Unit Information and LG internal 2021 PDF

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BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information and Learning Guide (Internal Version) Semester 1, 2021

This information should be read in conjunction with the online support information that can be found on your MyMurdoch page.

Unit coordinators Name Professor Mike Calver Dr Barbara Bowen

School Environmental and Conservation Sciences Environmental and Conservation Sciences

Contact Details 9360 2277 [email protected] 9360 2928 [email protected]

© Published by Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, 2021. This publication is copyright. Except as permitted by the Copyright Act no part of it may in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or any other means be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be broadcast or transmitted without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Groth, G. (ed). (2008) The complete Peanuts. Fanatgraphics Books, Seattle

CONTENTS UNIT INFORMATION AND LEARNING GUIDE Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Section 9

Unit Description Unit Learning Outcomes Unit Coordination Unit Structure Resources Assessment Study Hints Examination Weekly Study Plan

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Environmental Biology BIO103

Unit Information

This information should be read in conjunction with the online learning support information which can be found on your MyMurdoch page.

BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

1

SECTION ONE

Unit Description Overview

Around 40 years ago, environmental biologist Alison Jolly wrote sadly of her experiences in Madagascar and Mauritius: This realization has been painful. It began for me in Madagascar, where the tragedy of forest felling, erosion, and desertification is a tragedy without villains. Malagasy peasant farmers are only trying to change wild environments to feed their own families as mankind has done everywhere since the Neolithic Revolution. The realization grew in Mauritius, where I watched the world’s last five echo parakeets land on one tree and knew they will soon be no more. It has come through an equally painful intellectual change. I became a biologist through wonder at the diversity of nature. I became a field biologist because I preferred watching nature go on its own way to messing it about with experiments. At last I understood that biology, as the study of nature apart from man, is a historical exercise. From the Neolithic Revolution to its logical sequels of twentieth-century population growth, biochemical engineering of life forms, and nuclear mutual assured destruction, human mind has become the chief factor in biology. ... the urgent need in studies is conservation. It is sheer self-indulgence to write books to increase understanding if there will soon be nothing left to understand. (Jolly 1980)

Most of these problems have not disappeared. They are now major concerns of environmental biology. The principal aim of BIO103 Environmental Biology is to emphasise to you the immediate and pressing relevance of the subject in the world today, while introducing you to the systematic framework that underpins the discipline and which you must master to make a significant contribution yourself to solving environmental problems. Central to this aim is that you 1

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BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

become familiar with the main skills of environmental biologists: observing, classifying, predicting, experimenting, theorising, and communicating. In the theory component, you will encounter descriptions of these skills and their application to our understanding of marine, inland aquatic and terrestrial environments. In the practical component, you will apply these skills yourself, developing your competence to use them throughout your studies and in your professional careers. Reference cited Jolly, A. (1980). A world like our own: Man and nature in Madagascar. Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut. Handbook Entry

If you wish, you may consult the full entry for BIO103 in the online handbook.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequistes for enrolment in BIO103 Environmental biology.

Inherent Requirements

BIO103 involves laboratory work and significant fieldwork components. Key inherent requirements of these activities include: a) Reasonable levels of fitness and mobility enabling movement in a variety of habitats, e.g. forest, dense bush, beaches, intertidal areas and in shallow waters. b) Reasonable sight and hearing are required to be able to function adequately in field and laboratory situations. In particular, laboratory work requiring microscope use precludes significant visual disabilities (in most cases aided vision is acceptable). c) Manual dexterity is required to be able to manipulate sensitive/delicate field and laboratory equipment. d) Ability to work in groups is essential for several field and laboratory activities. Other, more generic, inherent requirements that apply to units in the biological sciences include: Ability to observe experimental results May have to operate independently May have to operate in groups Need to be able to engage with technology No major chemical sensitivities Must be able to present results in both written and oral form.

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BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

3

SECTION TWO

Unit Learning Outcomes BIO103 Environmental biology has general unit aims, several specific objectives for both its theory component and its practical component, and integrated overall unit objectives. Learning Outcomes After completeing BIO103 Environmental biology you will be able to: 1.

Demonstrate command of the essential theoretical and practical background in the biological sciences needed for success in your chosen course of study.

2.

Justify conservation of the biotic environment on the basis of its great complexity and integration with human wellbeing.

3.

Demonstrate responsibility for your own planning and organisation by submitting work on time.

These learning outcomes are complemented by specific learning objectives in both the theory and practical components of the unit. Theory

After completing the theory component of this unit you will be able to: 1.

Explain, using the cases of Leadbeater’s Possum and the Crown of Thorns Starfish as examples, how human beings can impact on their natural environments.

2.

Explain why the skills of observing, classifying, predicting, experimenting, theorising and communicating are important in environmental biology.

3.

Explain the role of hypothesis, replication and control treatments in experimental design and illustrate your

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BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

understanding by either (i) designing simple experiments of your own, or (ii) providing an intelligent critique of an example of an experimental design.

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4.

Define the cell theory, list the major organelles of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and their functions, and distinguish between animal and plant cells.

5.

Explain the theory of evolution by natural selection and outline the evidence supporting it.

6.

Illustrate the process of biological classification by (i) explaining the use of taxonomic levels from domain to species, and (ii) describing the characteristics of the three domains and six kingdoms of life.

7.

Briefly describe the main distinguishing features of the prokaryotic Domains Archaea and Bacteria and the eukaryotic Kingdoms Protista and Fungi.

8.

Briefly describe the main distinguishing features of 10 plant phyla and of monocots and dicots as subgroups of the flowering plants, with particular reference to the role of water in life histories and how vascular land plants have solved problems of support and transport of water and nutrients.

9.

Briefly describe the main distinguishing features and the skeletal, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, reproductive, digestive and excretory systems of nine animal phyla and five vertebrate classes.

10.

Distinguish between community ecology and population ecology and define, with examples, the species interactions mutualism, symbiosis, commensalism, parasitism, predation and competition.

11.

Explain, with examples, the concepts of energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecological communities.

12.

Discuss, using examples from biogeography such as biomes and the theory of continental drift, the concept that 'ecology is evolution in action'.

13.

Describe the main features of marine, inland aquatic and terrestrial environments and give examples of animals and plants that are adapted to each.

14.

Outline the main features of conservation biology as a subdiscipline of environmental biology and present a rationale for the conservation of the wild living resources of the Earth.

BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

15.

Practical

Assessing Learing Outcomes

5

Demonstrate preparedness for further study in the environmental and life sciences by defining all key terms on a list provided at the start of the unit.

At the end of the practical component you will be able to: 1.

Use both compound and dissecting microscopes correctly to observe biological specimens and (i) explain the relationships between objective magnification, eyepiece magnification, and total magnification, (ii) explain the relationships between total magnification, depth of field and diameter of field of view, and (iii) understand that the compound microscope is used to examine thin specimens viewed by transmitted light (i.e., light shone upwards through the specimen) and that the dissecting microscope is used to view 3-dimensional objects using reflected light (ie light shone down onto the specimen).

2.

Observe specimens closely and produce technically correct biological drawings of whole specimens, cell diagrams or tissue diagrams.

3.

Use simple dichotomous keys to identify organisms and design simple keys of your own.

4.

Appreciate the need for clear and accurate recording of data.

5.

Describe simple sampling methods and procedures for both inland aquatic invertebrates and terrestrial plants and comment on potential bias associated with these procedures.

6.

Outline the importance of safety in the laboratory and in the field and comply with the basic safety requirements in force at Murdoch University.

7.

Write clear, concise reports on your laboratory and field work that follow standard biological conventions, especially referencing.

8.

Use electronic references and journal databases in the library to access primary sources of biological information.

The learning outcomes and the objectives for the practical component will be assessed in practical reports as well as in the final exam. Theory component outcomes and objectives will be assessed in the final exam. Theory objective 13 and practical objective 7 are also assessed in the multiple-choice test held during semester.

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BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

Graduate Attributes

What You Need To Know

This unit will contribute to the following Graduate Attributes: (http://our.murdoch.edu.au/EducationalDevelopment/Preparing-to-teach/Graduate-attributes/) 1.

Communication

2.

Independent and lifelong learning

3.

Global perspectives

4.

Social interaction

5.

In-depth professional knowledge

6.

Interdisciplinarity

Generic information which students need to know is available at What you need to know web page. The information includes links to important information and policy related to your general well-being and study at Murdoch University.

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BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

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SECTION THREE

Unit Coordination Unit Coordinators

During 2021, the theory coordinator for Environmental biology is Profesor Mike Calver.

Practical Coordinators

The practical component of the unit is coordinated by Dr Barbara Bowen.

Contact Details

Dr Calver is a Professor in Biology. His major area of research is animal ecology with particular emphasis on the biology of predation. His office is room 2.015 in the Biological Sciences building (Building 240) and he may be contacted on 9360 2277, email [email protected]. Dr Bowen is a Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences. Her main research interests are in plant biology, particularly in the area of fire ecology. Her office is room 2.013 in the Biological Sciences Building (Building 240) and she may be contacted on 9360 2928, email mailto:[email protected].

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BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

Laboratory Demonstrator

During the first few days of the semester you will be allocated to a practical group that will have a demonstrator who is responsible for the development of your practical skills. Further details will be given during the lectures. Fill in the box below when you are advised of your demonstrator.

Demonstrator: Room No. (if on campus): Phone No (if on campus): Times available (if on campus):

Technical help

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For technical difficulties with any online component of your studies contact the IT Service Desk: [email protected] or phone 9360 2000 or visit http://our.murdoch.edu.au/Educational-technologies/

BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

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SECTION FOUR

Unit Structure Lectures

BIO103 has three lectures each week. A provisional schedule of topics is given at the end of this section. In 2021, they will be delivered live online. Sound recordings of the lectures and copies of the visuals are available through Echo (see Section 5 of this guide). Please note, though, that recordings may take up to two working days to be uploaded after a lecture. Also note that while Echo has high reliability, recordings occasionally fail.

Practicals

The practicals are devoted to the attainment of various practical skills. For details, please refer to the Practical Manual. For your practical you must attend one of these sessions: Tuesday 0930 - 1230, Loneragan Building (building 235) teaching laboratories Tuesday 1330 - 1630, Loneragan Building (building 235)teaching laboratories. Details on allocations to practical classes will be given in lectures. Note that there are no practicals in Weeks 1 and 2. Your attention is also drawn to the safety provisions for laboratory work given in detail in your Practical Manual. Data obtained in the practical sessions must be written up as formal assignments for assessment. Details of the assessment in the unit are given in Section 6 of this guide. Practicals also provide opportunities for small group work and interactive teaching.

Time commitment BIO103 is worth 3 credit points, so you are expected to spend and attendance 150 hours working on the unit (50h/point). Attendance for practicals is compulsory. Exemptions are only granted in cases of extenuating circumstances such as illness, illness of a dependent or bereavement. 9

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BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

Lecture timetable 2021

Theme 1 What is Environmental Biology?

Lecture

Date

Lecturer

Welcome to Environmental Biology

Wed 24/2

MC/BB

Environmental Biology and our Time

Wed 24/2

MC

Thurs 25/2 Wed 3/3 Wed 3/3 Thu 4/3

MC MC MC BB

Wed 10/3 Wed 10/3 Thu 11/3 Wed 17/3 Wed 17/3 Thu 18/3 Wed 24/3 Wed 24/3 Thu 25/3 Wed 31/3 Wed 31/3 Thu 1/4

MC MC BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB MC MC

Wed 14/4 Wed 14/4 Thu 15/4

MC MC MC

Theme 2 Scientific Method Process

Scientific Method The Cell Theory I The Cell Theory II Laboratory Briefing – Internal students only The Theory of Evolution I The Theory of Evolution II Classification I - Approaches Theme 3 Classification II - Microbes Applying Scientific Classification III - Protists Method – Biodiversity Classification IV- Fungi Classification V - Plants Classification VI – Plants Classification VII - Plants Classification VIII - Plants Classification IX - Animals Classification X - Animals One week teaching break Classification XI - Animals Classification XII - Animals Classification XIII – Animals

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BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

Theme 4 Applying Scientific Method –Biodiversity and the Environment

Theme 5 The Future Integration

Lecturers

Lecture

Date

Lecturer

Evolution in Action - Populations Evolution in Action - Communities No lecture – space for revision The Inland Aquatic Environment No lecture – space for revision No lecture – space for revision The Marine Environment No lecture – space for revision No lecture – space for revision The Terrestrial Environment No lecture – space for revision No lecture – space for revision

Wed 21/4 Wed 21/4 Thu 22/4 Wed 28/4 Wed 28/4 Thu 29/4 Wed 5/5 Wed 5/5 Thu 6/5 Wed 12/5 Wed 12/5 Thu 13/5

MC MC MC BB

Conservation Biology

Wed 19/5

MC

Integration and exam revision No lecture – space for revision

Wed 19/5 Thu 20/5

MC

Prof Michael Calver (MC) Dr Barbara Bowen (BB)

MC

MC

B

At the time of posting, all lectures are planned to be delivered live online. Please follow the links and information in the LMS for guidance on logging in to participate in these lectures. Recordings of lectures, including access to lecture slides, are available through Echo. Links are provided on the unit web pages. This will allow you to catch a lecture at another time if you are unable to listen to the live delivery.

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BIO103 Environmental biology Unit Information

SECTION FIVE

Resources Set Texts Internal and External

The text book for this unit is: Calver, M., Lymbery, A., McComb, J. and Bamford, M. (2009) Environmental biology. Cambridge University Press, Melbourne. This book corresponds closely to the content of the lectures and the questions at the end of set chapters are at the level you are expected to achieve when studying the unit. It is available from the Murdoch University Bookshop or from the reserve section of the library. The copies in reserve will be under considerable pressure during the semester and, like all books in this section of the library, are only available for limited time periods. It is advisable to obtain your own copy. You will also need a copy of the BIO103 Practical Manual, available from the university bookshop. You are strongly advised to purchase the current edition in case material has altered from previous years. If you feel you would like a guide to biological writing, or tha...