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ECOL511 Ecology of Australian Vegetation

Updated: 06 April 2010
Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study Online Level
Armidale Semester 2 Off Campus A- Internet access required
Intensive School(s)
Start Finish Attendance Notes
13 September 2010 16 September 2010 Mandatory 4 day field trip, dates to be determined
Supervised Exam There is a UNE Supervised Examination held at the end of the teaching period in which you are enrolled.
Pre-requisites candidature in a postgraduate award
Co-requisites None
Restrictions ECOL302 or ECOL311
Notes None
Combined Units ECOL311 - Ecology of Australian Vegetation
Coordinator(s) Peter Clarke (pclarke1@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

This unit is designed for students who are interested in botany and ecology and want to extend their skills and knowledge in a subject area more formally known as plant community ecology. This unit introduces ecological concepts that relate to the description and dynamics of plant communities. This extends to definitions and classification of communities, community description in space and time, disturbance, and succession. Practical work includes methods of sampling and analysis of data, vegetation mapping, and modelling vegetation dynamics. A four-day field excursion will provide the basis of a major project. ECOL511 is based on ECOL311 with additional assessment tasks requiring a greater depth of understanding of the material.
Materials No text required
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Essay 20% 2500
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-5 GA: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8
Project 30% 3000
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-5 GA: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8
Final Examination 2 hrs 50%
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-5 GA: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. understand the key concepts of plant community ecology;
  2. demonstrate practical skills and experience in dealing with plant community ecology;
  3. demonstrate critical skills in analysing ecological data;
  4. demonstrate an understanding of the appropriate use of and different approaches to ecological analysis and classification;
  5. critically review, appreciate, appraise and communicate scientific literature.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Students are given lectures, notes and practicals from an ecologist that is at the leading edge of the discipline of plant community ecology. 		True True True
2 Communication Skills
Students are given assignments that must report in sound scientific writing and be of publishable standard. 		True True True
3 Global Perspectives
Students learn about the global implications of the interactions that drive the distribution and abundance of plants. 		True
4 Information Literacy
Students are given assignment that require then to extensively research the scientific literature on plant community ecology. 		True True True
5 Life-Long Learning
Students learn that scientific knowledge requires the constant testing of new ideas through quantitative observation and hypothesis testing using statistical analyses. 		True
6 Problem Solving
Students are given problems that are designed to induce thinking challenges and these are resolved using examples from class exercises and essays about environmental factors that influence the distribution and abundance of plants. 		True True True
7 Social Responsibility
Students learn that scientific advocacy and environmental advocacy are related and those sound scientific knowledge are best place to be advocates for the environment. 		True
8 Team Work
Students work together in groups for practicals and to present group results to the class. 		True True True
   

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