BZ2440 - Ecology and Conservation
| Credit points: | 03 |
| Year: | 2016 |
| Student Contribution Band: | Band 2 |
| Administered by: | College of Science and Engineering |
This subject is an introduction to the key ideas in the ecology of animals and plants. In presenting these ideas, the subject emphasises on the ways they can be used to understand how species interact with the environment; to explain the distribution and abundance of species; and to explore the causes of extinction providing scientific basis for wildlife management. Topics include evolutionary ecology of individual species (life history strategies, adaptive/neutral evolution and sexual selection); population dynamics; community ecology (species interactions and island biogeography); ecological networks; introduction to biodiversity conservation and the reality of current conservation efforts.
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. |
| Prerequisites: | BZ1007 OR (6CP of Level 1 or 2 BZ or EV subjects) |
| Inadmissible Subject Combinations: | AG2006 BZ2880 BZ5440 BZ5880 |
Availabilities | |
| Townsville, Internal, Study Period 2 | |
| Census Date 25-Aug-2016 | |
| Coordinator: | Professor Stephen Williams |
| Contact hours: |
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| Assessment: | end of semester exam (30%); tutorial attendance and participation (15%); lecture exams (20%); essays (20%); field trip assessment (15%). |
| Special Assessment Requirements: | Students enrolled in the Environmental Engineering course will attend additional tutorials |
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.