James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2002

BZ1030:03

Introductory Ecology

Townsville

HECS Band 2

37 hours lectures, 5 hours tutorials, 21 hours laboratory/field work. Semester 2.

Staff: Dr R Congdon.

An introduction to the ecology of populations, communities and ecosystems, including selected aspects of physiological ecology, biogeography and evolutionary ecology.

Learning Objectives:

  1. to learn the basic principles of ecology;
  2. to gain an understanding of Australian ecosystems, with emphasis on the tropics;
  3. to learn laboratory and field techniques in ecology, how to apply these techniques to answering ecological questions and how to produce scientific reports;
  4. to learn about the application of ecological principles to solving environmental problems, e.g. human population growth, pollution, loss of biodiversity.

Assessment by examination (60%); practical reports (20%); practical book (10%); tutorial performance (10%).