BZ2440 - Ecology and Conservation
| Credit points: | 03 |
| Year: | 2012 |
| Student Contribution Band: | Band 4 |
| Administered by: | School of Marine & Tropical Biology |
This subject is an introduction to the key ideas in the ecology of plants and animals. In presenting these ideas, the subject emphasises not only the ways in which they can be used to explain the distribution and abundance of species, but also their importance in helping understand the causes of extinction and providing the scientific basis for management of species. Topics include fertility and mortality; population dynamics and population regulation; life history strategies; interactions between species (competition, facilitation, predation, herbivory, parasitism); dynamics of communities; island biogeography; limits to the co-existence of species.
Learning Outcomes
- ability to critically assess ecological hypotheses;
- appreciation of the relationship between ecological theory and conservation and management of natural populations and communities;
- be familiar with key concepts in population and community ecology.
| Assumed Knowledge: | Students enrolling in this subject should have a good understanding of level 1 biology or environmental science, including the following or their equivalents: at least two AG, BT, BZ, ZL or EV subjects. |
| Prerequisites: | (BZ1001 AND 6 credit points of BT, BZ, EV or ZL subjects) OR (9 credit points of EG level 1 subjects) |
| Inadmissible Subject Combinations: | AG2006 BZ5440 |
Availabilities | |
| Townsville, Internal, Study Period 2 | |
| Census Date 23-Aug-2012 | |
| Coordinator: | Dr Robert Congdon |
| Lecturers: | Dr Robert Congdon, Professor Lin Schwarzkopf, Professor Ross Alford. |
| Contact hours: |
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| Assessment: | end of semester exam (45%); tutorial attendance and participation (10%); essays (15%); assignments (30%). |
| Special Assessment Requirements: | Students enrolled in the Environmental Engineering course will attend additional tutorials |
| Cairns, Internal, Study Period 2 | |
| Census Date 23-Aug-2012 | |
| Coordinator: | Dr Will Edwards |
| Lecturers: | Dr Will Edwards, Dr Brad Congdon, Dr Susan Laurance. |
| Contact hours: |
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| Assessment: | end of semester exam (60%); (40%). |
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.