MARI3410
Coral Reef Biology & Ecology
10 Units
Available in 2013
| Ourimbah | Semester 2 |
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Previously offered in 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008
Coral reefs are ecologically diverse an extremely complex habitats, supporting thousands of marine species, and are considered to be the richest and most complex of all marine ecosystems. The largest of these reef systems is The Great Barrier Reef running more than 2000 km along the north eastern coast of Australia covering an area of over 250,000 km2.
This course will examine the biological, ecological and geological aspects of one part of the Great Barrier Reef in order to gain a better understanding of this complex and unique environment. The students will not only gain knowledge of the corals and the reef-building process, but also a better understanding and appreciation of the numerous other marine organisms that affect and are associated with the reef and their overall role in the reef ecosystem. This course will be particularly beneficial to those students pursuing careers in Marine Science and/or Sustainable Resource Management.
This course is not to be counted for credit with MARI2410,Coral Reef Experiences
The field component of this course requires a significant up-front fee, not covered by HECS. This may vary with each offering of the course, so interested students should contact the School of Environmental and Life Sciences for more information.
In order to participate in this course, students must complete a compulsory Workplace Health and Safety requirement. Students will receive full information on this compulsory course component in the course outline provided by the school.
| Objectives | On successful completion of this course, students will be expected to: 1. demonstrate an understanding of the geological history of coral reefs, 2. demonstrate an understanding of the processes and marine organisms associated with coral reef formation, 3. demonstrate an understanding and an appreciation of the complex ecology of coral reefs, 4. identify the common flora and fauna associated with coral reefs, 5. demonstrate an understanding of the dangerous marine organisms associated with coral reefs, 6. apply gained knowledge from the course towards small research projects and reports on various aspects of coral reefs, 7. develop an appreciation of the complexities of coral reefs and how mans activities influence these processes. On successful completion of this course, students will also gain skills in: 1. determining the appropriate steps for OH&S issues for field studies such as this one on a coral reef island, 2. identifying the dangerous marine organisms associated with coral reefs, 3. carrying out appropriate preventative and / or first aid procedures regarding dangerous marine organisms associated with coral reefs, 4. the use of flora and fauna keys for the identification of coral reef organisms, |
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| Content | The course will be carried out over a three week period and will be divided into two parts: Part 1 the lecture and information component lasting two weeks and will take place at the Ourimbah Campus and Part 2 the practical component lasting one week, and will take place at Hideaway Island on the Great Barrier Reef. Part 1 (2 weeks at Ourimbah Campus): - General background on coral reefs - Reef building and non-reef building organisms - Coral reef ecology - General familiarization and identification of coral reef organisms - Dangerous marine organisms & prevention and first aid Part 2: (1 week at Hideaway Island): The practical component of the course will be set up as contract-learning modules with both required and elective portions for the student to complete. The final practical grade will be based on the number of modules completed during the time allotted for the practical session. - Hideaway Island orientation & familiarization - Dangerous marine organisms - OH&S issues for the stay on Hideaway - Module Implementation for both mandatory and elective topics: * Birds of the Great Barrier Reef * Marine Mammals of the Great Barrier Reef * Sea Turtles of the Great Barrier Reef * Barrier Reef Island Plants * The Exposed Reef Flat Ecosystem * The Submerged Reef Flat Ecosystem * The Shallow Sublittoral Ecosystem * The Deep Sublittoral Ecosystm * Invertebrates of The Great Barrier Reef * Fish of the Great Barrier Reef * Sharks and Rays of the Great Barrier Reef * Reef-building Corals of the Great Barrier Reef * Non-reef Building Corals of the Great Barrier Reef |
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| Replacing Course(s) | This course will be replacing MARI2330 Marine Floral Ecology. | ||||||||
| Transition | N/A | ||||||||
| Industrial Experience | 0 | ||||||||
| Assumed Knowledge | BIOL1040, BIOL1050 and MARI2300. | ||||||||
| Modes of Delivery | Internal Mode | ||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Field Study
Lecture Laboratory Practical Seminar |
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| Contact Hours | Field Study: for 72 hour(s) per Term for 2 weeks Lecture: for 21 hour(s) per Term for 2 weeks Laboratory: for 28 hour(s) per Term for 2 weeks Seminar: for 7 hour(s) per Week for 1 weeks |
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| Compulsory Components |
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| Timetables | 2013 Course Timetables for MARI3410 |