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Animal Biology
Unit Outline
All material reproduced herein has been copied in accordance with and pursuant to a statutory licence administered by
Copyright Agency Limited (CAL), granted to the University of Western Australia pursuant to Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968
(Cth).
Copying of this material by students, except for fair dealing purposes under the Copyright Act, is prohibited. For the purposes
of this fair dealing exception, students should be aware that the rule allowing copying, for fair dealing purposes, of 10% of the
work, or one chapter/article, applies to the original work from which the excerpt in this course material was taken, and not to
the course material itself
The University of Western Australia 2001
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Unit details
Unit title
Unit code
Availability
Location
Credit points
Mode
Contact details
Faculty
School
School website
Unit coordinator
Email
Telephone
Consultation hours
Lecturers
Faculty of Science
Animal Biology
http://www.animals.uwa.edu.au/
Dr Nicki Mitchell
nicola.mitchell@uwa.edu.au
6488 4510
The two unit coordinators are available by appointment.
Name
Position
Dr Nicola Mitchell
Lecturer
steve.hopper@uwa.edu.au
Lecturer
hans.lambers@uwa.edu.au
Dr Jane Prince
Professor Philip
Withers
Professor Tim Colmer
Professor Kingsley
Dixon
Professor Steven
Hopper
Professor Hans
Lambers
Tutors
Unit contact hours
Lecture capture system
Online handbook
Unit website
Other contact details
Telephone
Number
jane.prince@uwa.edu.au
philip.withers@uwa.edu.au
kdixon@bgpa.wa.gov.au
Contact details for Practical class demonstrators can be found in the LMS
Lectures (or Lectorials): 3 hrs per week
Practical classes: 9 x 2.5 hrs (on average), including some field excursions. Practicals begin in week two.
LCS is implemented for this unit.
http://units.handbooks.uwa.edu.au/units/BIOL/BIOL1131
http://www.lms.uwa.edu.au/course/view.php?id=4301
Teaching and student support is provided by Sarah Thoms (sarah.thoms@uwa.edu.au) and Josh Brown
(josh.brown@uwa.edu.au).
Unit rules
Advisable prior study
BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (formerly BIOL1130 Core Concepts in Biology) or WACE Biological Sciences
or TEE Biology
Unit description
This unit explores diversity of form and function of animals, plants and fungi, in marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. It considers
their origins, taxonomic relationships, structural, physiological and behavioural adaptations, their lifestyles, reproductive modes and life
history strategies. There is an emphasis on how these characteristics allow living organisms to exploit a wide range of environmental
conditions, and on the impact of changes in those conditions, through either natural occurrences or anthropogenic effects. It provides
the basic knowledge required for field-based biology such as ecology, eco-physiology or environmental management. The unit provides
a comprehensive introduction to organismal biology and demonstrates the process of biological enquiry via engaging students in an
online journal project.
This unit is also identified as a Service Learning Unit through a partnership with ClimateWatch (an initiative of EarthWatch). BIOL1131
students provide a service to ClimateWatch, both by working as 'citizen scientists', and by conducting research on phenological data
that has been submitted to ClimateWatch since the program's inception. Student research is published in the open-access student
journal Cygnus and features the best research conducted each year.
Further information
Service Learning: http://www.teachingandlearning.uwa.edu.au/staff/curriculum-management/service-learning
ClimateWatch: http://www.climatewatch.org.au/
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Learning outcomes
Students are able to (1) recall and articulate the diversity of ways that living organisms live and how functional adaptations allow
organisms to exploit a wide range of environmental conditions; (2) understand how knowledge of biological processes can be used to
make management decisions in natural or altered ecosystems; (3) describe how structural, physiological and behavioural adaptations
allow organisms to exploit a wide range of environmental conditions; (4) demonstrate the principles of experimental design and analysis
through application to practical exercises and assignments; (5) demonstrate critical thinking through practical assessments; and (6)
work cooperatively in practical classes and in the field, handling biological materials and equipment in a proficient and safe manner.
Unit structure
Lectures and Lectorials
Three 45 minute lectures per week, held in the Wilsmore Lecture Theatre. An 'overflow' venue is available next door in the Tattersals
Lecture Theatre, where the lecture will be live-streamed. Otheriwse, all lectures and lectorials are recorded and made available through
Echo on the LMS.
Other (compulsary)
There is one optional field trip held off-campus at night to encompass observations on nocturnal animals. There is an alternative field
exercise on campus, and students must elect to participate in one of these exercises
Unit schedule
Week Dates
Lecture Topics
Lecturer
Practical this
week?
1.
29 &
31July
5&7
August
12 & 14
August
19 & 21
August
26 & 28
August
Nicki Mitchell
Introduction to the
Journal Project
NO
NO
2&4
September
9 & 11
September
16 & 18
September
23 & 25
September
2
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
7&9
October
11.
14 & 16
October
12.
21 & 23
October
28 & 30
October
13.
Nicki Mitchell,
Jane Prince
Jane Prince, Nicki NO
Mitchell
Phil Withers
Analysing your
ClimateWatch dataset
Phil Withers
NO - but E-tivity 'Fun
with Froguts' (virtual
dissection)
Phil Withers
NO
ClimateWatching
on Campus
Marine
Invertebrates
NO
Team talks on
Indicator Species
Vertebrate
Morphology
Studying Animals
in the Field
Nicki
Mitchell,Kingsley
Dixon
Kingsley Dixon
NO
Steve Hopper
NO
Steve Hopper
Peer review
NO
Tim Colmer
NO
Flowers & a
Pollen Puzzle
Hans Lambers
NO
NO
Hans Lambers,
NO
Nicki Mitchell, Tim
Colmer
Assessment
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Plant Leaves:
Adaptations
Plant Roots:
Adaptations
Presentations of
ClimateWatch
sightings
Assessment overview
Typically this unit is assessed in the following way(s): (1) continuous practical assessment via supplementary questions and written
assignments; (2) three online quizzes; and (3) final examination. Further information is available in the unit outline.
'The Journal Project' is a feature of BIOL1131, and many of the assessment items outlined below (and indicated with an asterisk*) form
part of this overarching project. Some components of the project are completed individually, while other parts are completed as a team
(usaully consiting of 4 students). The LMS contains comprehensive guidelines and marking rubrics for all aspects of the Journal
Project, but students are also directed to attend interactive 'Lectorials' where staff give specific advice and demonstrate the use of
online tools.
Assessment mechanism
Item (number)
Weight
Due Date
Relates To
Outcomes
15%
1, 2, 3
15%
4,6
1, 2, 3
ClimateWatch dataset
Final Exam (1)
5%
5%
15%
5%
Bonus
5%
5%
35%
3,4,5,6
3,6
4,5
5,6
5
5,6
Assessment items
Item Title
Description
Assessed in class
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