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GEPL441 Environmental Biogeography

Updated: 19 April 2010
Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study Online Level
Armidale Semester 2 Off Campus B - Internet access required
Intensive School(s) None
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 GEPL341
Notes None
Combined Units GEPL341 - Environmental Biogeography
Coordinator(s) Rajanathan Rajaratnam (rrajarat@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

This unit introduces students to biogeography, a key interdiciplinary bridge between biology and geography that addresses the spatial and temporal patterns of biological diversity. It will encompass the historical and ecological perspectives of biogeography and integrate them with the current biogeographical focus on investigating patterns of variation in nature across physical gradients such as area, latitude, climate, elevation and isolation. Finally, by drawing upon 'real-world' examples of applied biogeography, students will be introduced to its application in conservation planning at the global, regional and local scales.GEPL441 will include a comprehensive essay on a specific biogeographical issue.
Prescribed Material
Mandatory 		Text(s):

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material

Environmental Biogeography
ISBN: 9780582318298
Ganderton, P. and Coker, P., Pearson Education 2005
Text refers to: Semester 2 , Off Campus
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Essay 50% 4000
Assessment Notes
Plus 250-word abstract in scientific style.
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-6 GA: 1-7
Final Examination 2 hrs 50%
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-4 GA: 1-6

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. understand the basic principles that underpin the foundation of biogeography and have an inherent understanding of the spatial and temporal patterns governing the global distribution of biological diversity;
  2. demonstrate competent knowledge and understanding of the various subdisciplines of biogeography like historical biogeography, ecological biogeography and paleoecology as related to Australasia and the world in general;
  3. demonstrate an adequate knowledge on the evolution of biogeography in the modern context in line with new discoveries in the fields of ecology, systematics, genetics and technology;
  4. demonstrate the capacity to apply and utilise principles of biogeography in the fields of environmental and conservation planning;
  5. demonstrate the capacity to research and explore additional literature relevant to environmental biogeography; and
  6. demonstrate an advanced level of scholarly writing as required at the post-graduate level.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Will develop an innate perception of the academic principles governing biogeography which will be assessed in the final exam. 		True True True
2 Communication Skills
Develop effective written skills in disseminating academic information relevant to biogeography at a high scholarly level as assessed through the assignment and final exam. 		True True True
3 Global Perspectives
Will develop sufficient knowledge about the function of biogeography as applied to the global environment. This will be assessed through the assignment and final exam. 		True True True
4 Information Literacy
Will be able to differentiate, collect and critically evaluate academic information relevant to biogeography. This will be assessed through the written assignment. 		True True True
5 Life-Long Learning
Will be able to recollect, reflect and elaborate further upon academic knowledge gained through the study of biogeography. This competence will be assessed through the assignment and final exam. 		True True
6 Problem Solving
Will be able to utilise knowledge of environmental biogeography and associated principles in effectively developing relevant solutions pertaining to conservation and management. This will be assessed through the assignment. 		True True True
7 Social Responsibility
Understand and recognise the ethical implications pertaining to plagiarism at the scholarly level, which will be assessed through the written assignment. 		True True
8 Team Work
Use the online bulletin board to develop working partnerships to discuss, appraise and investigate both existing and new information relevant to environmental biogeography. 		True True
   

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