Unit aim
Introduces students to the major types of coastal marine habitat, from estuaries, intertidal shores, rocky and coral reefs, to show their basic structure and the processes that maintain them as recognisable entities. In addition, this unit builds on the basic knowledge acquired in the Biology and Ecology units of the first year to survey the major groups of marine animals and plants and show their roles in the maintenance of marine habitats. The practical work includes field trips to mangroves, seagrass, rocky shore and sediment habitats. It includes boat work to sample plankton and benthos.
Unit content
The following topics will be covered by the study guide, textbook and Internet readings and lectures and are assessed by two online quizzes and a final exam:
Topic 1: Global ocean systems and Australian marine biogeography
Topic 2: Estuarine habitats including seagrasses, mangroves and saltmarshes
Topic 3: The pelagic environment: plankton, fish and other nekton
Topic 4: Sedimentary habitats
Topic 5: Rocky habitats
Topic 6: Coral reefs
The following marine taxonomy topics are for self-directed study and are covered by the Practical Handbook, supported by recommended reference books and on-line resources. They will be assessed in the online quizzes and final exam and reinforced by field exercises: - polychaetes and other worms - molluscs - crustaceans - echinoderms - cnidarians and ctenophores - sessile phyla: sponges, ascidians and bryozoans - marine Plants: macroalgae, mangroves, saltmarshes and seagrasses. All students will be expected to contribute to a group seminar presentation on a marine species of concern to Australian marine resource managers. Field trips - Plankton collection, Richmond River - Estuarine habitats, Mobbs Bay, Ballina - Subtidal benthos sampling, Ballina - Open coast rocky shore zonation.
Learning outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.
Learning outcomes and graduate attributes
| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | GA1 | GA2 | GA3 | GA4 | GA5 | GA6 | GA7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | identify the major taxa of marine organisms and recognise local examples | Knowledge of a discipline | Lifelong learning | |||||
| 2 | demonstrate an understanding of the basic organisation and function of the major coastal marine habitats and communities and relate this to issues in marine resource management | Intellectual rigour | Knowledge of a discipline | Lifelong learning | ||||
| 3 | plan and conduct sampling programs of marine organisms in a variety of habitats and to present their findings in a variety of formats. | Intellectual rigour | Knowledge of a discipline | Lifelong learning | ||||
Prescribed texts
Session 1
- In previous years the text 'Marine Biology: an Ecological Approach' by Nybakken and Bertness 6th edn (international) was used but is now out of print. Readings will be provided for anyone who has an old copy of this book and for use with library copies : Townsend, DW, 2012, Oceanography and Marine Biology, 1st edn, Sinauer & Associates Inc, Massachusetts USA. ISBN: 978-0-87893-602-1.
Teaching and assessment
Lismore
| Teaching method |
| Lecture on-site 2 hours (11 weeks) |
| Practical session 3 hours (11 weeks) |
| Structured online learning 1 hours (10 weeks) |
| Assessment | |
| Online quizzes | 25% |
| Seminar | 25% |
| Report | 25% |
| Exam: closed book | 25% |
Fee information
Domestic
Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.
Commencing 2017 Commonwealth Supported only. Student contribution band: 2
Fee paying courses
For POSTGRADUATE or UNDERGRADUATE full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees
International
Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.