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Unit of Study BIO03099 - Marine Pollution (2020)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    There will be a 6-day compulsory residential for all students that will be held at the National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour. Please refer to https://www.scu.edu.au/timetables for further information on timetables.

Unit description

Explores a multidisciplinary approach to major types of chemical, physical, and biological pollutants that impact upon marine environments. This unit investigates pathways, fates and effects of these pollutants on marine ecosystems and human health. Different approaches to the design of monitoring programs for detecting and techniques for controlling pollutants are examined. Students gain practical skills in sampling techniques and analyses of polluted samples.

Unit content

Read the study guide topics and directed readings.

An Introduction to Marine Pollution

Nutrients and oxygen demanding wastes

Oil and hydrocarbons

Antifoulants, past and present

Metals and mining

Compartments, distribution processes and community response – case studies on sediments and dredging

Plastic wastes – the floaters

Radioactivity

Water and sediment quality monitoring, risk assessment and compliance testing. Risk assessment tools: Ecotoxicology, multiple lines of evidence, community response

Understanding management actions and legislation that can reduce and minimise pollution.

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
National Marine Science Centre Coffs Harbour
Session2
Session2
Online
Session2
N/A

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 critically analyse and evaluate pollution issues, their sources and the relationship humans have with marine environments
2 investigate the chemistry associated with pollutant behaviour in marine environments including nutrients, oil, metals, pesticides and herbicides, solid plastics, antifoulants, and radioactivity
3 synthesise information from multidisciplinary perspectives about the impacts of pollution and apply this to management decision making
4 develop tools that expand their inquiry to reflect on management outcomes
5 analyse and synthesise sound scientific information related to research and data collection associated with marine pollution
6 research and present sound scientific information for appropriate audiences.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. critically analyse and evaluate pollution issues, their sources and the relationship humans have with marine environments
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  2. investigate the chemistry associated with pollutant behaviour in marine environments including nutrients, oil, metals, pesticides and herbicides, solid plastics, antifoulants, and radioactivity
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  3. synthesise information from multidisciplinary perspectives about the impacts of pollution and apply this to management decision making
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  4. develop tools that expand their inquiry to reflect on management outcomes
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  5. analyse and synthesise sound scientific information related to research and data collection associated with marine pollution
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  6. research and present sound scientific information for appropriate audiences.
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.