Course coordinator
Please email me if you have any concerns or questions.
Integrative course concerned with ecosystems, communities & species at risk. Practical approaches to overcoming threatening processes, & underlying theory. Landscape ecology & regional ecosystems; spatial analysis; biological invasion and extinctions; in situ & ex situ methods. Interaction of science with social/legal context.
In BIOL3000 (Conservation), we will explore what can be done to repair the damage that people have done to the planet’s species, communities and natural ecosystems.ᅠConservation is all about using science to help solve real world problems.ᅠBeginning with an understanding of natural patterns in biological diversity, we will chart human impacts on the natural world through overexploitation, habitat destruction, population declines, extinctions, invasions of exotic species and climate change.ᅠWe will then look at tools to reverse these problems, including designing networks of nature reserves, economic incentives, habitat restoration and climate adaptation. Assessments are designed to stimulate application of intuition and knowledge to solve or explore conservation problems.
Students need a solid background in ecology, preferably including field courses.
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
CONS3001
Please email me if you have any concerns or questions.
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
After taking this course you should:
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Identify conservation issues and the key ecological, social and political factors involved with them.
LO2.
Learn to critically analyse a conservation issue and present that information in concise writing
LO3.
Apply science to solve real conservation problems.
LO4.
Evaluate arguments about conservation issues, expressing them verbally and in written form.
Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
---|---|---|---|
Creative Production/ Exhibition | Recorded radio interview on a conservation issue | 20% |
20/08/2024 11:00 am
Submission will be direct to Dr Richard Fuller during the prac class |
Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Prac assessment 1 | 10% |
29/08/2024 2:00 pm |
Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Prac assessment 2 | 10% |
19/09/2024 2:00 pm |
Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Prac assessment 3 | 10% |
24/10/2024 2:00 pm |
Examination |
End of Semester Exam
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024 |
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.
20/08/2024 11:00 am
Submission will be direct to Dr Richard Fuller during the prac class
For this assessment, you will get together in groups of three, and record a 3-5 minute (NO LONGER!) radio interview based around an interesting or controversial contemporary conservation issue. The issue can be Australia-focused, or be an overseas conservation problem. Particularly interesting issues will be those where there are multiple stakeholders with strongly opposing views on the best way forward. We will play the best recordings to the whole class. You might want to have one person act as a presenter, and the other two acting as interviewees with opposing views on the conservation issue being treated, but other appropriate configurations could be attempted. All ideas will need to be submitted and approved by the course co-ordinator BEFORE you start preparing the recording - full details will be covered in class.
Submission will be direct to Dr Richard Fuller during the prac class, e.g. via email or memory stick
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the late submission guidelines relating to this assessment item.
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.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the late submission guidelines relating to this assessment item.
29/08/2024 2:00 pm
Based on the work carried out in the two Pracs led by Professor Richard Fuller, you will complete a written assessment. Full instructions will be given in class. Focus on quality and creativity in your answer. The prac work may be done in pairs or groups, but this assessment MUST be done individually. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
Assessment items for internal courses should be submitted in accordance with the submission requirements listed in Jac. ONLINE SUBMISSION BY TURNITIN ONLY by the due date. No hard copy or assignment cover sheets required.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the late submission guidelines relating to this assessment item.
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.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the late submission guidelines relating to this assessment item.
19/09/2024 2:00 pm
Based on the work carried out in the two Pracs led by Professor Salit Kark, you will complete a written assessment. Full instructions will be given in class. Focus on quality and creativity in your answer. The prac work may be done in pairs or groups, but this assessment MUST be done individually. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
Assessment items for internal courses should be submitted in accordance with the submission requirements listed in Jac. ONLINE SUBMISSION BY TURNITIN ONLY by the due date. No hard copy or assignment cover sheets required.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the late submission guidelines relating to this assessment item.
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.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the late submission guidelines relating to this assessment item.
24/10/2024 2:00 pm
Based on the work carried out in the two Pracs led by Dr Tatsuya Amano, you will complete a written assessment. Full instructions will be given in class. Focus on quality and creativity in your answer. The prac work may be done in pairs or groups, but this assessment MUST be done individually. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
Assessment items for internal courses should be submitted in accordance with the submission requirements listed in Jac. ONLINE SUBMISSION BY TURNITIN ONLY by the due date. No hard copy or assignment cover sheets required.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the late submission guidelines relating to this assessment item.
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.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for the late submission guidelines relating to this assessment item.
End of Semester Exam Period
2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024
Consists of ten short-answer questions.
Planning time | 10 minutes |
---|---|
Duration | 120 minutes |
Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
Exam platform | Paper based |
Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
You may be able to defer this exam.
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
Grade | Description |
---|---|
1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>1-24.4%</p> |
2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>24.5-44.4%</p> |
3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: <p>44.5-49.4%</p> |
4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>49.5-64.4%</p> |
5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>64.5-74.4%</p> |
6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>74.5-84.4%</p> |
7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>84.5%+</p> |
Students are required to get a grade of at least 50% in the final exam, and a grade of at least 50% overall to pass the course. Students who achieve a mark of less than 35% on the hurdle mentioned above,will achieve a grade of 2 for the course (regardless of their total percentage for all assessments in the course).
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Courses graded 1-7
Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.
Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.
If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.
Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes.
To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.
COURSE HURDLES
Students are required to get a grade of at least 50% in the final exam, and a grade of at least 50% overall to pass the course.
Students who achieve a mark of less than 45% on the hurdle mentioned above, will achieve a grade of 2 for the course (regardless of their total percentage for all assessments in the course).
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here - my.UQ Applying for an extension
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a Word document outlining why you cannot provide the documentation and upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
Please note: While your extension request is being considered, you should work towards completing and submitting your assessment as soon as possible.
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 4 weeks in a semester, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses. You might need to consider applying for removal of course. We strongly recommend you seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. A maximum of two applications may be submitted for any one assessment item, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
SUPPLEMENTARY ASSESSMENTS
If you are awarded supplementary assessment then generally the supplementary assessment will be equivalent to the failed assessment piece. For example, If you failed the practical component, then you will be required to complete an additional practical report/exam. If you failed the exam component, then you will be required to complete an exam. If you failed both components, you will be required to complete both.
Supplementary assessments will be designed to allow eligible students to demonstrate specific learning objectives of the course.
Information on supplementary assessment can be found on the MyUQ website.
APPLYING FOR A DEFERRAL OF AN EXAM
If you are unable to sit an exam you need to apply online through my-SiNet. Please read the information on theᅠMyUQ websiteᅠon how to apply for a deferral of your exam.
SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENTS
PLEASE NOTE:
Unlike 1st and 2nd year courses,you can only submit your assignment ONCE through Turnitin - multiple submissions cannot occur. The Turnitin site will be open on the due date.
Please make sure you submit only the final version through Turnitin
All appropriate assignments must be submitted through Turnitin. Submissions by email are not accepted.
The course coordinator may also request a hard copy submission of the assignment. IF a hard copy assignment is required then the submission process is as follows:
Hard copy:
Turnitin submission
Failure to submit both a electronic and hard copy (if required) on time will result in the late penalty (10% of maximum marks per day) being applied - you need to ensure that both the HARD copy and ELECTRONIC versions are submitted by the due date.
GROUP ASSIGNMENTS
Students may be required to work in groups and submit an assessment item as a group.
In some cases, students are expected to work in a group to gather data or generate ideas, but may submit assessment as groups OR as individuals. If you submit as an individual, you can use the group-generated ideas or data but you cannot collaborate to produce the final written submissions. If the divisions are unclear, ask for clarification.
ALL group members MUST attach a signed coversheet to the group assignment and submit it by the due date. Late submission of a coversheet will result in a late submission penalty. If a coversheet is not attached the student will be recorded as not having submitted the item.
ᅠ
PLAGIARISM: You should be aware that the University employs purpose built software to detect plagiarism. It is very important that you understand clearly the practical meaning of plagiarism.
Students are encouraged to read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy which makes a comprehensive statement about the University's approach to plagiarism, including the approved use of plagiarism detection software, the consequences of plagiarism and the principles associated with preventing plagiarism.
DEFINITION OF PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.
EXAMPLES OF PLAGIARISM:
1. Direct copying of paragraphs, sentences, a single sentence or significant parts of a sentence;
2. Direct copying of paragraphs, sentences, a single sentence or significant parts of a sentence with an end reference but without quotation marks around the copied text;
3. Copying ideas, concepts, research results, computer codes, statistical tables, designs, images, sounds or text or any combination of these;
4. Paraphrasing, summarising or simply rearranging another person's words, ideas, etc without changing the basic structure and/or meaning of the text;
5. Offering an idea or interpretation that is not one's own without identifying whose idea or interpretation it is;
6. A 'cut and paste' of statements from multiple sources;
7. Presenting as independent, work done in collaboration with others;
8. Copying or adapting another student's original work into a submitted assessment item.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE USE (AI)
The assessment tasks in this course evaluate students’ abilities, skills, and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
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 are available on the UQ Library website.
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Lecture 1: Humans and the sixth mass extinction with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L01 |
Lecture |
Lecture 2: What is biodiversity? with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L03 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 3: Natural patterns in biodiversity with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L03 |
|
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Lecture 4: Mapping biodiversity with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Lecture 5: Habitat destruction and global change with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 6: Repairing a damaged planet with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Lecture 7: Protected areas with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
Lecture 8: Scoring approaches to conservation with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 9: Cost-benefit analysis with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
|
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Lecture 10: Cost-effectiveness analysis with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
Practical |
Prac 1: Planning Protected Areas (Practical; F2F) with Prof Richard Fuller + tutors Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 11: Priority Threat Management with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 12: Multi-criteria decision analysis with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
|
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Lecture 13: Conservation in a crowded world with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
Practical |
Prac 2: Making Conservation Decisions (Practical; F2F) with Prof Richard Fuller + tutors Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 14: Connections between people and nature with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 15: Citizen science with Prof Richard Fuller Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Lecture 16: Conservation strategies and approaches with Prof Salit Kark Learning outcomes: L03 |
Practical |
Prac 3: Invasive species (Practical; F2F) with Prof Salit Kark + tutors Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 17: Threats to biodiversity and ecosystems with Prof Salit Kark Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 18: Conserving rare and threatened species with Prof Salit Kark Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
Lecture 19: Invasive species in a changing world with Prof Salit Kark Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Practical |
Prac 4: Invasive species (Practical; F2F) with Prof Salit Kark + tutors Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 20: Incorporating humans in conservation with Prof Salit Kark Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 21: The role of collaboration and conflict with Prof Salit Kark Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
Lecture 22: Understanding biodiversity changes with Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Lecture 23: Climate change and biodiversity with Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L03 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 24: Protected areas with Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L03 |
|
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Lecture |
Lecture 25: Unifying our knowledge for conservation with Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
Practical |
Prac 5: Systematic search for evidence 1 (Practical; F2F) with Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 26: Feeding the world while conserving the planet with Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 27: Gaps in our knowledge on biodiversity with Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
|
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
Lecture 28: Technologies for conservation with Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Practical |
Prac 6: Systematic search for evidence 2 (Practical; F2F) with Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 29: Languages and conservation with Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Lecture 30: Course wrap-up with Prof Richard Fuller & Dr Tatsuya Amano Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
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:
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.