Ecology concerns the fundamental patterns, interactions and flows of organisms and materials in natural biological systems. Why are some organisms found here, and not there? Why do plants and animals look and work like they do? What makes their populations large or small, or change in size? Why do some organisms co-exist together, and others not? Why is there so much diversity? In understanding these questions, we gain critical insight into how populations and communities have evolved, how energy and biomass flow through ecosystems, and how populations and communities respond to changes in their environment. These changes may result from natural disturbances such as changes in climate, through altered disease prevalence or competition, or from human modification of habitats, over-harvesting, or pollution.

In this course, we will explore ecological thinking, relevant field methods, modelling, and the application of key ecological concepts to understanding and conserving natural communities and ecosystems. We will see how organisms from the major biological kingdoms have provided key insights into our understanding of the ecology of organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems, the importance of scale, and how this influences key ecosystem processes. This course will take a data-driven and theoretical approach to the field of ecology, focusing on the role of modelling for understanding processes.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Examine and summarise central ideas and theory underpinning ecology.
2. Visualise ecological data sets and make inferences about likely processes driving them.
3. Understand how observation, experimentation and modelling can be used to generate and test ecological hypotheses.
4. Critically evaluate scientific evidence to understand ecological patterns and processes.
5. Conduct quantitative ecological research and communicate the findings to a specialist audience.
6. Work as a research team and provide effective peer support.

Research-Led Teaching

This course will connect a general background in ecology across the animal and plant sciences, reflecting the focus of each instructor. Principles and ideas will integrate across disciplines, whilst providing depth in areas that span from population ecology to ecosystem-level processes. The course will also be informed by current research into microbial ecology, forest ecology, plant functional ecology and animal ecology. Students will be encouraged to learn new measurements and analysis methods in both field and laboratory settings.

Field Trips

There will a field trip on Friday week 7 during the workshop time and the afternoon of the same day on or near the ANU campus. You will be home by dinner. There will be subsequent afternoon field trips, participation in which will be voluntary, with the exact timing depending on weather. Details will be discussed during the course.

Examination Material or equipment

Please see above (required resources)

Required Resources

Recommended Resources

Lecture handouts will be periodically uploaded to WATTLE (https://wattle.anu.edu.au/). Please bring an electronic copy or your own hard copy printout to the relevant lecture if you need one, as hardcopies will not be provided. General course information, assignment information sheets, and tutorial instruction sheets will also be available on WATTLE ahead of the scheduled time for that activity. Key readings will tend to focus on individual research papers or reviews. We also suggest the general background text in ecology listed below. However, we emphasise the importance of using the readings provided by the lecturers, many of which may be more up-to-date or more focussed for your studies.

‘Quantitative Ecology: A New Unified Approach’ (2019), Clarence Lehman, Shelby Loberg, Adam Clark. Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/11299/204551

 

You may also like to try these resources for high-quality information:

Literature searches

ANU Library http://libguides.anu.edu.au/content.php?pid=405919&sid=3467071

ISI Web of Knowledge  http://www.isiwebofknowledge.com/

Google Scholar http://scholar.google.com.au

Scopus http://www.scopus.com/

Recommended Resources

Please see above (required resources)

Recommended student system requirements 

ANU courses commonly use a number of online resources and activities including:

• video material, similar to YouTube, for lectures and other instruction
• two-way video conferencing for interactive learning
• email and other messaging tools for communication
• interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities
• print and photo/scan for handwritten work
• home-based assessment.

To fully participate in ANU learning, students need:

• A computer or laptop.
• Webcam
• Speakers and a microphone (e.g. headset)
• Reliable, stable internet connection. Broadband recommended. If using a mobile network or wi-fi then check performance is adequate.
• Suitable location with minimal interruptions and adequate privacy for classes and assessments.
• Printing, and photo/scanning equipment

For more information please see https://www.anu.edu.au/students/systems/recommended-student-system-requirements

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

This class is held in tandem with BIOL6004; the student groups are combined, which leads to gains for both groups.

Various documents will be provided to the class through Wattle. These will include a full course outline document and a field trip outline document. You will also be able to access other documents through Wattle, in addition to lecture material including:

Assessment details and rubrics.

Datasets if pooled from the whole class.

Health and safety or similar formal forms.

Other forms or information sheets that may be deemed necessary during the course.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Ecological data visualisation
2	Single population models	Assignment 1 (Ecological data visualisation)
3	Human population growth	Assignment 2 (Single population models)
4	Differential and difference forms, chaos	Assignment 3 (Human population growth)
5	Theory of interactions	Assignment 4 (Differential and difference forms, chaos)
6	Age structured populations	Assignment 5 (Theory of interactions )
7	Local field trip	Assignment 6 (Age structured populations)
8	Phase and state spaces
9	Predators and prey	Assignment 7 (Phase and state spaces)
10	Theory of disease	Assignment 8 (Predators and prey)
11	Competition and mutualism	Assignment 9 (Theory of disease)
12	Field trip presentations and feedback	Assignment 10 Monday (Competition and mutualism), Assignment 11 part 1 Friday (Field trip presentations)
13		Assignment 11 part 2 (Written field trip reports) November 1st

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Learning Outcomes
Weekly assignments (1-10)	90 %	<br>
Assessment 11: Field trip reports and presentations	10 %

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

The field trips (or their replacement) and the practicals are all compulsory; they are not repeated.

Full attendance at the lectures and workshops is strongly recommended to enhance understanding and intellectual synthesis.

Examination(s)

The entire course grade will be based on weekly assignments. There will be no final exam.

Assessment Task 1

Weekly assignments (1-10)

Fridays will be dedicated to a hands-on exploration of ecology, which will take the form of field trips, lab exercises, data analysis and discussion. Almost all of these will have associated write-ups or problem sets, which will be explained in detail during the exercises. Assignments 1-10 will be due the following Monday, at 17:00, with the expectation that they will be graded the next day and discussed during the subsequent lecture. Late submissions will not be accepted, though the lowest score assignments 1-10 will be dropped prior to computing the final course grade. As a result, each assignment will be worth 10% of the overall course grade.

 The goal of the practical sessions will be to develop skills in data analysis and interpretation. All of the course material will be accessible to students who are unable to attend the practical sessions. However, there is no real substitute for the hands-on components, particularly when it comes to asking questions and receiving immediate feedback from the teaching staff. As a result, students are strongly encouraged to attend in person.

Assessment Task 2

Assessment 11: Field trip reports and presentations

Assessment 11 will be composed of presentations (on the last workshop of the semester, 5%) and written reports (due during exam session, 5%), based on results of the local field trip.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

As the assessment tasks will be graded and discussed the week they are due, no late submissions will be accepted. However, the lowest assessment grade will be dropped.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

All student work is to be returned via Turnitin, unless you are informed otherwise: this information will be provided through Wattle and/or verbally to the class.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assignments is not accepted

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students