MB2090:03
Tropical Marine Ecosystems
| Townsville, Cairns | HECS Band 2 |
26 hours lectures, 24 hours foundation studies (reading of important papers/book chapters and completion of quiz on Blackboard at the end of each session), 14 hours field trips. Some face-to-face lectures and field trips will be in Cairns, other options will be made available to students in Townsville on demand. Limited Attendance, Semester 2.
An introduction to marine biology and ecology. A description of tropical marine ecosystems, with a focus on mangrove and coastal ecosystems, coral reefs and seagrass ecosystems. An examination of reproduction and dispersal of marine organisms. A brief review of how scientists examine marine systems.
Learning Objectives:
- to identify the major components common to all marine ecosystems;
- to identify, compare and contrast a variety of common marine ecosystems, especially coral reef, seagrass and mangrove ecosystems, using the ecosystem components previously identified as a basis;
- to review the major processes involved in reproduction in marine organisms;
- to identify and understand some of the major techniques used to collect data from marine ecosystems, emphasising the advantages and disadvantages of a range of techniques;
- to promote competency and familiarity of students to field work.
Assessment by tutorial and field performance (20%); assignment (20%); essay (20%); final examination (40%).