Graduate School of The Environment
GSE856 Wildlife Survey
About this Unit
Semester 2, 2008
Offered: X2 - External/online delivery; Second Half-Year
Convenors: Dr Jim Shields and Adam Fawcett
Prerequisites/corequisites: None
Credit Points: 4
The unit teaches methods to design, conduct and interpret flora and fauna surveys. Its purpose is to provide more specialised skills in the collection and presentation. Modelling and analysis at a level sophisticated enough to inform wildlife management decisions will be taught. Concepts include home range analysis, habitat models and minimum viable population calculations.
The unit provides training in advanced wildlife survey techniques that are usually difficult to gain experience and training in. Students are given an opportunity to gain hands on experience in the use of these techniques and analysis of the survey data. The unit builds on skills and techniques studied in GSE854 and builds on the application of these techniques in association with the techniques concentrated in this unit.
Teaching Staff
Convenors: Dr Jim Shields
Phone: (02) 6495 0165
Fax: (02) 6495 0269
Adam Fawcett
Mobile: 0407 437 884
Classes
As an external online unit, no on-campus classes are held for this unit. All lectures and tutorials are run through the secure WebCT teaching website. 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 5 day field trip will be held mid-semester. It is strongly recommended that all students attend the field trip although it is not compulsory. Details are provided via Blackboard.
Unit web page
Login to the unit through Blackboard (http://learn.mq.edu.au/)
Technology Used and Required
Learning Outcomes
On completion of the unit you should have satisfied yourself and the unit convenor that you have achieved the following specialist and generic learning outcomes:
Specialist Outcomes
- Gain awareness of the range of specialist methods available to quantify plant and animal communities or populations, including methods of sampling, measurement and analysis
- Have an understanding of the methods used for converting raw data from these specialist methods into useful results for analyses and report writing
- Develop a working knowledge of planning and undertaking the work necessary for projects utilising specialists necessary
- Develop the skills necessary to report on the fieldwork undertaken
- Acquire practical skills from the unit material
- Be able to ensure that procedures are safe for personnel and ethical with regard to flora and fauna
In addition to the discipline-based learning objectives, all academic programs at Macquarie seek to develop students' generic skills in a range of areas. One of the aims of this unit is that students develop their skills in the following generic skills:
Generic Outcomes
- Writing cogent and clearly structured reports addressing relevant issues
- Self management including the definition and completion of assignments
- Critical analysis and evaluation
- Independent learning and research
- Teamwork
- Professional responsibility with regard to wildlife management
Graduate Capabilities Developed
Teaching and Learning Strategy
The unit has two components:
- An external component using web-based delivery. Supporting written material will be provided to deliver concepts and principles outlined in the learning objectives. Video [VHS, DVD or CD Rom] demonstration will be provided where required.
- A series of field based projects provided during the unit field trip. The experience gained will allow the students to able to apply the field techniques and convert the data collected into results useful or analyses or reporting.
The learning units will be delivered on line and as hand outs with the class materials. Those most closely related to field work will be delivered as part of the field trip. A basic description of contents and principles follows.
Schedule of Lectures
| Topic | Content and Resources |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Review of fundamentals, principle and theory of advanced wildlife techniques. State objectives, outcomes. Written notes, reading list, audio lecture |
| Data to results | Turning Data to Results: Wildlife Techniques for Scientific and Management Use |
| Plants | A one stop shop for vegetation surveys. In depth presentation of a workable survey technique for vegetation. Written notes, reading list, computer spread sheet for analysis, audio lecture. |
| Tracks and traces surveys | Sand pads, bait mounds, tracking mammals, finding signs. Written notes, reading list, audio and video |
| Leg restraints traps | Techniques and principles (including ethics) of jaw traps and snares. Written notes, reading list, audio and video |
| Hair and bone analysis | Introduction to analysis of scat & stomach contents, hair tube results. Written notes, reading list, audio and video |
| Radio tracking | Presents the gear and procedures for fitting radio collars on mammals. Reference to birds, frogs, bats. Written notes, reading list, audio lecture. |
| Home range analysis | Presents the options for calculating home range, primarily from radio fixes. Written notes, reading list, computer software, audio lecture |
| Mist netting | In depth presentation of setting, running and collecting data from mist netting for birds. Reference to bats. |
| Specimen preparation | Introduction to specimen preparation and storage, emphasis on data collection. Written notes, reading list, audio and video |
| Using electric bat gear | In depth presentation of Anabat recording, data manipulation, bat counting devices. Written notes, reading list, audio lecture |
| Analysis and reporting | Information on putting together these techniques in a field trip/project, conclusions |
| Summary and synthesis | Information on putting together these techniques in a field trip/project, conclusions |
Students are expected to participate in Blackboard online discussion and chat forum, answering questions as outlined in the lecture material and with reference but not limited to suggested literature. Students are strongly encouraged to attend and be actively involved in the field trip (or a suitable alternative as discussed with the lecture), working as a team to complete all set tasks.
During the field trip you will be required to attend lectures, participate in tutorial sessions, and undertake a field-based practical survey. You will work in teams to produce a realistic report of the survey.
If you cannot attend the field trip, alternative arrangements are available for the learning materials, assignments and experience relating to the field trip. Where possible the lectures and demonstrations will be made available using audio and video presentations via Blackboard. Attendance is strongly encouraged due to the hands on nature of the techniques being taught although it is recognised that it may not be possible and given this is an online unit we must be able to deliver remotely!
Assessment Requirements
The assessment tasks have been designed to allow students to demonstrate how well they have achieved the learning outcomes for the unit. The allocation of marks within each task reflects the relative importance of the different components and students should pay particular attention to these as they complete the assignments.
| Assignment | Max. Length | Marks | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Write a critique of a paper (provided) that incorporates the principles and focus questions presented in the Topics 1 through 3. Explore the justification of any recommendations. | 1500 words | 15% | |
| 2. Complete an analysis of data sets (provided) and provide an interpretation that address(es) a relevant hypotheses. The data sets will comprise a vegetation data set and a fauna data set. | 2000 words | 35% | |
| 3. Select one of the topics covered and provide project specifications for a field program utilising this technique. Give a selected literature review that justifies the project specifications.
Provide a recommended format for presentation of results from this project. |
2500 words | 40% | |
| 4. Discussions: Students are expected to participate in online discussion throughout the semester. Assessment will be based on your input to the Discussions forum, including starting new discussion threads and contributing to existing threads | 10% |
All assignments will be submitted using the Assignments tool in Blackboard. Cover sheets (as provided) must be included with each unit.
All students are required to complete and submit assessment work by the due time and date. Extensions will only be granted in writing at the discretion of the unit convenor and will only be granted prior to the due date (except in exceptional circumstances) and with the support of adequate documentation such as a medical certificate. Otherwise automatic penalties will apply as per University guidelines.
How Do I Request an Extension?
Examination Conditions
Required and Recommended Texts/Materials
Plagiarism
The 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
In person: Level 2, Lincoln Building (C8A), Macquarie University
Website: http://www.sss.mq.edu.au/equity
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