Graduate School of The Environment
GSE854 Biodiversity Survey and Habitat Assessment Techniques
About this Unit
Semester 1, 2010
Offered: X1 - External/online delivery; First Half-Year
Convenor: Adam Fawcett
Prerequisites/corequisites: None
Credit Points: 4
Teaching Department: Department of Environment and Geography
This unit aims to provide students with suitable level of training required to efficiently plan and undertake surveys for fauna and flora. The unit focuses on appropriate survey skills and experience relevant to each major taxonomic group, tailored to ensure pragmatic value. In order to undertake such surveys, there is a strong emphasis on the practical and logical planning required to carry out safe and efficient wildlife surveys and research, within the limitations of the landscape and personnel involved. This includes appropriate attention to study design, data entry and storage, and analysis.
In teaching these skills, there is an emphasis in hands-on experience through the field trip. The important skills of observation and interpretation will be emphasised, identification techniques practiced and habitat assessment discussed and demonstrated.
No changes have been made to the unit since it was offered in 2009.
Teaching Staff
Convenor: Adam Fawcett
Mobile: 0427 929 554
Email: afawcett@science.mq.edu.au
Co-Lecturer: Dr Jim Shields
Office Phone: 02 6495 0165
Email: jim.shields@bigpond.com
Classes
The unit has two components:
- A distance component using web-based delivery through the Macquarie University online teaching website Blackboard CE6. Students are expected to work at their own pace through the unit material with ongoing guidance and discussion from unit conveners and teaching assistants.
- A four-day field trip will be held at the Smiths Lake Field Research Station. This will provide hands on experience and further learning input to deliver the practical skills described in the learning objectives. The field trip will involve both field and lab based lectures and exercises to develop these skills. The date of the field trip is planned for Wednesday 24 to Sunday 28 March 2010.
It is strongly recommended that all students attend the field trip although it is not compulsory. Details are provided in Blackboard at the start of the Semester or contact the Unit Conveners for more information.
Please note that should there be a clash with other units during the dates of the field trip (either field trips or compulsory course-work components) students will need to decide which unit they wish to be enrolled in for this semester to enable attendance.
Unit web page
Login to the unit through Blackboard CE6 (http://learn.mq.edu.au/)
Technology Used and Required
Students are required to have access to a computer and the internet to access the teaching website and lecture materials. Students will also be required to have access to a word processor, spreadsheet manager and database programs to be able to complete set assessment tasks.
For field work students will require access to some field equipment, a complete list of which will be supplied within the teaching website on activation.
Learning Outcomes
Through the successful completion of this unit the student will have the following learning outcomes that contribute to a Macquarie University graduate's capabilities (listed as headings):
1. Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
- Gain awareness of the range of specialist methods available to quantify plant and animal communities or populations
- Gain in field and lab experience in the practise of a range of specialist survey techniques.
2. Critical, Analytical & Integrative Thinking
- Develop skills to review and evaluate survey data and scientific reports, relevant to biodiversity surveys
- Gain awareness and skills in methods of sampling, measurement, analysis and interpretation
- Gain understanding of methods used for measuring and assessment of habitat including abiotic variables.
3. Problem Solving and Research Capability
- Develop a working knowledge of the planning and implementation of field work necessary for projects utilising biodiversity survey techniques
4. Creative and Innovative
- Make full use of biodiversity survey data through analysis and use of all data collected.
- Apply skills to improve results from biodiversity survey during field components
5. Effective Communication
- Display discussion and presentation skills through online discussions and field trip interaction
- Plan and present written arguments in coherent, well structured and documented form
- Work as part of a team during the field trip, demonstrating effective communication skills within and between teams and to supervising staff.
6. Engaged & Ethical Local and Global Citizens
- Be able to ensure that procedures are safe for personnel
- Ensure survey techniques are ethical with regard to flora and fauna at all times
7. Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible
- Minimise impact of biodiversity surveys undertaken on the people using sites, wildlife being surveyed and the environment surveys are undertaken in
8. Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative
- Recognise the strengths and limitations with respect to personal skill level
- Develop the ability to seek expert help and advice as needed based on scenario and personal skill levels
- Reflect on how personal experiences influence your own capacity for critical analysis
- Present a convincing argument for the results of biodiversity survey
9. Commitment to Continuous Learning
- Demonstrate effective time management and work organisation skills
- Demonstrate effective project management skills
- Assess your own learning and performance in group work and class and your ability to work in cross disciplinary and multi cultural situations
Graduate Capabilities Developed
- Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
- Critical, Analytical & Integrative Thinking
- Problem Solving and Research Capability
- Creative and Innovative
- Effective Communication
- Engaged & Ethical Local and Global Citizens
- Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible
- Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative
- Commitment to Continuous Learning
Teaching and Learning Strategy
The unit is designed to give students an understanding and skills in planning, undertaking and reporting biodiversity surveys. Teaching material is delivered online with topics divided into the semester weeks. Given the online nature of this lecture material, students are expected to participate in online discussions of addition material provided or source and discuss additional material as instructed. Content most closely related to field work will also be delivered as part of the field trip.
Topics covered include:
- Introduction: review of fundamentals of biodiversity survey and understanding why are you doing the field work/task?
- Preparation and planning for field work
- Animal care and ethics considerations
- Methods for counting taxa
- Field and lab taxonomy
- Flora survey
- Habitat assessment
- Invertebrate studies
- Field techniques for reptiles and amphibians
- Field techniques for mammals
- Field techniques for bats
- Field techniques for birds
- Maintaining the results of field work: data archiving, field station maintenance and equipment storage
- Report writing and presentations
Assessment Requirements
The assessment tasks are designed to allow you to demonstrate your understanding of the course content. The allocation of marks within each task reflects the relative importance of each task.
There are three components to assessment in this unit:
- Three (3) written assignments
- participation during field trip, primarily team work, planning and coordination skills and abilities. This will be demonstrated thru the completion of a field note book during the field trip
- participation in online discussion, notably participation throughout the semester in several related discussion topics.
If you are unable to attend the field trip please contact the unit convener to discuss available options to enable you to complete the relevant assessment components.
| Assignment | Max. Length | Marks | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selection of a Study Site (Essay/report) | 2000 words | 20% | 21 March 10 |
| Field Notebook | - | 10% | 28 March 10 |
| Field Trip Report (Scientific report) | 2000 words | 20% | 11 April 10 |
| Biodiversity Survey and Habitat Assessment report (Scientific report) | 5000 words | 40% | 6 June 10 |
| Participation in Discussions Forum | 10% | 9 June 10 |
How do I Request an Extension?
Students may request an extension for any of the set assessment tasks with the unit convener. As per university guidelines, a one week extension is available on request. Further requests for an extension will be assessed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the Macquarie University handbook. Students will be required to supply suitable documentation to support their request.
Examination Conditions
No exams are for this unit with set assignments forming the assessment for this unit.
Requirements to Complete this Unit Satisfactorily
To successfully complete the unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks and gain an overall pass mark from these assessment tasks.
Required and Recommended Texts/Materials
Set Text
Sutherland W J (Ed) (2006) Ecological Census Techniques: a handbook. Second Edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Paperback ISBN 9780521606363
Copies of this text are available through the Co-Op Bookshop at Macquarie University
Academic Honesty
Macquarie University defines plagiarism in its rules: "Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one's own." Plagiarism is a serious breach of the University's rules and carries significant penalties. You must read the University's practices and procedures on plagiarism. These can be found in the Handbook of Postgraduate Studies or on the web at: http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism/
The policies and procedures explain what plagiarism is, how to avoid it, the procedures that will be taken in cases of suspected plagiarism, and the penalties if you are found guilty. Penalties may include a deduction of marks, failure in the unit, and / or referral to the University Discipline Committee.
The GSE recommends that students familiarise themselves with the information contained on the Georgetown University Honor Council website which discusses plagiarism in an easy to understand and comprehensive manner.
All assignments will be screened with "Turnitin" anti-plagiarism software
University Policy on Grading
Academic Senate has a set of guidelines on the distribution of grades across the range from Fail to High Distinction. Your final result will include one of these grades plus a standardised numerical grade (SNG).
On occasion your raw mark for a unit (i.e., the total of your marks for each assessment item) may not be the same as the SNG which you receive. Under the Senate guidelines, results may be scaled to ensure that there is a degree of comparability across the university, so that units with the same past performances of their students should achieve similar results.
It is important that you realise that the policy does not require that a minimum number of students are to be failed in any unit. In fact it does something like the opposite, in requiring examiners to explain their actions if more than 20% of students fail in a unit.
The process of scaling does not change the order of marks among students. A student who receives a higher raw mark than another will also receive a higher final scaled mark.
For an explanation of the policy see:
http://senate.mq.edu.au/rules/Guidelines2003.doc or
http://senate.mq.edu.au/rules/detailedguidelines.doc
Special Consideration Policy
The University is committed to equity and fairness in all aspects of its learning and teaching. In stating this commitment, the University recognises that there may be circumstances where a student is prevented by unavoidable disruption from performing in accordance with their ability.
The Special Consideration Policy is instituted to support students who experience serious and unavoidable disruption such that they do not reach their usual demonstrated performance level.
Student Support Services
Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can be accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au.
Advice for Students with Disabilities/Health Conditions
The Equity Support Unit (ESU) provides support and assistance to students with a disability / health condition in aiming to ensure that they do not experience disadvantage in reaching their academic potential. Service provision is determined on a case-by-case basis following an assessment of a student's needs and the provision of supporting documentation. Service provision is also dependent on the availability of resources.
To register with ESU, download an Advice of Disability / Health Condition form from http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/academic-index.html. This form must be completed annually, irrespective of whether a disability / health condition is temporary, long-term or permanent. Students wishing to request support services from the ESU should make an appointment to see a Disability Advisor immediately after enrolling at Macquarie University.
Phone: (02) 9850 6494/7497
Fax: (02) 9850 6063
TTY: (02) 9850 6493
Email: equity@mq.edu.au
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