scientific terminology are also assessed.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Regular attendance at lessons, exercises in the classroom, on site-surveying is recommended.

Students with a certification of physical or learning disability filed with the University can find information on support services at the web page https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa/studenti-disturbi-specifici-apprendimento-dsa, provided by the "Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and with Learning Disorders." They can also contact Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Distav contact for disabilities.