LECTURES

Two one hour lectures are held on most Mondays from 4-6 pm. Lectures are designed to provide you with a framework with which to focus your study of the subject and are an essential and important component of the unit. They are by no means exhaustive on each and every topic, and you are expected to supplement them by reading especially from the textbook but also from the current journals, where the most up-to-date information can be found. There is a reading list for you to use as a starting point later in this document, and additional material will be referred to during the lecture program. Lecture slides are available on-line through https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/ login/MQ for viewing and/or printing. Ilectures are not available for this course, audio will not be recorded. It is your responsibility to keep up to date with lecture content. DO NOT MISS LECTURES!!

PRACTICALS

Practicals are held most weeks on Tuesdays at 2 pm for 3-4 hours. Each student must attend all practical sessions, held in E5A240. Most practicals will have no take-home component but students must demonstrate understanding of the topics and mastery of the skills introduced before being allowed to leave. Practical classes comprise a practical exercise, including numerical analysis, examination of rocks and sediments or local fieldwork. Practicals provide greater depth to the related lecture materials and are designed to assist learning by encouraging your active participation. The venue of the practical classes varies (see Unit schedule). Important material for the practical classes is included in the practical book. Additional material may be posted on ilearn for download. Each student must bring the appropriate equipment to the practical session and pre-read the practical description. Equipment may include; overhead transparencies, permanent FINE overhead pen (red or green preferably), drawing pencils (2B, HB, 2H), coloured pencils, ruler, sharpener, eraser, protractor, calculator, field note book. You should also wear appropriate clothes for the laboratory and field: closed shoes, sun protection etc.

FIELDWORK

There are two compulsory fieldtrips for all students: 18th March and 22-27th April. Fieldwork forms an essential component of this unit and therefore all students must attend. These trips include one day long field trip to Narrabeen Lagoon in Week 3, and a mid-semester field trip from 22-27th April to Kosciuszko. The assignments and fieldtrips are described in detail elsewhere in this unit guide. Equipment and safety issues for field work are described in the fieldwork section.

ASSESSMENTS

There are 4 assessments overall with different percentage weightings. The first two assessments (Proxies and Field report) must be submitted electronically using Grademark (follow links in ilearn for submission) - there will be no hard copy submissions - see assessments section for further details

PROBLEM SOLVING QUEST

A private or team study quest to practice problem solving skills and create environmental detectives. At the end of each lecture series an environmental problem will be presented that needs to be solved, the answers can be entered into ilearn at home producing a clue - these clues can be combined to form the location of the quest - further details will be provided in the first lecture.

LIGHTENING PRESENTATIONS

Each student will be expected to present a 1 minute presentation (with no notes) to their peers on an important topic in Quaternary Science. The presentations will not be graded but will be helpful for developing essential communication skills and undertanding of topic areas.

PEER REVIEW

All students will be given the opportunity to mark fellow student assignments (for assignment 1), and assess the final presentations (assignment 3) this will contribute a small proportion to the final grades. You will be assessed on your review skills and the scores provided by your peers.

ESSENTIAL READINGS

There is no specific essential reading for this topic – but you will need to read widely in order to have the background necessary to achieve a good understanding of the topic. However, the following texts are suggested as being valuable reading and will be referred to during lectures. You are not required to purchase them, but may find them useful.  There are some copies in the library, which have been placed in special reserve so everyone can have access:

• Global Environments through the Quaternary, Anderson, D., Goudie A.S., Parker, A.G., 2007. Oxford University Press
• Reconstructing Quaternary Environments, JJ Lowe Walker, MJC.  2^nd Edition.
• Quaternary Environments. Martin Williams, David Dunkerley, Patrick De Deckker, Peter Kershaw, John Chappell. 1998. Arnold.
• Quaternary Geochronology, Noller, JS., Sowers JS Lettis WR 2000. American Geophysical Union, Washington DC
• Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elias, S.A. (Ed.), 2007. Elsevier, London (Electronic resources in MQ library – each article can be downloaded)
• Tectonic Geomorphology Burbank DW, Anderson RS. 2001. Blackwell Scientific: Oxford

 If you have not already done so, you should invest in a Dictionary of Physical Geography, available in the bookshop.

To keep up with lecture materials and also some of the practical classes and the fieldtrips you should read all ‘essential text’ BEFORE the lectures each week. Start with these chapters as a foundation then supplement your reading with the listed journal references when you have some spare time. MORE READING = BETTER UNDERSTANDING. Key journals for this course include:

 Quaternary Science Reviews

Journal of Quaternary Science

Quaternary International

Quaternary Research

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

Nature Geoscience

Journal of Human Evolution

 You will require access to a computer for parts of this unit. The university has now changed its online system to iLearn – you will need to make yourself familiar with this system – student guides can be found at http://mq.edu.au/iLearn/studentinfo.htm. You can gain access to the Powerpoint slides used for each lecture by visiting the iLearn page for ENVE 340 (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/ - login with your Macquarie OneID username and password).  Please note: Audio lecture recordings in ilecture will not be available for this unit – it is your responsibility to come to the lectures or catch up on material missed. This iLearn site will be used by staff to outline course content week by week, to post video clips, to send reminders and notices concerning fieldtrips, practical classes and lectures, and to keep in contact with students. You should check the site regularly, especially the day before lectures/pracs. There is also capacity for discussion between students; please feel free to use this to discuss issues relating to any aspect of the unit and environmental change in general.  For specific questions on the lecturers, either post them on iLearn or email them directly (see front cover).

 In addition to iLearn we will be trialling a new student and teacher ‘clicker’ (Socrative – m.socrative.com) to facilitate rapid student responses during the lecture. Everyone is encouraged to participate – all it requires is a SMART phone, laptop, tablet or ipad with a connection to the internet (all web enabled devices can be used) – if everyone has a device then a short ‘exit’quizz will used at the end of most lectures to test understanding.

 The first assessment will be submitted through Grademark that can be accessed through a link in iLearn.Grademark is a paperless grading system whereby your assignments will be submitted online and marked by staff online, and feedback will be given online via electronic comments, custom marks and even by voice comments. The staff marking will be provided with the exact time and date of submission, an overlay of the assignment, and access to the originality checker (via the Turnitin software – please read notes on plagiarism very carefully). Your resulting grades and feedback can be found at the Grademark site.

WORKLOAD

 ENVE 340 is a 3 credit point unit and, according to University guidelines, you should spend at least 9 hours on the unit each week, or 135 hours over the 15 week semester.  The following is a guideline as to how that time should be spent:                                               

 * Although the online University Timetable indicates the practical will run for 4 hours, the average will be ~3 hours

Your own study time for ENVE340 should therefore be a minimum of an additional 1.5 hours per week (for 13 weeks).  Simply attending lectures and practical classes is not enough to guarantee a good grade.

LIBRARY RESEARCH RESOURCES

 The Library provides a range of learning opportunities aimed at developing student capabilities in research and information technology.  Topics covered include:

computer essentials

navigating the Macquarie University website

getting started in your online unit

using the library catalogue and e-readings to locate key references

using research databases to find journal articles

locating scholarly information on the Internet

effective searching of the Internet

You can choose to learn online or at face-to-face session in the library.

More information is available at:  (http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/training/).   Follow the links to Training

FINDING RELEVANT SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS

While you should begin with the readings listed below, wander through the GB, S590 and QE sections of the library (in particular).  You are especially encouraged to keep an eye on the current journals, where the most up-to-date information can be found.  Particular attention should be placed on the journals Earth Surface Processes and Landforms and Geomorphology.  Don’t be scared to bring journal articles to our attention – we are always ready to chat about such things!

 Additional journals that you are encouraged to 'keep your eye on' are listed below.  Recent years of many of these titles are available on-line.  Go to ‘Journal Search’ on the Library web page and follow directions.  Usually, papers can be downloaded and printed freely.

FINDING RELEVANT SCIENTIFIC PAPERS

In addition to the journal papers we have listed below, there are many more papers, especially recent and overseas papers, which you may find have valuable information for your reports. To find relevant papers you should become familiar with the searchable databases available through the library web page.  From the main Library page, go to ‘Databases’ and try these:

• Science Direct
• Web of Science (also called ISI Web of Science)
• SCOPUS
• INGENTA
• GEORef

And enter search terms (e.g. ice cores, speleothems). There are many other environmental and biological databases as well.  For example, Google Scholar (see the Google search page) is also a good search engine for scientific papers.

 All databases are slightly different and it’s often worth trying more than one.  Once you have found the details (often including the abstract) you will probably need to go back to the journal (use ‘journal search’ on the library page) to find and download the paper.

 Note: Many of the readings (scientific papers) are available online from the library’s e-reserve page for ENVE340 (http://www.lib.mq.edu/borrowing/ereserve.php)

Recommended reading:

 Week 1:Introduction to past global environmental changes/ Sources of evidence and methods

 Essential texts:

Lowe, JJ Walker MJC – Ch1 and 2-6 (skim)

Williams et al., 1998 – Ch 1,2,5

Anderson et al., 2007 – Ch 1and 9

Noller et al., 2000 p1-10

Lowe et al., 2007

• Elias, S.A., 2007. History of Quaternary Science. In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp 10-18.
• Lowe, JJ, Walker MJC, Porter SC 2007. Understanding Quaternary Climatic Change.In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp 28-39
• *Zachos, J., Pagani, M., Sloan, L., Thomas, E. and Billups, K., 2001. Trends, Rhythms, and Aberrations in Global Climate 65 Ma to Present. Science 292, 686-693.
• Siddal et al., 2003. Sea-level fluctuations during the last glacial cycle, Nature, 423, 853-858.
• Fleming, K., Johnston, P., Zwartz, D., Yokoyama, Y., Lambeck, K. and Chappell, J., 1998. Refining the eustatic sea-level curve since the Last Glacial Maximum using far- and intermediate-field sites. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 163, 327-342.
• *Lambeck, K., Chappell, J. 2001. Sea level change through the last glacial cycle. Science 292, 679-686.
• *Chapell J, Shackleton NJ., 1986. Oxygen isotopes and sea level.  Nature 324, 137-140.
• CLIMAP Project, 1976. The surface of the ice-age Earth. Science 191, 1131-1136. This is a seminal paper, and while now well out of date was a spur for a considerable amount of research.
• Waelbroeck, C., Paul, A., Kucera, M., Rosell-Melé, A., Weinelt, M., Schneider, R., Mix, A.C., Turon, J.-L. 2009. Constraints on the magnitude and patterns of ocean cooling at the Last Glacial Maximum. Nature Geoscience 2, 127-132.
• Chappell, J. 1983. Thresholds and lags in geomorphologic changes.  Australian Geographer 15, 357-366.
• Christl, M., Mangini, A., Holzkamper, S., Spotl, C., 2004. Evidence for a link between the flux of galactic cosmic rays and Earth's climate during the past 200,000 years. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 66, 313-322.

 Week 2:Proxies (ice and marine cores, speleothems), sedimentology and stratigraphy

 Essential texts:

Lowe, JJ Walker MJC – Ch 3 (p85-86, 127-135, 148-158) Ch 6

Williams et al., 1998 – Ch 3, 7

Anderson et al., 2007 – Ch 2

Noller et al., 2000 – p 427

• Bassinot, FC., 2007. Oxygen Isotope Stratigraphy of the Oceans In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp 1740-1748

• Jouzel, J Masson-Delmotte, V, 2007.  Antarctic Stable Isotopes In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp 1242-1250
• Brook, EJ, 2007. Correlations between Greenland and Antarctica. In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp 1258-1266

• Bond, G., Broeker, W. et al., Correlations between climate records from North Atlantic sediments and Greenland ice. 1993,  Nature, 365, 143-147.
• Hellstrom, J.C., McCulloch, M.T., Stone, J., 1998. A detailed 31,000-year record of climate and vegetation change, from the isotope geochemistry of two New Zealand speleothems. Quaternary Research 50, 167-178.
• Wang, Y.J., Cheng, H., Edwards, R.L., An, Z.S., Wu, J.Y., Shen, C.C., Dorale, J.A., 2001. A High Resolution Absolute Dated Late Pleistocene Monsoon Record from Hulu Cave, China. Science 294, 2345-2348.
• Johnson, R.G., Lauritzen, S.E., 1995. Hudson Bay-Hudson Strait jokulhlaups and Heinrich events: a hypothesis. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 117, 123-137.
• Gronvold, K., Oskarsson, N., Johnsen, S.J., Clausen, H.B., Hammer, C.U., Bond, G., Bard, E., 1995. Ash layers from Iceland in the Greenland GRIP ice core correlated with oceanic and land sediments. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 135, 149-155.
• Gardiner V, Dackombe R. 1983. Geomorphological Field Manual.George Allen & Unwin: London
• NGRIP, 2004. High-reolution record of northern hemisphere climte extending into the last interglacial period. Nature 431, 147-151.
• Dykoski, C.A., Edwards, R.L., Cheng, H., Yuan, D., Cai, Y., Zhang, M., Lin, Y., Qing, J., An, Z.S., Revenaugh, J., 2005. A high-resolution, absolute-dated Holocene and deglacial Asian monsoon record from Dongge cave, China. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 233, 71-86.
• Kershaw, A.P., van der Kaars, S., Moss, P.T., 2003. Late Quaternary Milankovitch-scale climatic change and variability and its impact on monsoonal Australasia. Marine Geology 201, 81-95.

Week 3: Field excursion

Essential texts:

Flack and Erskine, 1996

Roy et al., 1980 (see below for full refs)

• Blong, RJ, Riley, SJ, Crozier, PJ., 1982. Sediment yield from runoff plots following bushfire near Narrabeen Lagoon, NSW. Search, 13, pp. 36-38.
• Hennecke, W.G., Greve, C.A., Cowell, P.J., Thom, B.G. 2004. GIS-based coastal behaviour modelling and simulation of potential land and property loss: Implications of sea-level rise at Collaroy/Narrabeen Beach, Sydney (Australia). Coastal Management 32, 449-470.
• Flack, K.A., Erskine, W.D. 1996. Development of the Middle Creek delta plain, Narrabeen Lagoon, NSW.Australian Geographer 27, 235-248
• Johnston, D., Gerstle, B. 1986. The urbanisation of Narrabeen Lagoon catchment - a case study. Journal of Soil Conservation, New South Wales 42, 18-21
• Roy, PS, Thom, BG, Wright, LD, 1980. Holocene sequences on an embayed, high-energy coast: an evolutionary model.  Sedimentary. Geology 26, 1-19.

 Week 4: Rapid environmental change/Reconstructing the ‘Ice Age’

Essential texts:

Burbank and Anderson , 2001

Westaway, et al 2010.

Summerfield 1991 Ch 15 (see below for full refs)

Williams et al. – Ch 4

Lowe and Walker – Ch 7 (but very northern hemisphere bias)

• Burbank DW, Anderson RS. 2001. Tectonic Geomorphology. Blackwell Scientific: Oxford.
• Westaway, K.E., Morwood, M.J., Sutikna, T., Zhao, J.-x., 2010. The rate of landscape evolution in the tropics using river terraces: an environmental context for an archaeological site in western Flores, Indonesia. Journal of Quaternary Science 25, 1018–1037
• Summerfield MA., 1991.  Global Geomorphology: An introduction to the study of landforms. Longmans, London. Ch 15 p 371-402.
• Bond, G., Broeker, W. et al., 1993. Correlations between climate records from North Atlantic sediments and Greenland ice. Nature, 365, 143-147.
• Gascoyne M, Ford DC, Schwarcz HP. 1983. Rates of cave and landform development in the Yorkshire Dales from speleothem age data. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 8, 557–568.
• Leland J, Reid MR, Burbank DW, Finkel R, Caffee M. 1998. Incision and differential bedrock uplift along the Indus River near Nanga Parbat, Pakistan Himalaya, from ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al exposure agedating of bedrock straths. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 154, 93–107.
• Piccini L, Drysdale R, Heijnis H. 2003. Karst morphology and cave sediments as indicators of the uplift history in the Alpi Apuane (Tuscany, Italy). Quaternary International 101-102, 219–227.
• Stock, G.M., Anderson, R.S., Finkel, R.C., 2004. Pace of landscape evolution in the Sierra Nevada, California. Geology 32, 193-196.
• Burbank DW, Leland J, Fielding E. 1996. Bedrock incision: rock uplift and threshold hillslopes in the northwestern Himalayas. Nature 379, 505–510.
• Chaplot V, Coadou le Brozec E, Silvera N, Valentin C. 2005. Spatial and temporal assessment of linear erosion in catchments under sloping lands of northern Laos. Catena 63, 167–184.
• Droppa A. 1966. The correlation of some horizontal caves with river terraces. Studies in Speleology 1, 186–192.
• Fei, W., Hongchun, L., Rixiang, Z., Feizhou, Q., 2004. Late Quaternary downcutting rates of the Qianyou River from U/Th speleothem dates, Qinling mountains, China. Quaternary Research 62, 194-200.
• Ford, D.C., Scharcz, H.P., Drake, J.J., Gascoyne, M., Harmon, R.S., Latham, A.G., 1981. Estimates of the age of the existing relief within the southern Rocky mountains of Canada. Arctic and Alpine Research 13, 1-10.
• Ford, T.D., Gascoyne, M., Beck, J.S., 1983. Speleothem dates and Pleistocene chronology in the Peak District of Derbyshire. Transactions of the British Cave Research Association 10, 103-115.

 Week 5: Luminescence dating/Dating the Australian landscape

 Essential texts:

Lowe and Walker – Ch 5

Anderson et al., 2007 – Ch 2

Noller et al., 2000 p157-176

Turney et al., 2001

Lian, 2007

• Duller, G.A.T., 2004. Luminescence dating of Quaternary sediments: recent advances. Journal of Quaternary Science. 19, 183-192.
• Duller, G.A.T., 2000. Dating methods: geochronology and landscape evolution. Progress in Physical Geography 24, 111-116.
• Jull,A.J.T. 2007. Dating techniques. In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp 453-459.
• Nanson, G.C., Price, D.M., Jones, B.G., Maroulis, J.C., Coleman, M., Bowman, H., Cohen, T.J., Larsen, J.R. 2008. Alluvial evidence for major climate and flow regime changes during the middle and late Quaternary in eastern central Australia. Geomorphology 101, 109-129
• Pietsch, T.J., Olley, J.M., Nanson, G.C. 2008. Fluvial transport as a natural luminescence sensitiser of quartz Quaternary Geochronology 3, 365-376.
• Smith, D. and Lewis D., 2007. Dendrochronology, In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp 459-465.
• Cook G.T. and van der Plicht, J., 2007. Conventional Method. In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp 2899-2911.
•  Jull, A.J.T., 2007. AMS Methods. In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, pp 2911-2918.
• Bird, M.I., 2007. Charcoal. In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp 2950-2958.
• Thompson, W.G., 2007. U-Series Dating. In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp Pages 3099-3104.
• Lian, O.B., 2007. Optically-Stimulated Luminescence. In: Elias, S.A. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science, Elsevier, London, pp 1491-1505
• Roberts, R.G., Bird, M., Olley, J.M., Galbraith, R.F., Lawson, E., Laslett, G.M., Yoshida, H., Jones, R., Fullagar, R.L.K., Jacobson, G. and Hua, Q., 1998. Optical and radiocarbon dating at Jinmium rock shelter in northern Australia. Nature 393, 358-362.
• Turney, C.S.M., Bird, M.I., Fifield, L.K., Roberts, R.G., Smith, M.A., Dortch, C.E., Grun, R., Lawson, E., Ayliffe, L.K. and Miller, G.H., 2001. Early Human Occupation at Devil's Lair, Southwestern Australia 50,000 Years Ago. Quaternary Research 55, 3-13.
• Roberts, R.G., Jones, R. and Smith, M.A., 1990. Thermoluminescence dating of a 50, 000-year-old human occupation site in Northern Australia. Nature 345, 153-156.
• Roberts, R.G., Jones, R., Spooner, N.A., Head, M.J., Murray, A.S. and Smith, M.A., 1994. The human colonisation of Australia: Optical dates of 53,000 and 60,000 years bracket human arrival at Deaf Adder Gorge, Northern Territory. Quaternary Geochronology 13, 575-583.
• Roberts, R.G. and Jones, R., 1994. Luminescence dating of sediments: new light on the human colonisation of Australia. Australian Aboriginal Studies 2, 2-16.

 Week 7:Australian Megafauna/ Kosciuszko and Nerrandera

 Essential texts:

Roberts et al., 2001

Roberts and Brook, 2010

Field et al., 2008

Wroe and Field, 2006

• Roberts, R.G., Flannery, T.F., Ayliffe, L.K., Yoshida, H., Olley, J.M., Prideaux, G.J., Laslett, G.M., Baynes, A., Smith, M.A., Jones, R. and Smith, B.L., 2001. New Ages for the Last Australian Megafauna: Continent-Wide Extinction About 46,000 Years Ago. Science 292, 1888-1892.
• Bowler, J.M., Johnson, H., Olley, J.M., Prescott, J.R., Roberts, R.G., Shawcross, W., Spooner, N.A., 2003. New ages for human occupation and climatic change at Lake Mungo, Australia. Nature 421, 837-840.
• Roberts, R., Brook, B., 2010. And Then There Were None? Science, 327, 420-422.
• The Future Eaters, Tim Flannery, 2002, Grove Press, 432 pages.
• Judith Field, Melanie Fillios, Stephen Wroe, 2008. Chronological overlap between humans and megafauna in Sahul (Pleistocene Australia–New Guinea): A review of the evidence. Earth-Science Reviews 89, 97-115.
• Ralph, T.J., Hesse, P.P. 2010. Downstream hydrogeomorphic changes along the Macquarie River, southeastern Australia, leading to channel breakdown and floodplain wetlands  Geomorphology, in press.
• Brock, P.M. 1998. The significance of the physical environment of the Macquarie Marshes Australian Geographer 29, pp. 71-90.
• Prideaux, G.J., Roberts, R.G., Megirian, D., Westaway, K.E., Olley, J., 2007. Effects of Pleistocene climate change on southeastern Australian mammal fauna and implications for causes of megafaunal extinctions. Geology 35, 33-36.
• Price, G.J., Zhao, J.-x., Feng, Y.-x., Hocknull, S.A., 2009. New U/Th ages for Pleistocene megafauna deposits of southeastern Queensland, Australia. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 34, 190-197.
• Grün, R., Eggins, S., Wells, R.T., Rhodes, E., Bestland, E., Spooner, N., Ayling, M., Forbes, M., McCulloch, M., 2006. A cautionary tale from down under: Dating the Black Creek Swamp megafauna site on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Quaternary Geochronology 1, 142-150.
• Grün, R., Eggins, S., Aubert, M., Spooner, N., Pike, A.W.G., Müller, W., 2010. ESR and U-series analyses of faunal material from Cuddie Springs, NSW, Australia: implications for the timing of the extinction of the Australian megafauna. Quaternary Science Reviews 29, 596-610.
• Ayliffe, L.K., Prideaux, G.J., Bird, M.I., Grün, R., Roberts, R.G., Gully, G.A., Jones, R., Fifield, L.K., Cresswell, R.G., 2008. Age constraints on Pleistocene megafauna at Tight Entrance Cave in southwestern Australia. Quaternary Science Reviews 27, 1784-1788.
• Roberts, R.G., Brook, B.W., 2010. Turning back the clock on the extinction of megafauna in Australia. Quaternary Science Reviews 29, 593-595.
• Johnson, C.N., 2005. What can the data on late survival of Australian megafauna tell us about the cause of their extinction? Quaternary Science Reviews 24, 2167-2172.
• Wroe, S., Field, J., 2006. A review of the evidence for a human role in the extinction of Australian megafauna and an alternative interpretation. Quaternary Science Reviews 25, 2692-2703.
• Fillios, M., Field, J., Charles, B., 2010. Investigating human and megafauna co-occurrence in Australian prehistory: Mode and causality in fossil accumulations at Cuddie Springs. Quaternary International 211, 123-143.
• Cosgrove, R., Field, J., Garvey, J., Brenner-Coltrain, J., Goede, A., Charles, B., Wroe, S., Pike-Tay, A., Grün, R., Aubert, M., Lees, W., O'Connell, J., 2010. Overdone overkill - the archaeological perspective on Tasmanian megafaunal extinctions. Journal of Archaeological Science 37, 2486-2503.

Kosciuszko

• Barrows, T. T., J. O. Stone, et al. (2001). "Late Pleistocene glaciation of the Kosciuszko Massif, Snowy Mountains, Australia." Quaternary Research55: 179-189.
• Barrows, T. T., J. O. Stone, et al. (2002). "The timing of the Last Glacial Maximum in Australia." Quaternary Science Reviews21: 159-173.
• Barrows, T. T., J. O. Stone, et al. (2004). "Exposure ages for Pleistocene periglacial deposits in Australia." Quaternary Science Reviews23: 697-708.
• Galloway, R. W. (1965). "Late Quaternary climates in Australia." Journal of Geology73: 603-618.

Nerrandera

Murrumbidgee Dunes

• Page, K.J., Dare-Edwards, A.J., Owens, J.W., Frazier, P.S., Kellett, J.,Price, D.M., 2001. TL chronology and stratigraphy of riverine source bordering sand dunes near Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. Quaternary International 83-85, 187-194.
• Spooner, N.A., Olley, J.M., Questiaux, D.G.,Chen, X.Y., 2001. Optical dating of an aeolian deposit on the Murrumbidgee floodplain. Quaternary Science Reviews 20, 835-840.

Lake Urana

• Page, K., A. Dare-Edwards, et al. (1994). "Late Quaternary evolution of Lake Urana, New South Wales, Australia." Journal of Quaternary Science9: 47-57.

Murrumbidgee Palaeochannels

• Dosseto, A., P. P. Hesse, et al. (2010). "Climatic and vegetation control on sediment dynamics during the last glacial cycle." Geology38: 395-398.
• Page, K., G. Nanson, et al. (1996). "Chronology of Murrumbidgee River palaeochannels on the Riverine Plain, southeastern Australia." Journal of Quaternary Science11(4): 311-326.
• Page, K. J., A. J. Dare-Edwards, et al. (2001). "TL chronology and stratigraphy of riverine source bordering sand dunes near Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia." Quaternary International83-85: 187-194.
• Page, K. J. and G. C. Nanson (1996). "Stratigraphic architecture resulting from Late Quaternary evolution of the Riverine Plain, south-eastern Australia." Sedimentology43: 927-945.
• Schumm, S.A., 1968. River adjustment to altered hydrologic regimen - Murrumbidgee River and palaeochannels, Australia. Geological Society Professional Paper 598, 1-63.

Dunes and dust

• Hesse, P. P. (1994). "The record of continental dust from Australia in Tasman Sea Sediments." Quaternary Science Reviews13(3): 257-272.
• Hesse, P.P., 2010. The Australian desert dunefields: formation and evolution in an old, flat, dry continent. In: P. Bishop and B. Pillans (Editors), Australian Landscapes. Special Publication, 346. Geological Society, London, London, pp. 141-163.
• Hesse, P. P. and G. H. McTainsh (1999). "Last Glacial Maximum to Early Holocene wind strength in the mid-latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere from aeolian dust in the Tasman Sea." Quaternary Research52: 343-349.
• Hesse, P. P. and R. L. Simpson (2006). "Variable vegetation cover and episodic sand movement on longitudinal desert sand dunes." Geomorphology81: 276-291.
• Marx, S.K., Kamber, B., McGowan, H.A.,Denholm, J., 2011. Holocene dust deposition rates in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin record the interplay between aridity and the position of the mid-latitude westerlies. Quaternary Science Reviews 2011, 3290-3305.

Week 8:Environmental change influencing human dispersal: Africa to Australia

Essential texts:

Anderson et al., 2007 – Ch 8

Elias, 2007 Humans in the Quaternary

Williams et al., Ch 11

Dennell, 2004 (see below)

Dennell and Petraglia 2012

deMenocal, 2011 (see below)

• deMenocal, P., 2011. Climate and human evolution. Science 331, 540-542.
• Bowler, J.M., Johnson, H., Olley, J.M., Prescott, J.R., Roberts, R.G., Shawcross, W., Spooner, N.A., 2003. New ages for human occupation and climatic change at Lake Mungo, Australia. Nature 421, 837-840.
• Storm, P., 2001. The evolution of humans in Australasia from an environmental perspective. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 171, 363-383.
• Bettis, I., E. A., Zaim, Y., Larick, R.R., Ciochon, R.L., Suminto, Rizal, Y., Reagan, M.K., Heizler, M., 2004. Landscape development preceding Homo erectus immigration into Central Java, Indonesia: the Sangiran Formation lower lahar. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 206, 115-131.
• Dennell RW. 2004. Hominid dispersals and Asian biogeography during the Lower and Middle Pleistocene, c. 2.0-0.5 Mya. Asian Perspectives 43, 205–226.
• Dennell, R., Petraglia, M.D., 2012. The dispersal of Homo sapiens across southern Asia: how early, how often, how complex? Quaternary Science Reviews 47, 15-22.
• Turney, CSM, Scourse, J Rodbell D, Caseldine C, 2007. Quaternary climatic, environmental and archaeological change in Australasia. Journal of Quaternary Science 22, 421–422.

·         Fujioka, T., Chappell, J., Honda, M., Yatsevich, I., Fifield, K., Fabel, D., 2005. Global cooling initiated stony deserts in central Australia 2-4 Ma, dated by cosmogenic ²¹Ne-¹⁰Be.  Geology 33, 993-996.

·         Fitzsimmons, K.E., Rhodes, E.J., Magee, J.W., Barrows, T.T., 2007, The timing of linear dune activity in the Strzelecki and Tirari Deserts, Australia . Quaternary Science Reviews 26, 2598-2616

·         Turney, C.S.M., et al., 2006. Integration of ice-core, marine and terrestrial records for the Australian last glacial maximum and termination: A contribution from the OZ INTIMATE group, Journal of Quaternary Science 21, 751-761

·         Nanson, G.C., Price, D.M., Jones, B.G., Maroulis, J.C., Coleman, M., Bowman, H., Cohen, T.J., Larsen, J.R. 2008. Alluvial evidence for major climate and flow regime changes during the middle and late Quaternary in eastern central Australia. Geomorphology 101, 109-129.

·         Page, K., Nanson, G., Price, D. 1996. Chronology of Murrumbidgee river palaeochannels on the Riverine Plain, southeastern Australia.   Journal of Quaternary Science 11, 311-326 .

·         Page, K.J., Nanson, G.C., Price, D.M. 1991. Thermoluminescence chronology of late Quaternary deposition on the Riverine Plain of south-eastern Australia. Australian Geographer 22, 14-23

·         Nanson, G.C., Price, D.M., Short, S.A. 1992. Wetting and drying of Australia over the past 300 ka  Geology 20, 791-794

·         Kershaw, A.P., Nanson, G.C. 1993. The last full glacial cycle in the Australian region. Global and Planetary Change 7, 1-9.

• Barrows, T.T., Juggins, S., De Deckker, P., Calvo, E., Pelejero, C. 2007. Long-term sea surface temperature and climate change in the Australian-New Zealand region Paleoceanography 22 (2), art. no. PA2215
• Barrows, T.T., Stone, J.O., Fifield, L.K., Cresswell, R.G. 2002. The timing of the last glacial maximum in Australia. Quaternary Science Reviews 21, 159-173
• Shulmeister, J., Goodwin, I., Renwick, J., Harle, K., Armand, L., McGlone, M.S., Cook, E., Curran, M. 2004. The Southern Hemisphere westerlies in the Australasian sector over the last glacial cycle: A synthesis. Quaternary International 118-119, 23-53.
• Hesse, P.P., McTainsh, G.H. 2003. Australian dust deposits: Modern processes and the Quaternary record  Quaternary Science Reviews 22, 2007-2035.

Week 9:Palaeoenvironments

 Essential texts:

Lowe, JJ Walker MJC – Ch2

Williams et al., 1998 – Ch 3, 4, 5, 6, 12

L13

• Anderson B , Mackintosh A Geology 2006;34:121-124
• Dosseto, A., Hesse, P.P., Maher, K., Fryirs, K.,Turner, S.P., 2010. Climatic and vegetation control on sediment dynamics during the last glacial cycle. Geology 38, 395-398.
• Hesse, P.P., Magee, J.W.,van der Kaars, S., 2004. Late Quaternary climates of the Australian arid zone: A review. Quaternary International 118-119, 87-102.
• Page, K., Nanson, G.,Price, D., 1996. Chronology of Murrumbidgee River palaeochannels on the Riverine Plain, southeastern Australia. Journal of Quaternary Science 11(4), 311-326.
• Schumm, S.A., 1968. River adjustment to altered hydrologic regimen - Murrumbidgee River and palaeochannels, Australia. Geological Society Professional Paper 598, 1-63.

L14

• Barrows et al 2007. Science.
• Bond et al. 1999, in Mechanisms of Global Climate Change at Millennial Time Scales. AGU
• Broecker W. S., GSA Today 9(1):1-7 (January 1999)
• Denton G. H.  et al.,  Science  328, 1652-1656 (2010)
• EPICA community members, 2006, Nature 444
• Hays J. D., Imbrie John and Shackleton N. J., Variations in the Earth's Orbit: Pacemaker of the Ice Ages. Science 10 December 1976: 1121-1132.
• Lambeck, K.,Chappell, J., 2001. Sea level change through the last glacial cycle. Science 292, 679-686.
• Martinson, D.G., Pisias, N.G., Hays, J.D., Imbrie, J., Moore, T.C.,Shackleton, N.J., 1987. Age dating and the orbital theory of the ice ages: Development of a high resolution 0 to 300 000 year chronostratigraphy. Quaternary Research 27, 1-29.
• Roche et al., 2004 Nature
• Wang Y. J., Cheng H., Edwards R. L., An Z. S., Wu J. Y., Shen C.-C., and Dorale J. A. A High-Resolution Absolute-Dated Late Pleistocene Monsoon Record from Hulu Cave, China. Science 14 December 2001: 2345-2348. [DOI:10.1126/science.1064618]Wilson et al. 2000 Ice sheet collapse

 Week 10: Sediment analysis and properties

 Essential texts:

Lowe, JJ Walker MJC – Ch3

Williams et al., 1998 – n/a

L16

• Bagnold, R.A.,Barndorff-Nielsen, O., 1980. The pattern of natural size distributions. Sedimentology 27, 199-207.
• Fieller, N.R.J., Gilbertson, D.D.,Olbricht, W., 1984. A new method for environmental analysis of particle size distribution data from shoreline sediments. Nature 311, 648-651.
• Folk, R.L., 1974. Petrology of Sedimentary Rocks. Hemphill, Austin, 182 pp.
• Yonge, D.,Hesse, P.P., 2009. Geomorphic environments, drainage breakdown and channel and floodplain evolution on the Lower Macquarie River, central-western New South Wales. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 56, S35-S53.

L15

• Doner H. & Lynn W., 1989. In ‘Minerals in Soil Environments’, 2^nd edition (J. Dixon and S. Weed, eds) Soil Sci. Soc. Am., Wisconsin, p 300
• Froelich, P.N., Klinkhammer, G.P., Bender, M.L., Luedtke, N.A., Heath, G.R., Cullen, D., Dauphin, P., Hammond, D., Hartman, B.,Maynard, V., 1979. Early oxidation of organic matter in pelagic sediments of the eastern equatorial Atlantic: suboxic diagenesis. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 43, 1075-1090.
• Gile et al., 1966. Soil Science 101: 347-360
• Hesse, P.P., 1994. Evidence for bacterial palaeoecological origin of mineral magnetic cycles in oxic and sub-oxic Tasman Sea sediments. Marine Geology 117, 1-17.
• Hingston, F.J.,Gailitis, V., 1976. The geographic variation of salt precipitated over Western Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research 14, 319-335.
• Milnes, A.R.,Hutton, J.T., 1983. Calcretes in Australia, Soils: an Australian viewpoint. CSIRO/Academic Press, Melbourne, pp. 119-162.
• Phillips, S.E.,Milnes, A.R., 1988. The Pleistocene terrestrial carbonate mantle on the southeastern margin of the St Vincent Basin, South Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 35, 463-481.
• Quade, J., Chivas, A.R.,McCulloch, M.T., 1995. Strontium and carbon isotope tracers and the origins of soil carbonates in South Australia and Victoria. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 113, 103-117.
• Selby M., 1993. Hillslope materials & processes. Oxford University Press. p150
• Veproskas M et al. 1994. In A Ringrose-Voase & G Humphreys (eds) Soil Micromorphology: Studies in Management & Genesis. Elsevier, Amsterdam. p117-131

 Week 11: Biological indicators of environmental change

 Essential texts:

Lowe, JJ Walker MJC – Ch4

Williams et al., 1998 – Ch 7, 10 

• Barrows, T.T.,Juggins, S., 2005. Sea-surface temperatures around the Australian margin and Indian Ocean during the Last Glacial Maximum. Quaternary Science Reviews 24, 1017-1047.
• Bradley, 1985 Quaternary Palaeoclimatology
• Cerling, T.E., Ehleringer, J.R.,Harris, J.M., 1998. Carbon dioxide starvation, the development of C4 ecosystems, and mammalian evolution. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B 353, 159-171.
• Cook et al., 2000. Climate Dynamics 16
• Cupper, M.L., 2005. Last glacial to Holocene evolution of semi-arid rangelands in southeastern Australia. The Holocene 15, 541-553.
• Dietrich and Perron, 2006. Nature 439: 411
• Dodson, J.R.,Wright, R.V.S., 1989. Humid to arid to subhumid vegetation shift on Pilliga Sandstone, Ulungra Springs, New South Wales. Quaternary Research 32, 182-192.
• Kershaw, A. P., McKenzie, G. M., Porch, N., Roberts, R. G., Brown, J., Heijnis, H., Orr, M. L., Jacobsen, G. and Newall, P. R. 2007. A high-resolution record of vegetation and climate through the last glacial cycle from Caledonia Fen, southeastern highlands of Australia. J. Quaternary Sci., Vol. 22 pp. 481–500. ISSN 0267-8179.
• Kershaw, A.P., 1986. Climatic change and Aboriginal burning in north-east Australia during the last two glacial/interglacial cycles. Nature 322, 47-49.
• Kershaw & Nix 1987 CLIMANZ 3, CSIRO
• Hope, G., 1987. Climatic implications of timberline changes in Australasia from 30 000 yr bp to present. In: T.H. Donnelly and R.J. Wasson (Editors), CLIMANZ 3. CSIRO, Division of Water Resources, Melbourne, pp. 91-99.
• Hope 1976, Journal of Ecology 64
• McGlone et al. Nature Geoscience
• Miller, G.H., Magee, J.W.,Jull, A.J.T., 1997. Low-latitude glacial cooling in the Southern Hemisphere from amino-acid racemization in emu eggshells. Nature 385, 241-244.
• Miller, G.H., Fogel, M.L., Magee, J.W., Gagan, M.K., Clarke, S.J.,Johnson, B.J., 2005. Ecosystem collapse in Pleistocene Australia and a human role in megafaunal extinction. Science 309, 287-290.
• Turney C S et al. Geology 2003;31:223-226

Week 12: Environmental change in deserts and desertification

 Essential texts:

Williams et al., 1998 – Ch 9, 13

• Bostock, H.C., Opdyke, B.N., Gagan, M.K., Kiss, A.E.,Fifield, L.K., 2006. Glacial/interglacial changes in the East Australian current. Climate Dynamics 26, 645-659.
• Brookfield, M., 1970. Dune trends and wind regime in Central Australia. Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie, Suppl.Bd 10, 121-135.
• Fitzsimmons, K.E., Rhodes, E.J., Magee, J.W.,Barrows, T.T., 2007. The timing of linear dune activity in the Strzelecki and Tirari Deserts, Australia. Quaternary Science Reviews 26, 2598-2616.
• Harrison, S.P., 1993. Late Quaternary lake-level changes and climates of Australia. Quaternary Science Reviews 12, 211-231.
• Hesse, P.P., 1994. The record of continental dust from Australia in Tasman Sea Sediments. Quaternary Science Reviews 13(3), 257-272.
• Hesse, P.P., 2010. The Australian desert dunefields: formation and evolution in an old, flat, dry continent. In: P. Bishop and B. Pillans (Editors), Australian Landscapes. Special Publication, 346. Geological Society, London, London, pp. 141-163.
• Hesse, P.P., 2011. Sticky dunes in a wet desert: formation, stabilisation and modification of the Australian desert dunefields. Geomorphology 134, 309-325.
• Hesse, P.P.,McTainsh, G.H., 1999. Last Glacial Maximum to Early Holocene wind strength in the mid-latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere from aeolian dust in the Tasman Sea. Quaternary Research 52, 343-349.
• Hesse, P.P.,Simpson, R.L., 2006. Variable vegetation cover and episodic sand movement on longitudinal desert sand dunes. Geomorphology 81, 276-291.
• Hesse, P.P., Humphreys, G.S., Smith, B.L., Campbell, J.,Peterson, E.K., 2003. Age of loess deposits in the Central Highlands of New South Wales. Australian Journal of Soil Research 41, 1115-1131.
• IPCC AR4, 2007
• Kalma, J.D., Speight, J.G.,Wasson, R.J., 1988. Potential wind erosion in Australia: A continental perspective. Journal of Climatology 8, 411-428.
• Mahowald, N., Kohfeld, K.E., Hansson, M., Balkanski, Y., Harrison, S.P., Prentice, I.C., Schulz, M.,Rodhe, H., 1999. Dust sources and deposition during the last glacial maximum and current climate: A comparison of model results with paleodata from ice cores and marine sediments. Journal of Geophysical Research 104(D13), 15,895-15,916.
• Maher, B.A., Prospero, J.M., Mackie, D., Gaiero, D., Hesse, P.P.,Balkanski, Y., 2010. Global connections between aeolian dust, climate and ocean biogeochemistry at the present day and at the last glacial maximum. Earth-Science Reviews 99, 61-97.
• Markgraf, V., Dodson, J.R., Kershaw, A.P., McGlone, M.S.,Nicholls, N., 1992. Evolution of late Pleistocene and Holocene climates in the circum-South Pacific land areas. Climate Dynamics 6, 193-211.
• Masson, Delmonte et al 2005 Science 309
• Nanson, G.C., Chen, X.Y.,Price, D.M., 1995. Aeolian and fluvial evidence of changing climate and wind patterns during the past 100 ka in the western Simpson Desert, Australia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 113, 87-102.
• Seidel et al 2008 Nature Geoscience
• Shao et al. 2011, Aeolian Research v2
• Sprigg, R.C., 1982. Alternating wind cycles of the Quaternary era and their influences on aeolian sedimentation in and around the dune deserts of south-eastern Australia. In: R.J. Wasson (Editor), Quaternary Dust Mantles of China, New Zealand and Australia. A.N.U., Canberra, pp. 211-240.
• Wasson, R.J.,Hyde, R., 1983. Factors determining desert dune type. Nature 304, 337-339.
• Williams et al. 2006 J Quat. Sci.

ENVE340 AND THE EARTH SURFACE SCIENCE PROGRAM AT MACQUARIE

ENVE 340 is one of the core 300-level unit in Earth Surface Science (formerly Geoecology), and alongside ENVE 334 (Fluvial Geomorphology and River Management), ENVE 336 (Environmental Quality, capstone), ENVE 335 (Advanced Environmental Earth Science) make up the requirements for a major in Environmental Earth Science. Other units that are suggested as part of an Environmental Earth Science program include ENVE 361 (Environmental Management) and ENVE 382 (Environmental Analysis Using GIS), ENVE 382 (Coastal and Marine Biophysical Modelling) and ENVE 389 (Special interest seminar).

 Earth Surface Science aims to describe the diverse physical processes found at the earth’s surface and the connections between them. This area lies at the nexus between earth systems and biological systems – it is often concerned with landscapes and the landforms, sediments and soils within them but also, and crucially, the interaction of plants and animals in directing processes and shaping habitat.  Earth Surface Science combines aspects of Geomorphology, Soil Science, Natural Hazards, Environmental Management and Ecology. As a consequence, graduates gain skills essential for management of natural resources, including rural rivers and lands, and highly altered landscapes, including urban environments and mining areas.

Graduates of the Earth Surface Science major are in a wide range of workplaces including: environmental and geotechnical consultancies, local government (environmental officers), state government departments (Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources; Environment and Conservation), National Parks and Wildlife Service, Sydney Water, mining companies (environmental officers), teaching (primary and secondary) and research.

 This major is offered within the Bachelor programs of Science and Environment.  It is highly compatible with a double major in Environmental Management, SIS, Climate Science, Ecology, Environmental Geology, Marine Science and Museum Studies.  Depending on your own goals you may decide to combine EES units with other fields e.g. geology, atmospheric science, biology, Geographic Information Science (GIS).  

CHANGES TO THIS UNIT IN 2014

 In 2010 this unit changed from a 4cp to a 3cp, as well as changing code from GEOS337 to ENVE377 and in 2011 changed to ENVE340 due to curriculum changes. In order to meet the workload requirements of the reduced credit point load, we have changed the unit by reducing the number of lectures, the number of practical classes and the time demands of the field trip assignment. However we feel that we are still trying to get the balance right – and that is partly because we need to get more information on how long each of the assessment tasks takes to complete. We will seek your feedback to try and make sure this is manageable. In response to feedback last year the first assignment has been changed and now includes a peer review assessment. In addition the practicals are now completed in class rather than requiring extra work at home.

FIELDWORK

Weather: We never cancel fieldtrips for bad weather!  You must be prepared to work in the rain with the appropriate clothing and waterproof notebooks.  Likewise you should always protect yourself from the sun and dehydration.

Transport: You will need to arrange your own transport for the Narrabeen field day in Week 3. Ideally you should arrange to drive to each site with several other students from your practical class. We will provide a bus for the mid-semester field trip.

Arrival: Narrabeen day trip: We will meet at the parking area at a time to be announced on the northern side of the Wakehurst Parkway, to the east of the bridge across Deep Creek.

Kosciuszko and Nerrandera: We will meet in the compound behind E5A, at 7 am on the 22nd of April. We will arrange accommodation bookings.

Cost: You must cover your own food and accommodation, the University will cover the transport costs.  We have booked accommodation on behalf of the group, and you will need to use the payment slips at the rear of the book before the trip – amount is to be advised.

Accommodation: Field accommodation is in a backpackers in Snowy Mountains and a caravan Park in Nerrandera. There will be communal kitchens, dining, bathroom/toilet and work areas with limited power.  You should bring (apart from the gear listed below) a sleeping bag, pillow and towel. The cost is the same no matter what accommodation option you choose (amount to be advised).

Departure: Narrabeen day trip: we aim to depart Narrabeen lakes no later than 4pm.

Mid semester field trip: we will aim to depart in time to return to the University by 6 pm on Sunday night. However, given the distance involved this time should be considered an aim rather than an absolute.

We will be working in a remote environment – both remote from help and in a regional part of Australia, so you will not be able to buy any equipment after departing Sydney.

 What we will provide:

• tape measures, augers, spades, soil kits, GPS, geological hammer, grain size card, safety equipment.

 Personal field equipment required (i.e. you will need to buy and bring it)

• sturdy shoes (‘no visible skin below the ankles’)- sandals, thongs, or high heels are for après-field activities
• water bottle (full, of course!)
• wet weather gear - we go whatever the weather! If it rains at Kosi it will get very, very muddy, so at least two sets of old clothes are recommended.
• hat (with a wide brim, front and back) and sunscreen
• field note book and pencils (see note below)
• calculator, hand lens
• camera
• your lunch, drinks & snacks for the day - we do not stop at shops!!!
• a back pack to store it all in

 If you have a laptop computer you may find it useful for compiling data while in the field. It is not essential that everyone bring a laptop, but at least one per group is suggested. At least two will be available for loan from Environmental Science (but competition for them might be high).

Other personal items for the mid-semester field trip

sleeping bag and sheet – may be necessary for the shearers quarters – we will inform you closer to the departure date.

cooking/eating – no utensils necessary; but we will cook in the cabins.

towel/toiletries – bring these

food – there will be limited opportunities to purchase food, but the accommodation should have fridges. Expect to stock up on the drive to Wirroona. However, it is feasible that the local supermarket at Dubbo might not have the exact brand of exotic spice/unusual vegetable/vegan expresso chocolate that you covet, so if you can’t go without for the week bring it along with you. Be a bit sensible here though as it’s a long drive in a small minibus… 

FIELD NOTE BOOK:  Each student MUST purchase a small hardcover notebook for use in the field.  It should be bound down the spine on the left side, or across the top (but NOT spiral bound).  Use only ball-point pen, felt tip pen will run in wet weather and pencil will smudge or rip wet paper.  The best, and most expensive, option is a waterproof ‘rite-in-the-rain’ notebook. Write your personal details on the first page, and a table of contents inside the front cover.  On each field day, write the date and project title, the site details, and all observations and measurements, including details of methodology. 

 It is important that you get into the habit of writing thorough, accurate and legible notes at the outset - after all, if you are an expert witness for some environmental issue, your notebook can be tendered as evidence in legal proceedings, either in the Land and Environment court or at a Commission of Inquiry. Get into the practice of structuring your notebook at the start of each exercise and continually taking notes.  Do not depend on others, unless prescribed roles are allocated and this is one of the designated tasks.

SAFETY IN THE FIELD AND LABORATORY

 Any student who has a disability that may limit their participation in field work or that could result in a medical emergency in the field should notify the unit convenor immediately.  As a general guide to the level of physical fitness required, you should be able to walk 10 km over open undulating terrain in 3 hours.

 Each student must ensure his/her own safety at all times during field excursions.

•Do not undertake fieldwork alone.  You must work with at least one other person.

•You must be adequately equipped to undertake fieldwork, including wet weather clothing, warm clothing, hat and sun protection, protective footware (closed toe boots or shoes).

•You should bring a first aid kit if you have one (they will be provided to each group).

•Do not undertake any activity you feel to be unsafe.  Discuss with the fieldtrip leader any concerns you have about particular tasks.

•Be watchful of the safety of your fellow students, if they become separated from the group or are at some other risk.  Tell the fieldtrip leader as soon as you notice a potentially dangerous situation.

Laboratory work in this unit does not involve hazardous chemicals.  Nevertheless, in the laboratory you must wear safe (closed) footwear and generally follow safe practice.  Where items of equipment are to be used, do not use them until you have received adequate training.

All assessment tasks will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• level of accuracy and detail in description.
• use of terminology
• presentation
• use of resources
• use of theoretical concepts to support your evaluation

 Other specific criteria are given with each Practical and Assignment description elsewhere in this book.

Each assessment item will be returned to you with a letter grade (HD, D, Cr, P, PC, F) determined by the marker according to the University’s guidelines.

 Academic Senate has a set of guidelines on the distribution of grades across the range from fail to high distinction.  Your final result will include one of these grades plus a standardised numerical grade (SNG). On occasion your raw mark for a unit (i.e. the total of your marks for each assessment item) may not be the same as the SNG which you receive.  Under the Senate guidelines, results may be scaled to ensure that there is a degree of comparability across the university, so that units with the same past performances of their students should achieve similar results. It is important that you realise that the policy does not require that a minimum number of students are to be failed in any unit.  In fact it does something like the opposite, in requiring examiners to explain their actions if more than 20% of students fail in a unit. The process of scaling does not change the order of marks among students.  A student who receives a higher raw mark than another will also receive a higher final scaled mark. For an explanation of the policy see: http://www.mq.edu.au/senate/MQUonly/Issues/Guidelines2003.doc or http://www.mq.edu.au/senate/MQUonly/Issues/detailedguidelines.doc

 Grades for each assessment item and for the unit as a whole will be awarded according to the following general criteria:

Penalty for Late Submission. There is no room for lateness! However, if you should hand in some component late you will be penalised 10% each day. Come and see us before handing in late to discuss options

Extensions. There is no room for extensions either.  However, if something comes up you must discuss an extension with a staff member before the deadline.

What is required to complete this unit satisfactorily?

·         Attendance: make the most of the opportunities available to you: attend lectures and practicals and the two fieldtrips.  You may only submit assessment items based on practicals and fieldwork if you attended those sessions.

·         Assignments: you must hand in/complete ALL the assessment tasks to complete the unit

·         Attitude: look, read, ask, discuss, debate, enjoy

·         Quality: your assessment items will be graded according to your achievement of the learning outcomes.  We are looking for deep understanding as well as competence in particular skills of data collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation.

·         Honesty and sharing: you will often work in groups in the field and the laboratory but all the assessment tasks are individual.  Group data must be shared freely but presentation, writing up and interpretation are to be the efforts of each individual. Macquarie's procedures relating to plagiarism can be found at http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism/

·         Macquarie University has a range of policies that relate to learning and teaching, including

o    - assessment

o    - unit guide

o    - special consideration

o    They can be found at Policy Central (http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/).

 1. Assessment: 1 (15%)

• During the practical in week 2 you will be provided with three data sets; a terrestrial, an ice record and a marine record.

Further information on this assessment is provided in the practical

 Assessment rubric

2. Field Report (25%)

 This report is based on the mid-semester fieldtrip, the preparatory practical sessions, post-fieldwork data analysis and your own reading and research on the topic.  You will develop your own question that you must address in your report, tailoring the presentation and discussion of your results to answer the question and placing them within a context revealed by your readings.  The report should be presented in the format of scientific report, with a high standard of presentation (clarity and accuracy, not necessarily ‘pretty’), with diagrams, maps, graphs and tables (as appropriate) and standard scientific citation and referencing.  You will be provided with some essential and useful readings for these reports but you should also undertake your own research of the primary scientific literature. This report will be broken up into two parts: group results and individual interpretations. It is expected that you will share results between members of your group (and others where applicable). However, you should produce your own interpretations based on this data. This includes generating your own diagrams, graphs etc. Further details on how to prepare this field report will be provided during the field trip.

3. Oral Presentation (20%)

Each group will present oral presentation on their topic that compiles the results and that your group has gathered and the conclusions reached. You are welcome to use a variety of resources (e.g. props such as examples of sediments, powerpoint slides) to present your material. The primary emphasis of the presentations should be the laboratory examinations, but the presentation should refer to field sites and data to provide a context for these results, and to broaden their meaning and interpretation. Each group member is required to present for 5 minutes. The quality of your portion of the presentation – i.e. how well communicated the material delivered to your audience (coherence, audibility, use of resources, ability to answer questions) and your scientific insight into the material presented will form 50% of your grade for this presentation. A further 40% will be allocated for your group as a whole. This will be based on the accuracy and relevance of your group’s results and how well the talks from your group are integrated to tell the overall story. 10% will be awarded for the quality of questions you ask of the other groups.

Assessment Rubric (individual)

Assessment Rubric (group)

4. Examination (40%)

 The exam will be scheduled in the regular University examination period.  The exam is 3 hours in length and will cover all subjects covered in the lectures, practicals and fieldtrips.  There is a combination of short answer and longer (short essay) style questions.  As this is only the second time this unit has run, only last years exam papers are available but example questions will be discussed during the final lecture.