Availabilities:
2021 unit offering information will be available in November 2020
Unit description
Provides a multidisciplinary approach to defining the major types of chemical, physical, and biological pollutants that impact upon marine environments. Also examines pathways, fates and effects of these pollutants on marine ecosystems and human health. Examines different approaches to the design of monitoring programs for detecting pollutants, and techniques for controlling pollutants. Students gain skills in sampling techniques and analysis of polluted samples.
Unit content
Read the study guide topics and directed readings.
An Introduction to Marine Pollution
Nutrients and oxygen-demanding wastes
Oil and hydrocarbons
Antifoulants, past and present
Metals and mining
Compartments, distribution processes and community response – case studies on sediments and dredging
Plastic wastes – the floaters
Radioactivity
Water and sediment quality monitoring, risk assessment and compliance testing. Risk assessment tools: Ecotoxicology, multiple lines of evidence, community response
Understanding management actions and legislation that can reduce and minimise pollution.
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.
| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | GA1 | GA2 | GA3 | GA4 | GA5 | GA6 | GA7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | demonstrate their understanding of pollution issues, their sources and the relationship humans have with the ocean as a source of food and a sink for waste | Intellectual rigour | Knowledge of a discipline | Lifelong learning | ||||
| 2 | evaluate the way different pollutants behave in the marine environment and their impacts on marine ecosystems including nutrients, oil, metal pollution, pesticides and herbicides, solid plastics, antifoulants, radioactivity | Intellectual rigour | Knowledge of a discipline | Lifelong learning | ||||
| 3 | describe the compartments and distribution processes of pollutants in the marine environment using case studies | Intellectual rigour | Knowledge of a discipline | Lifelong learning | ||||
| 4 | develop tools that expand their inquiry to support management decisions | Intellectual rigour | Creativity | Knowledge of a discipline | ||||
| 5 | write sound scientific arguments related to research and data collection associated with marine pollution | Intellectual rigour | Knowledge of a discipline | Communication and social skills | ||||
| 6 | research and present sound scientific information for appropriate audiences. | Creativity | Knowledge of a discipline | Communication and social skills | ||||
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- demonstrate their understanding of pollution issues, their sources and the relationship humans have with the ocean as a source of food and a sink for waste
- GA1: Intellectual rigour
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
- GA5: Lifelong learning
- evaluate the way different pollutants behave in the marine environment and their impacts on marine ecosystems including nutrients, oil, metal pollution, pesticides and herbicides, solid plastics, antifoulants, radioactivity
- GA1: Intellectual rigour
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
- GA5: Lifelong learning
- describe the compartments and distribution processes of pollutants in the marine environment using case studies
- GA1: Intellectual rigour
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
- GA5: Lifelong learning
- develop tools that expand their inquiry to support management decisions
- GA1: Intellectual rigour
- GA2: Creativity
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
- write sound scientific arguments related to research and data collection associated with marine pollution
- GA1: Intellectual rigour
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
- GA6: Communication and social skills
- research and present sound scientific information for appropriate audiences.
- GA2: Creativity
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
- GA6: Communication and social skills
Teaching and assessment
Fee information
Domestic
Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.
Commencing 2021 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.