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Unit of Study MRNE2009 - Invertebrate Life (2026)

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Unit Snapshot

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Unit description

Introduces the diversity of invertebrate taxa, diagnostic features, biological attributes and roles in the environment. Practicals skills will include sampling, sorting and identification of species for rapid biodiversity assessment and students will prepare and display a properly annotated photographic or specimen reference collection.

Unit content

1. Invertebrate evolution, taxonomy and diversity

2. Multicellularity, symmetry and development of tissue layers: sponges and coelenterates

3. Soft-bodied invertebrates: “worms” and molluscs

4. Invertebrates with exoskeletons: arthropods

5. The deuterostomes: echinoderms and early chordates

6. Ecosystem services and invertebrate bioindicators

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
National Marine Science Centre Coffs Harbour
Term2
Term2
Online
Term2
Term2

Learning outcomes

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:

identify and classify invertebrate taxa based on diagnostic characteristics

design field surveys and apply methods suitable for sampling and assessing invertebrate diversity considering safety risks and environmental impacts

demonstrate taxonomic knowledge and presentation skills using a properly annotated invertebrate reference collection

evaluate the role of invertebrates in the environment and describe their use as indicators of ecosystem health.

Prescribed learning resources

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Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.