Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Grant Hose
Lecturer
Matthew Kosnik
Contact via 9850-7248
E8A330
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(39cp at 100 level or above) including BIOL227 or ENVS339
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit introduces the diverse nature of aquatic ecosystems, from catchment to coast, their biota, and the physical and chemical factors that have shaped their structure and function. The unit provides a holistic catchment perspective, covering lakes, rivers, estuaries, and temperate marine communities, fish, invertebrates and ecosystem processes, with a focus on Australian systems. Students will come to understand the key ecological components and processes in aquatic systems, and how ecological knowledge can be applied to management issues. The unit will provide students with experience in environmental monitoring and manipulative experiments, including formulating hypotheses, designing experiments, data collection, analyses, and communication of results. A basic knowledge of statistics is assumed. This unit has a strong emphasis on fieldwork, with essential supporting and contextual knowledge provided by laboratory classes and lectures. This unit helps prepare individuals for employment in aquatic sciences and is beneficial for those continuing to postgraduate studies in aquatic ecology and management.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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River Ecology Report | 35% | No | Week 8 |
Report editing and review | 5% | No | Week 8 |
Marine Ecology prac tasks | 25% | No | Weeks 9-12 |
Freshwater Ecology prac tasks | 5% | No | Weeks 4 & 5 |
Mid semester quiz | 25% | No | Week 7 |
Guest Lecture Attendance | 5% | No | Weeks 3,6,10,11,12 |
Due: Week 8
Weighting: 35%
Students will complete a scientific report on a field-based survey of aquatic habitats in the Kangaroo River-Shoalhaven Catchment. Biological data will be collected on the field trip. Students will be expected to identify the invertebrates collected and report on the diversity found and process other samples collected as directed in class. The report will follow the standard format for a professional scientific report, i.e., it will have an abstract/summary, introduction, materials and methods, results and discussion sections and appendices. It will be appropriately referenced. Further details of the assignment requirements will be given in class or online
Due: Week 8
Weighting: 5%
Students will bring to class their scientific report. The reports will be distributed among the class and each student will edit and review the work of another. Submissions will be anonymous. You will receive the feedback and comments made by your classmates who have reviewed your work.
Due: Weeks 9-12
Weighting: 25%
Over a series of consecutive weeks students will complete small tasks which together create the key components of a scientific study. Details on each task will be provided in class and be due the following week.
Due: Weeks 4 & 5
Weighting: 5%
Short written exercises will be completed that relate to activities undertaken in prac classes. Usually these tasks can be completed in class time.
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 25%
A quiz will be held during class time. The quiz will cover all material from prac classes, lectures and online learning activities given prior to the quiz date.
Due: Weeks 3,6,10,11,12
Weighting: 5%
Attendance at five guest lectures. Marked as pass/fail based on attendance for whole lecture. Guest lectures are those highlighted in bold in the lecture schedule of the unit outline.
Students are required to attend an off-campus, overnight field trip in week 5. Students are required to cover costs of accommodation and meals for this trip. Transport is provided and students are required to pay a transport levy.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.
This graduate capability is supported by:
This unit has changed considerably from previous offerings.Content of BIOL373 has expanded to include all aquatic ecosystems (including freshwater) and now incooporates content and learning activities previously delivered in BIOL362 Freshwater Ecology.
Date | Description |
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04/08/2017 | Removal of non-teaching staff |