Animal Environmental Physiology (ANIM2021)

Course overview

How domestic animals and wildlife interact with the natural and modified climate (housing and transport); Animal response to micro and macro climate; adaptive strategies for dealing with climate studies; impact of housing; environmental control for animals; monitoring of micro-climate and macro-climate as it applies to animals. Evidence of immunity to Q fever is mandatory for this course. Refer to UQ Student Immunisation Requirements for more information.

External mode of study is restricted and will require permission to enrol. This course will last be offered in external mode in 2026.

To request permission email agriculture@enquire.uq.edu.au with the course information and include relevant supporting evidence.

Eligibility criteria:

1. Students must show evidence that travel time of greater than 90 minutes or 100km from Gatton Campus and is reflected in mySI-net: Acceptable Evidence advice that MySi-net record is up to date;
2. Students must show evidence that work commitments restrict their ability to attend regular practicals: Acceptable Evidence a letter from employer
3. Students with core course timetable clashes: Acceptable Evidence a copy of correspondence from Science My Timetable indicating clash is unable to be resolved. Clashes with elective courses will not be considered.
4. Students unable to provide this evidence will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

In this course you will learn about how animals, including domestic, wildlife and livestock, interact with their thermal environment. This means that this course has a focus on how animals respondﾠand interact with climatic conditions. This course is not just about heat stress or cold stress, although there is a greater focus on hot climatic conditions. Simply, this occurs because the responses of animals to hot climatic conditions are complex and more relevant to the Australian environment. Regardless, this course investigates thermoregulation, adaptation, physiology and behaviour across an array of species. We will look at how animals adapt both behaviourally or physiologically,ﾠto a range of climatic conditions, and changing climatic conditions. We will look at strategies that can be used to improve the microclimate around an animal and also pathways to reduce the impact of thermal challenges on the body. At the end of this course, you should be able to discuss how climate influences animals, the alleviation pathways and discuss rationally the advantages and disadvantages of alleviation techniques.

PLEASE NOTE: We spend time in the animal units across campus and as such, you are expected to meet the entry requirements to these facilities. This means that you are required to wear appropriate clothing and footwear to these sessions. This includes enclosed footwear (preferably boots), a hat, and a collared sleeved shirt (preferably long sleeved). Failure to comply with these standards will result in your being unable to participate in the practical session and you will be asked to leave. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the course coordinator.

This course has mandatory immunisation requirements due to an increased risk of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) for students working with animals or in agricultural environments. Students will be asked to provide evidence of immunity to Q fever via my.UQ My Requests as a condition of enrolment in this course. Refer to UQ Student Immunisation Requirements for more information.

At the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, we are committed to creating an inclusive and empowering learning environment for all students. We value and respect the diverse range of experiences our students bring to their education, and we believe that this diversity is crucial for fostering a rich culture of knowledge-sharing and meaningful exploration. We hold students and staff accountable for actively contributing to establishing a respectful and supportive learning environment.

Bullying, harassment, and discrimination in any form are strictly against our principles and againstﾠUQ Policy,ﾠand will not be tolerated. If you have any concerns about your experience in this course, we encourage you to tell a member of the course teaching team. Your well-being and a positive learning atmosphere are of utmost importance to us.

Course requirements

Incompatible

You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:

ANIM3060

Restrictions

Restricted to students who meet mandatory immunisation requirements.
External offering requires permission to enrol.

Jointly taught details

This course is jointly-taught with:

• Another instance of the same course

This course is co-taught with the External mode of ANIM2021, this means that lecture and self-directed learning activities are shared via Blackboard. However external students are expected to attend the mandatory residential school, please refer to the external mode for further details.

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

Course Summary

Information highlighting the course schedule will be available in the Learning Activities section of this Course Instance for a week-by-week approach to your study program. In the event that changes are required this will be announced via Blackboard. Please ensure that you are referring to Blackboard for the most up-to-date information.

Lectures/Learning Activities

This course is being offered as a more traditional offering in 2025. This means that we will be providing formal face-to-face lectures. At times due to staff unavailability lectures in pre-recorded format may be provided.

Practicalsﾠ

In person students will need to follow the practical timetable for submission of the sequential practical reports as described in the assessment section.ﾠ

All timetabled practicals have been identified as high-risk activities for Q-fever exposure.

If you have any concerns regarding your official timetable or course allocations, or there are no suitable class times available, contact Faculty of Science Timetable science.mytimetable@uq.edu.au for advice. 

If you have any questions about missing class activities, please contact your course coordinator. 

Aims and outcomes

“Thermal biology comprises the study of the direct and indirect effects (of an irregular, fluctuating or rhythmic nature) of the physical, chemical and physio-chemical micro- and macro-environments of both the earth atmosphere, and of similar extra-terrestrial environments, on physio-chemical systems in general and on living organisms (plants, animals and man) in particular.” (Tromp & Bouma, 1976).

Basically, this means the study of animals within their climatic environment. In the context of this course, we will also look at animals within aquatic environments.

The course is designed so that on completion students will:

• have an understanding of what is meant by climate, and what drives climatic change.
• understand heat flow between animals and the environment and the influencing factors.
• understand thermogenesis and the influencing factors.
• have a good understanding of the behavioural and physiological mechanisms that animals use to survive in harsh environments ~ how animals are thermally adapted.
• understand how climate change will impact on wildlife and livestock production.
• be able to discuss strategies that can be used to modify an animal's micro-climate.

These will be achieved by formal lectures and applied hands-on practical classes. In the practical classes we will look at the thermal dynamics of horses, cattle, and wildlife. We will use thermal imaging equipment, temperature sensors to determine changes in animals under a variety of natural and built environments.

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Sequential Practical Assessment Items

• Hurdle

Mode

Activity/ Performance, Oral, Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Practical/ Demonstration, Presentation, Poster

Weight

35% Each sequential item contributes 5% towards the sequential practical (total 35%) and are exempt from supplementary.

Due date

1) Evaluating Microclimates 15/08/2025 5:00 pm

2) Shade Influence on Goats 29/08/2025 5:00 pm

3) Climates and Climate Models 5/09/2025 5:00 pm

4) Thermal Preferences of Reptiles 12/09/2025 5:00 pm

5) Exercise Induced Hyperthermia 26/09/2025 5:00 pm

6) Life in a Different Light 17/10/2025 5:00 pm

7) Seasonal Influences on Lactating Dairy Cows 31/10/2025 5:00 pm

Assessment tasks are due 7 days after the completion of the related practical.

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Assessment tasks are to be submitted via the links available on Blackboard, 7 days after completion of the practical or as directed and noted in the semester plan for ANIM2021. You must retain a copy of any submitted work.

Legal Declaration: 

By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications. 

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard, in accordance with the University's Assessment Procedure (located in the Policies and Procedures section of this course profile) which outlines the requirements for requesting extensions to assessment due dates. Extensions require the correct evidence/documentation to support the requested length of time of the extension.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

For example, a report worth a maximum of 40 marks, submitted 28 hours late will attract a penalty of 8 marks, calculated as 2 periods of 24 hours x 10% x 40 marks.

Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL). 

Experiment Design

• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Product/ Design

Weight

25%

Due date

7/10/2025 5:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L03, L06

Task description

Submission guidelines

You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.

Legal Declaration: 

By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications. 

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard, in accordance with the University's Assessment Procedure (located in the Policies and Procedures section of this course profile) which outlines the requirements for requesting extensions to assessment due dates. Extensions require the correct evidence/documentation to support the requested length of time of the extension.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

For example, a report worth a maximum of 40 marks, submitted 28 hours late will attract a penalty of 8 marks, calculated as 2 periods of 24 hours x 10% x 40 marks.

Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL). 

End of Semester Exam

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

40%

Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025

Learning outcomes

L01, L03, L05, L06

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

Course Grading rules and Assessment Hurdles

Exam Hurdleﾠ

• Students must pass the End of Semester exam in order to pass the course.

If a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course based on marks from a combination of progressive assessment and the final exam and the student does NOT score a passing grade in the final exam, they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.ﾠ

Practical SequentialﾠAssessment Hurdle

• In addition to any other hurdles, a student must achieve a cumulative passing grade on the Sequential Practical assessment (7x practical assessments) in order to pass the course.

Any student who fails to meet this will be awarded a grade of 3 and will not be eligible for a supplementary assessment.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.

This course is Partially Exempt for Supplementary Assessment. Not all of the assessment components of this course may be re-assessed with supplementary assessment. A grade of 3 or N does not guarantee that supplementary assessment may be undertaken for this course, however students may apply.

Assessment item(s) exempt: 7 x Practical assessments (Seasonal Influences on Dairy Cows; Evaluating Microclimates; Climates and Climate Models; Life in a different light; Thermal preferences of Reptiles; Exercise Induced Hyperthermia; and Shade influences on Goats). The practical exercise is a major part of this course and provides a hands-on understanding of the theoretical knowledge you will gain through the lectures. Demonstration of the practical techniques is compulsory and it is not possible to reproduce the activities for supplementary assessment.

Supplementary assessment can take any form, for example, an oral or a written exam. Students who are eligible and approved for a supplementary assessment and the form of assessment is an examination, are expected to be available to sit the supplementary exam during the University’s Deferred and Supplementary examination period. Once approved, supplementary assessment cannot be rescinded by the student.

To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment. 

Additional assessment information

Please note the following when writing assignments

You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

All reported work must be done by the individual student. Assignments that look and sound alike will be reported as plagiarism – a serious offence at UQ. Please note the university’s policy on academic integrity and plagiarism which can be accessed at Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy

TurnItInﾠ

Assignments that are required to be submitted through TurnItIn, must only be uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site. If you submit any version of your assessment item to any alternative Turnitin link, this is considered cheating and you will be held liable for this action.

Feedback and Markingﾠ

Additional feedback on the assignment (after it has been marked) can be obtained from the teaching staff if you require this. If you do, please contact the course co-ordinator.

Release of marks

Unless specifically indicated by the lecturer involved,ﾠevery attempt will be made to haveﾠthe results for progressive assessment tasks available within 3 weeks of submission. For items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will be available before the day of your end of semester examination in the course, unless otherwise indicated by the Course Coordinator. Results and feedback availability will be advised to you by email or announced via the course Blackboard site. 

Re-mark Applicationsﾠ– refer to the University's Re-mark Policy to check your eligibility.

Before applying for a remark, students should consider the following:

You have consulted the course coordinator for feedback

Your academic grounds for remark have been discussed and are valid

Wanting a higher grade is not grounds for a remark. A remark can decrease your grade.

Remark applications will not be considered without first having contacted your course Co-ordinator.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Other course materials

Additional learning resources information

Additional resources, i.e. published literature, will be provided throughout semester on blackboard. Reference to these materials will be made available weekly via Blackboard announcements.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.

You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course:

• Immunisation
• Vaccinations and Immunisation Procedure

Course guidelines

Student immunisation requirements

The University policy Vaccination and Immunisation (Vaccinations and Immunisation Guideline / Document / Policy and Procedure Library) provides information about immunisation and screening requirements related to programs and courses. Failure to comply with student immunisation requirements can lead to an increased risk of serious illness occurring. Therefore, non-compliance will result in the relevant course/s being dropped from your enrolment under Section 3 of the Enrolment policy (Enrolment Procedure / Document / Policy and Procedure Library).