Course overview
This course aims to provide an understanding of the patterns of abundance and diversity of marine plants and animals and the processes that structure these patterns. The course focuses on the practical measurement and interpretation used to assess variation in ecological pattern and process, with some emphasis on human driven impacts. Particular emphasis is placed on temperate coasts for which the Australian population is largest and most dense, and its coastal-ocean problems are most expensive and intense. This course involves field trips and laboratory research that responds to tests of hypotheses that are developed during tutorials.
Course learning outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of processes that shape the abundance of organisms in marine and land based environments.
- Demonstrate scientific communication skills, including the conventions in technical and popular science writing, the structure of scientific papers and graphical methods for presenting data, and use of a graphical abstract to enhance science communication.
- Demonstrate team-oriented management of projects, especially communication with peers.
- Apply analytical methods to answer research questions, particularly questions about patterns and their natural or human-driven causes.