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National Marine Science Centre Coffs Harbour Session 1 Session 1

Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Advanced

Former School/College

Former School of Environment, Science and Engineering

Pre-requisites

192 Credit Points in any SCU units

Unit aim

Examines processes and issues, and integrates principles of natural science and legislation as they relate to the global marine environment. Covers the complex coupling and feedback mechanisms linking the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and the biosphere, and provides insights into international and national marine resource management.

Unit content

Topic 1: Ocean basins and ocean chemistry

Topic 2: Ocean circulations

Topic 3: Waves and tides

Topic 4: Deep-sea environments

Topic 5: Early life histories of marine invertebrates and fishes

Topic 6: Marine chemical ecology: the language of life in the sea

Topic 7: Human uses of marine systems

Topic 8: Introduction to marine resources management

Topic 9: Marine management systems

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.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 Demonstrate an understanding of the nature and history of the major oceans
2 Explain the unusual nature of water and how it affects the oceans and climatic systems of the planet
3 Explain the nature and operation of currents, waves and tides in coastal and oceanic waters
4 Recognise the ways in which we use the marine environment and how those uses may interact with natural processes
5 Demonstrate an understanding of what resource management really does, and how it tries to do it
6 Write a scientific report that incorporates statistical analysis of data, follows the instructions to authors for a peer-reviewed journal, and uses Endnote for referencing

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

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the nature and history of the major oceans
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  2. Explain the unusual nature of water and how it affects the oceans and climatic systems of the planet
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  3. Explain the nature and operation of currents, waves and tides in coastal and oceanic waters
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  4. Recognise the ways in which we use the marine environment and how those uses may interact with natural processes
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  5. Demonstrate an understanding of what resource management really does, and how it tries to do it
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  6. Write a scientific report that incorporates statistical analysis of data, follows the instructions to authors for a peer-reviewed journal, and uses Endnote for referencing
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:

Prescribed texts

  • This book is the prescribed textbook for this and other units that are run at the NMSC.It can be purchased from the Co-op Bookshop in both Lismore and Coffs Harbour, and there are limited copies available for loan from the Lismore and NMSC libraries: Connell, SD & Gillanders, BM , 2007, Marine Ecology, Oxford University Press, Australia.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.