ENV BIOL 3010 - Marine Ecology III

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2014

This course will provide an understanding of the patterns of abundance and diversity of marine plants and animals and the processes that structure these patterns. Emphasis is placed on the challenges and solutions to understanding the complexity of marine systems. This course will demonstrate the use of coherent logical procedures and rigorous experimental design to provide practical evidence for the development of theory and solutions to environmental and conservation problems in coastal habitats. The habitats and organisms used to illustrate lectures are derived from ecological studies of subtidal rocky and coral reefs, intertidal rocky reefs, mangrove forests, salt marshes, seagrass meadows, urban structures and pelagic habitats. Details of field trip communicated at start of the course.

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Course Details

Course Code	ENV BIOL 3010
Course	Marine Ecology III
Coordinating Unit	School of Earth and Environmental Sci(Inactive)
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 6 hours per week, plus field trip
Assumed Knowledge	6 units of Level II Environmental Biology courses or equivalent & ENV BIOL 3006
Assessment	Take-home exam, field trip report, final exam

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Bayden Russell

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

Course Learning Outcomes

A successful student should be able to:

1	Demonstrate an understanding of logical observations, models and hypotheses that shape research questions and the range of different approaches used to answer them
2	Demonstrate knowledge of a range of marine organisms, from microbes to plants to animals, and the techniques used to sample them
3	Understand the use of different sampling techniques and apply them in field-based experiments
4	Develop rigorous sampling designs, plan and successfully complete a research project
5	Apply basic statistical techniques to real data and correctly interpret the outcome
6	Develop team-based skills in scientific research, including management of projects through communication with peers
7	Demonstrate scientific communication skills in both written and oral form, including the conventions in technical writing, the structure of scientific papers and graphical methods for presenting data

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised.	1-5
The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner.	2-4, 7
An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems.	3-7
Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication.	3-7
A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies.	1-5, 7
A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life.	1, 3, 6-7
A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community.	1, 4, 6-7
An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities.	1, 2, 6-7

Learning Resources

Recommended Resources

The recommended text assigned to this course is:

Connell SD & Gillanders BM 2007. Marine Ecology. Oxford University Press, 630p. ISBN: 9780195553024
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

This course will be delivered by the following means:

Teaching is primarily done through a combination of lectures (1 x 2 hours per week during semester) and a mid-semester break field trip (4 days).

Workload

No information currently available.

Learning Activities Summary

No information currently available.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Type of assessment	Percentage of total assessment	Hurdle	Learning Outcomes being assessed / achieved	Approximate Timing of Assessment
Take home exam	Formative & Summative	20 %	No	1-2, 7	Week 5
Field trip report	Formative & Summative	30 %	No	1-7	Week 12
Exam	Summative	50 %	No	1-2, 7	End of semester exam period

Assessment Detail

1. Take home exam

The take home exam will be set in week 5 of semester. The questions will be posted to MyUni on the Friday afternoon and will be due at 9:00am on the following Monday. The exam will take the form of several questions that require answers in the form of essays and will require reference to the scientific literature. It is expected that students will draw on lecture material and other sources of information for answers. Essays will be submitted through TurnItIn software.

2. Field Trip Report

Students will be required to submit a report on scientific activities on the compulsory mid-semester field camp. This report will be due in week 12 of the semester and take the form of a scientific paper and will have strict guidelines that will be announced in class and posted on MyUni. The report will be written in the same groups that complete the research project on the camp. All students within the group will receive the same mark for the report. Students who do not attend the field trip will be required to write an essay that requires comparable intellectual and temporal investment as expended by students on the trip. Details about the essay guidelines will be provided in class.

3. Exam

A 3-hour end-of-semester exam is scheduled for Marine Ecology

Submission

No information currently available.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through .

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.

The 成人大片 is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The 成人大片 therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator

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