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Unit of Study BIO10124 - Ocean Change Biology (2020)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    Offered only at the National Marine Science Centre in a 3-week intensive mode, which includes a compulsory 6-day residential held outside normal residential weeks for all students. Please refer to https://www.scu.edu.au/timetables for further information on timetables. To avoid timetable and assessment clashes, it is recommended that on-campus students do not take NMSC intensives at the same time as on-campus session-based units. It is best to take intensives in a block, in the final year of study, or in conjunction with online units.

Unit description

Examines local and ocean climate systems and the way humans are altering the global climate, the impact that this may have on individual organisms and ecosystems, and the capacity for organisms to acclimatise or adapt to these changes. Specifically examines changes in the oceans carbon cycle, ocean acidification and ocean warming. Examines how marine organisms and communities may be affected by, adapt and acclimatise to ocean acidification and warming. Examines how overharvesting and habitat alteration is causing unprecedented shifts in marine biodiversity and community structure.

Unit content

The marine CaCO3 cycle and ocean acidification

Biological impacts of ocean acidification

Climate weather and warming

Effects of ocean acidification and warming on early development of invertebrates

Biological effects of warming

Interactions between warming and acidification

Tropicalisation

Universal effects of climate change

Oxygen minimum zones

Trophic downgrading and shifting baselines

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 demonstrate an understanding of ocean carbonate cycle
2 explain the reasons for and possible effects of ocean acidification on marine invertebrates, fish, seaweeds and species interactions
3 discuss the theoretical basis for the impact of global warming on marine organisms and the three predicted universal responses of climate change on marine organisms
4 critically discuss the diversity of marine microbial organisms and how they might respond to a changing ocean climate
5 examine how multiple stressors are eroding the diversity and function of marine ecosystems
6 design, conduct, analyse and interpret manipulative laboratory experiments in relation to marine biology.

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

  1. demonstrate an understanding of ocean carbonate cycle
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  2. explain the reasons for and possible effects of ocean acidification on marine invertebrates, fish, seaweeds and species interactions
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  3. discuss the theoretical basis for the impact of global warming on marine organisms and the three predicted universal responses of climate change on marine organisms
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  4. critically discuss the diversity of marine microbial organisms and how they might respond to a changing ocean climate
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  5. examine how multiple stressors are eroding the diversity and function of marine ecosystems
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  6. design, conduct, analyse and interpret manipulative laboratory experiments in relation to marine biology.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.