BZ3225 - Field Ecology

Credit points:	03
Year:	2013
Student Contribution Band:	Band 2
Administered by:	School of Marine & Tropical Biology

This subject will focus on learning specific techniques biologists use to describe natural populations. Emphasis will be placed on common field techniques encountered regularly in peer-reviewed publications in Ecology. Students will learn how to employ these techniques in order to generate datasets, to distinguish when each technique is required, to interpret the results in the context of ecological hypotheses and to report these results in a professional manner. There may be additional charges for this subject; please contact the School for details.

There are additional charges for this subject; please contact the School for details.

Learning Outcomes

• to gain experience in using common field techniques to gather ecological data from natural populations and communities, and to distinguish appropriate circumstances for each technique;
• to develop understanding of analytical methods that accompany these techniques and their interpretation;
• gain experience of the logistic requirements involved in working in natural ecosystems.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to deploy critically evaluated information to practical ends;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to evaluate that information;
• The ability to select and organise information and to communicate it accurately, cogently, coherently, creatively and ethically;
• The ability to generate, calculate, interpret and communicate numerical information in ways appropriate to a given discipline or discourse;
• The ability to lead, manage and contribute effectively to teams;
• The ability to work individually and independently;
• The ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies.

Assumed Knowledge:	Students enrolling in this subject should have a good understanding of ecology at level 2 and quantitative methods in biology, and should have completed BZ2880 and BZ2001 or equivalents.
Prerequisites:	(BZ2001 OR BS2001) AND (BZ2440 OR BZ2880 OR BZ2420 OR BZ2480 OR MB2060)
Inadmissible Subject Combinations:	BZ5225

Availabilities
Cairns, Internal, Study Period 2
Census Date 29-Aug-2013
Coordinator:	Dr Brad Congdon
Lecturers:	Dr Will Edwards, Dr Brad Congdon, Dr Susan Laurance, Professor Andrew Krockenberger.
Contact hours:	26 hours lectures 39 hours fieldwork
Assessment:	on course assessment.

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.