ZL5211 - Tropical Australian Herpetology
[Offered in even-numbered years]
| Credit points: | 03 |
| Year: | 2008 |
| Student Contribution Band: | Band 2 |
| Administered by: | Discipline of Zoology & Tropical Ecology |
Available to students enrolled for the degrees of MSc; a two semester customised DipResMeth (in lieu of Masters Qual); MAppSc; BAppSc or Graduate Diplomas.
Australia has one of the richest faunas of frogs and reptiles found on any continent. The Australian herpetofauna is taxonomically and functionally diverse, with a wide variety of ecological types, habitat requirements and life histories. Reptiles and amphibians are poorly studied in comparison with the other terrestrial vertebrates and are generally less vagile and more habitat-specific than birds or mammals. They can thus serve as valuable indicators of the status of habitats and should be included in habitat evaluations. Members of both taxa exhibit a very wide range of reproductive and behavioural adaptations that enable them to survive in Australias harsh environments. The subject examines the diversity of form and function of Australian amphibians and reptiles, emphasising the tropical fauna and will work with techniques needed to survey them and study their biology. Students will be required to attend Zl3211 lectures and practicals.
Learning Outcomes
- learn and apply the basic techniques needed to survey and study the biology of amphibians and reptiles;
- learn to identify representatives of major taxa;
- understand the taxonomic and functional diversity of Australian amphibians and reptiles, particularly the tropical fauna.
| Prerequisites: | Consult HoS |
| Inadmissible Subject Combinations: | ZL3211 |
Availabilities | |
| Townsville, Block, Study Period 10 | |
| Census Date 19-Dec-2008 | |
| Face to face teaching 01-Dec-2008 to 12-Dec-2008 | |
| Coord/Lect: | Professor Ross Alford. |
| Contact hours: |
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| Assessment: | end of semester exam (45%); other exams (15%); assignments (30%); field project report; (10%). |
Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.