Course coordinator
Associate Professor Anthony Young
Please contact me by email to make an appointment.
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- Gatton
- Coordinating unit
- Agriculture and Food Sustainability School
An introduction to the identification and management of pests in cropping and conservation areas. The course aims to provide an understanding of the best strategies for the management of these problems through the development of integrated programs.
This course will be last offered in external mode in 2025.
Plant and Environmental Health is the study of the biology and ecology of pests. Pests, in this course, refers to the weeds, insects and mites, fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, molluscs and vertebrates (among others) that interfere with or attack agricultural and horticultural crops, pastures, forests, and protected areas etc., both in the field and after harvest. Plant and Environmental Health is therefore a very large subject area.ﾠ
The main focus of this course is on Pest Biology and Ecology. We cover entomology, soil health, weeds and plant pathogens, as well as content on biotechnology and biosecurity. The reason for studying pest biology is that it is impossible to effectively manage pests unless you first understand their biology and behaviour and the ways in which they react to or escape from management methods and re-emerge again as problems afterwards.
You will need a good grounding in biology to succeed in this course.
Recent changes to course
No recent changes.ﾠﾠ
Course requirements
Assumed background
It is assumed that students enrolled in this course are enrolled in biological, agricultural or enviromental science programs and have an interest in pest management in agricultural cropping systems, horticulture or environmental science.
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
- Another instance of the same course
The In Person and External modes of PLNT2011 share content and activities and there are minimal differences between offerings.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Associate Professor Shane Campbell
Guest lecturer
Mr Graham Stirling
Timetable
Additional timetable information
Lectures will be recorded using Echo360, and will be available through the course Blackboard site. Practicals have been designed to be completed in both In Person and External mode.ﾠ
Please refer to section titled 'Learning Activities' for an outline of your course of study this semester.
If you have any questions about missing class activities, please contact your course coordinator.
Aims and outcomes
For students in agriculture and horticulture, this course will teach you the basics of the inter-relationships between pests and crops, and the basic biological and population dynamic processes of weeds, plant pathogens and arthropods.
For students of environmental studies, this course aims to introduce you to the key factors rendering a nature reserve or wilderness area prone to invasion by exotic pests and/or endemic opportunists, and to formulate an integrated plan of action to reduce the adverse impact of such species.
There will be some introductory soil health content that underpins much plant and environmental health.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Relate the complexity of interactions that govern plant and environmental health to practice in a workplace setting.
LO2.
Describe the basic biology and ecology of pest groups and the dynamics of pest populations.
LO3.
Apply practical skills and theoretical knowledge in a field environment.
LO4.
Develop experience in preparing and presenting information to a scientific audience.
LO5.
Communicate an informed position on the actual and potential applications and implications of biotechnology to crop protection.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Laboratory Class Worksheets | 30% (7.5% for each of the 4 worksheets) |
Living soils 20/03/2025 2:00 pm Weeds 10/04/2025 2:00 pm Pathology 8/05/2025 2:00 pm Entomology 29/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Presentation |
Digital Impact
|
30% |
1/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
40% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
Assessment details
Laboratory Class Worksheets
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 30% (7.5% for each of the 4 worksheets)
- Due date
Living soils 20/03/2025 2:00 pm
Weeds 10/04/2025 2:00 pm
Pathology 8/05/2025 2:00 pm
Entomology 29/05/2025 2:00 pm
Task description
Laboratory Worksheets and Scientific Reports are completed during the week of the practical and submitted the following week.
This course no longer has a residential school. As such, all practicals are to be completed by all students at the same time. The main difference is that In Person mode students have a time allocated for the practical, while External Students need to allocate their own time.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Translation (MT) technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Submitted the following week after Practical via the specified submission link in the course blackboard site. 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.
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.
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).
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
Digital Impact
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
1/05/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Peer assessed.
Task description
Students will make video content (30 s to 3 min) on Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA). Videos will be prepared as for YouTube or equivalent content designed to support eradication efforts for RIFA. Ideally, students will upload their videos onto their chosen platforms to make a real world impact on a really bad invasive pest.
Possible themes to consider are: impacts of RIFA on human amenity, wildlife or agriculture, identification, control, the 'bigger picture'. The intent is to encourage the broader community to engage with the eradication program by searching for infestations or reporting them, or agitating officials for improved funding allocations etc. You can use humour, drama, boring-old-scientific-presentation etc., but the objective is to get a broader audience to engage with the science. Use whatever resources you have available to you to fulfil this task.
This assessment is worth 30% of your overall grade. It comprises 25% for the submitted video content, and 5% from student feedback on peer videos. This will assist students in critically assessing the value of scientific content in a digital setting.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
This assessment is to be submitted via the specified submission link in the course Blackboard site. 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.
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.
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).
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
Final Exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
Task description
A theory exam will be set for this course. Past exam papers can be found on the UQ Library website at:
https://www.library.uq.edu.au/exams/papers.php?stub=plnt2011
Have your UQ student ID card available for all your exams. Students enrolled in External delivery must attend the exam in-person, either on campus OR at an approved off-campus exam venue as organised through UQ Examinations. Please refer to your personalised examination timetable.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| 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 |
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.
| Grade | Cut off % | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 34 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 0 - 34% |
| 2 (Fail) | 35 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 35% - 46% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 47% - 49% |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50% - 64% |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65% - 74% |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75% - 84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85% - 100% |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
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.
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.
TurnItIn Assignments
TurnItIn 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. ﾠ
Results
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 for progressive assessment will be announced via the course Blackboard site.ﾠ
Feedback in this course
I welcome any feedback. Please complete your SECaTs when the time comes. I have previously used these to improve this course.ﾠ
Re-mark Applications – refer to the University's Re-mark Policy to check your eligibility.
Deferred and Supplementary assessmentﾠ
Deferred and Supplementary information can be located on the my.UQ website
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
If we've listed something under further requirement, you'll need to provide your own.
Required
| Item | Description | Further Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| PLNT2011 Blackboard Site | Blackboard is the main method of communication for this course. | |
| PLNT2011 Course Profile | Provides details of specifications, rationale, aims and structure of the course. It also informs you of the assessment for this course, including weighting and due dates. |
Additional learning resources information
The followingﾠreferences will provide extra information on aspects ofﾠPlant and EnvironmentalﾠHealth covered in thisﾠcourse and on the identification of weeds, insects and plant diseases:
- Agrios, GN 2005, Plant pathology, 5th edn, Elsevier Academic Press, Burlington, Mass.
- Alexopoulos, CJ, Mims, CW & Blackwell, M 1996, Introductory mycology, 4th edn, John Wiley & Sons, New York.
- Auld, BA & Medd, RW 1992, Weeds: an illustrated botanical guide to the weeds of Australia, Rev. edn., Inkata Press, Melbourne.
- Buchanan, RA 1989, Bush regeneration: recovering Australian landscapes, T.A.F.E. NSW, Sydney.
- Commonwealth Mycological Institute continuous publication, CMI descriptions of pathogenic fungi and bacteria, Many numbers, Commonwealth Mycological Institute, Kew. (Continued by IMI descriptions of fungi and bacteria)
- Dahms, EL, Monteith, G & Monteith, S 1979, Collecting, preserving and classifying insects, Queensland Museum.
- Hassan, E 1990, Control of insect and mite pests of Australian crops, 4th edn, Ento Press, Gatton, Qld.
- Kirk, PM (ed.) 2001, Ainsworth & Bisby's dictionary of the fungi, 9th edn, CABI, New York. NB. Rev. ed. of: Ainsworth & Bisby's dictionary of the fungi / prepared by the International Mycological Institute. 8th ed.
- Kleinschmidt, HE & Johnson, RW 1979, Weeds of Queensland, Government Printer, Brisbane. [Out of print. Will only find in libraries.]ﾠ (1979 edition held at UQ Library) NB. Expansion of: Common weeds of farm and pasture / by S.L. Everist.
- Lazarides, M & Hince, B (eds.) 1993, CSIRO handbook of economic plants of Australia, CSIRO, Melbourne.
- McMaugh, J 2000, What garden pest or disease is that?: organic and chemical solutions for every garden problem, Rev edn., New Holland, French's Forest, Sydney.
- Naumann, I, Ingram, RJ & Floyd, R 1993- , Australian insect common names, [electronic resource]
- NB. Based on the 1993 6th ed. of the CSIRO handbook of Australian insect names, this frequently updated website provides ready access to the correct scientific name of every insect or related creature for which there is a common (or vernacular) name in use in Australia. Includes indexing by common name, scientific name, family groupings, systematic list and author abbreviations, as well as images and distribution maps.
- Diseases of Fruit Crops in Australia (2009) Eds. Tony Cooke, Denis Persley, Susan House. CSIRO Publishing.
- Diseases of Vegetable Crops in Australia (2009) Eds. Tony Cooke, Denis Persley, Susan House. CSIRO Publishing.
- Stanley, TD & Ross, EM 1983-, Flora of south-eastern Queensland, 3 vols, Queensland Dept of Primary Industries, Brisbane.
- Swaine, G & Ironside, DA 1983, Insect pests of field crops in colour, Queensland Dept of Primary Industries, Brisbane.
- Swaine, G, Ironside, DA & Corcoran, RJ, 1991, Insect pests of fruit and vegetables, 2nd edn, Queensland Dept of Primary Industries, Brisbane.
- Van Emden, HF & Peakall, DB 1996, Beyond silent spring : integrated pest management and chemical safety, Chapman & Hall, London.
- Wilson, BJ, Hawton, D & Duff, AA 1995, Crop weeds of Northern Australia: identification at seedling and mature stages, Queensland Dept of Primary Industries, Brisbane.
- Whatever you do, DON'T read Bent Bananas. There is only so much you should aim to learn in this course and Bent Bananas is too much.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Lecture series Lecture series covering course topics. These include Introduction to course and IPM (A/Prof Anthony Young), Living Soils (Adj. A/Prof Graham Stirling), Weeds (Prof Bhagirath Chauhan and A/Prof Shane Campbell), Vertebrate Pests (Dr Peter Elsworth), Birds (A/Prof Anthony Young), Entomology (A/Prof Anthony Young), Plant Pathology (A/Prof Anthony Young) as well as invited guests. Sub-activity: Introduction to course and IPM Living soils Entomology Vertebrates Weeds 1 Plant Pathology 1 Weeds 2 Plant Pathology Biotechnology Special topics 1 Special topics 2 Wrap up, SECaTs |
Practical |
Practicals Hands on reinforcement of content. Content delivered as follows: Introduction to course and IPM (A/Prof Anthony Young), Living Soils (Adj. A/Prof Graham Stirling), Weeds (Prof Bhagirath Chauhan and A/Prof Shane Campbell), Birds (A/Prof Anthony Young), Entomology (A/Prof Anthony Young), Plant Pathology (A/Prof Anthony Young) as well as invited guests. Walks around Gatton campus will explore indigenous knowledge within a contemporary Australian framework. Sub-activity: Lab induction and walks Living soils Entomology Vertebrates Weeds 1 Plant Pathology 1 Weeds 2 Plant Pathology 2 Student Fire Ant Presentations Lab tour- Metagen Field Inspections Final learnings |
|
Revision week (02 Jun - 08 Jun) |
Not Timetabled |
Revision period |
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 - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.