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Unit of Study SCI91001 - Advanced Coastal Biogeochemistry (2020)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    Students require a sound knowledge of organic and inorganic chemistry, and the physical, chemical, and biological processes that affect the distribution of chemical elements in the environment, including the interactions of water, sediments, and the atmosphere. This unit is offered online as a three week intensive course. This includes a 6-day compulsory residential that will be held on the Lismore campus, except for a 2-day off-campus field trip. Please refer to the residential timetable which can be found on the Environment, Science and Engineering Student Centre in MySCU.

Unit description

  Identifies and interprets the biogeochemical processes that operate in coastal waters, including mangroves, coral reefs, estuaries, seagrass beds, and embayments. Current procedures for planning and conducting environmental sampling and monitoring programs for quantifying coastal biogeochemical processes. Modern analytical techniques that are part of biogeochemical monitoring and research in coastal waters. To critically analyse, synthesise, and interpret a complex biogeochemical dataset. Produce a technical and/or scientific report with a plain English summary.

Unit content

Material loadings to coastal ecosystems
Estuarine hydrography, mixing, and residence times
Phytoplankton and primary productivity
Sediment biogeochemistry
Biogeochemical cycles in coastal waters
Greenhouse gas sources and sinks
Climate change and coastal acidification
Human impacts on biogeochemical cycles
Isotopes and biomarkers as tracers of biogeochemical processes
Measuring biogeochemical processes

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Online
Session3
Session3

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 how physical, geological, chemical and biological processes (biogeochemistry) interact to control the fate and effect of material on the metabolism of coastal ecosystems
2 evaluate the strengths and limitations of techniques used to measure biogeochemical processes in coastal waters
3 critically assess appropriate methods for sample collection, handling, preservation and storage procedures for sediment, water and biogeochemical samples
4 identify a range of modern analytical instrumentation and be able to understand the advantages and limitations of various techniques
5 demonstrate the ability to critically analyse, synthesize and interpret a complex biogeochemical data set to produce a technical and scientific report.

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

  1. critically analyse how physical, geological, chemical and biological processes (biogeochemistry) interact to control the fate and effect of material on the metabolism of coastal ecosystems
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  2. evaluate the strengths and limitations of techniques used to measure biogeochemical processes in coastal waters
    • GA4:
  3. critically assess appropriate methods for sample collection, handling, preservation and storage procedures for sediment, water and biogeochemical samples
    • GA4:
  4. identify a range of modern analytical instrumentation and be able to understand the advantages and limitations of various techniques
    • GA4:
  5. demonstrate the ability to critically analyse, synthesize and interpret a complex biogeochemical data set to produce a technical and scientific report.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.