BIOL375-12S2 (C) Semester Two 2012

Freshwater Ecosystems

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 9 July 2012
End Date: Sunday, 11 November 2012
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 22 July 2012
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 7 October 2012

Description

Advanced theories and concepts of freshwater ecology and their practical application to current issues.

There is a 5 day field trip to Cass and the West Coast, 27 - 31 August 2012.

Goals of the Course
This course is designed to teach the advanced theories and concepts of freshwater ecology and their practical application to current issues. You will learn about the diversity and functioning of freshwater ecosystems, with emphasis on New Zealand systems but also with examples from overseas. Through a concentrated period of learning on a field course, you will also learn the most important practical skills necessary for a freshwater-related technical job in New Zealand. The content of this course has been determined in association with major employers such as Regional Councils and the Department of Conservation and is taught by Freshwater Ecologists who are actively engaged in international-quality research. Thus, we can be confident the course will equip students for freshwater ecology-related careers and that the training and knowledge they receive is state-of the art.

Learning Outcomes

  • Acquire an appreciation of the main concepts in freshwater ecology
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the distribution and abundance of organisms across a variety of ecosystems including streams, wetlands, lakes and ground waters
  • Understand the processes that control the structure and functioning of freshwater ecosystems at a variety of scales ranging from individuals to ecosystems and landscapes, and including the role(s) of abiotic factors and processes.
  • Have an awareness of the problems and issues affecting freshwater ecosystems, and have familiarity with how ecological knowledge can be applied to achieve solutions including their rehabilitation, restoration and conservation
  • Develop sophisticated skills in field experimental design and sampling, and laboratory techniques (including taxonomy) of freshwater taxa, physico-chemical processes and ecosystem processes
  • Have a high level of expertise in the analysis and interpretation of data from freshwater ecosystems
  • Further extend scientific communication skills, especially oral presentations and scientific paper writing

Prerequisites

Timetable Note

Field Trip - Compulsory

The field trip is based at the Cass field station but we will also visit the West Coast.  

There will be a charge for transport from Christchurch and food of $120 that you will pay with the course fees at enrolment.  

You will be advised of more field trip details early in the course.  

Note that the field trip is compulsory and provides the source of major in-term assessment.  

To attend the field course you need to be capable of safely carrying out physical activities in the outdoors.

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Jonathan Harding

Lecturers

Angus McIntosh , Jon O'Brien and Hamish Greig

Guest Lecturer

Dr Phil Jellyman (NIWA)

Lab Coordinator

Linda Gay Morris

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Short Field Trip Report 10%
Final Exam 50%
Online Quizzes 10%
Literature Review 06 Aug 2012 5%
Major Report on Field Trip Research Project 24 Sep 2012 25%

Textbooks / Resources

Required Texts

Harding, Jon S. , New Zealand Hydrological Society., New Zealand Limnological Society; Freshwaters of New Zealand ; New Zealand Hydrological Society ;New Zealand Limnological Society, 2004 (See http://limsoc.rsnz.org/publications.htm for purchase details or copies available from Jon Harding).

Recommended Reading

Allan, J. David; Stream ecology : structure and function of running waters ; Chapman & Hall, 1995.

Begon, Michael. , Harper, John L., Townsend, Colin R; Ecology : individuals, populations, and communities ; 3rd ed; Blackwell Science, 1996 (useful general ecology text).

Collier, Kevin J. et al; New Zealand stream invertebrates : ecology and implications for management ; New Zealand Limnological Society ;NIWA, 2000 (general reference on NZ streams – now ½ price, see http://limsoc.rsnz.org/publications.htm).

McDowall, R. M; The Reed field guide to New Zealand freshwater fishes ; Reed, 2000 (fish field identification guide).

Winterbourn, Michael J. et al; Guide to the aquatic insects of New Zealand ; 3rd ed; Entomological Society of New Zealand, 2000 (insect identification guide, see http://limsoc.rsnz.org/publications.htm).

Additional Course Outline Information

Academic integrity

It is essential that you are aware that plagiarism is considered a very serious offence by the Academic community, the University and the School of Biological Sciences. Plagiarism is defined as taking content from another work or author and presenting it, without attribution, as if it is your own work. Content here includes text (sentences or major parts of sentences), display items (graphs and tables), and overall structure (the detailed sequence of ideas). Plagiarism includes:
• re-use of previous assignments (even if each individual sentence has been rephrased to say the same thing in different words, if the overall structure is re-used)  
• copying of another student’s work (with or without their consent)
• the unreferenced use of published material or material from the internet e.g. cutting and pasting of paragraphs or pages into an essay.
For most pieces of in-term assessment you will be given information concerning the use of direct and indirect quotes from previously published work. If you are in any doubt about appropriate use of published material, please speak with a member of academic staff. If you are still unsure what plagiarism is, then seek advice.

It is a School policy that courses may request you submit work electronically for subsequent analysis of originality using Turnitin. Students agree that by taking courses in BIOL, required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism.  All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers.  Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site.

Assessment and grading system

SBS Grading – (note new UC grading system for 2012)
A+ 90% or above
A 85 – 90
A- 80 – 84
B+ 75 – 79
B 70 – 74
B- 65 – 69
C+ 60 – 64
C 55 – 59
C- 50 – 54

A restricted pass (R) may be awarded to those who are close to a pass (i.e. an overall score of 48-49.9%) AND who have achieved at least a 40% overall score in both in-course assessment and tests/exams. If an R grade is awarded you gain credit for the course but cannot continue into papers that require this course as a pre-requisite. NB. The R grade is only available at 100 and 200 level - it cannot be awarded for third year papers.

Failing grades:
D 40-48
E 0–39

Notes

What if I have written more than the word or page limit?

If there is a word limit on an assignment, it is usually there to stop you doing too much work and to encourage you to write succinctly.  It also makes things easier to assess.  You can be up to 10% over without too much worry, but if the length increases beyond that your mark may suffer due to failure to follow the requirements.  If you find yourself way over the word limit have a chat to the lecturer concerned about how to trim your assignment to an acceptable length.

Requests for extensions

Reports and assignments should be handed in on time. Extensions may be granted if you have a valid reason. If you require an extension, you should request one from the course co-ordinator (or the lecturer responsible for marking the work), with as much notice as possible.  Please do this BEFORE the deadline for the assignment. If you have been given an extension you should hand the work DIRECTLY to the course coordinator (do not put it in the drop box as it may not be cleared after the due date).
If an extension has not been granted:
• work must be handed in by the due date to gain full credit
• work handed in up to 7 days after the deadline will be marked, but the marks will be discounted 25% before they are recorded to the student's credit
• any work handed in more than 7 days after the deadline date will not be marked or earn credit.

What to do if you are sick

If you feel that illness, injury, bereavement or other critical circumstances have prevented you from completing an item of assessment worth 10% or more of total course assessment or have affected your performance in a test or exam, you should visit a doctor within 24 hours and submit the application form to Erskine 235 within 7 days. The application form is available on-line or from the Student Health and Counselling Service. You should also notify the course co-ordinator.  For further details on aegrotat applications, please refer to the University’s website - http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/exams/aegrotats.shtml). The aegrotat provisions are intended to assist students who have covered the work of a course but have been prevented by illness or other critical circumstances from demonstrating their mastery of the material or skills at the time of assessment – they do not excuse you from doing the assessment. If the examiner cannot assess your aegrotat application because of lack of other evidence, you may be asked to sit a special assessment if you miss a final exam. You should also expect to be required to submit additional work if you miss a major assignment (e.g. a field trip for which a major write-up is required). Please note: acceptance of the grounds for an aegrotat application does not simply excuse you from completing items of assessment if you are requested to do so. You will be given reasonable time to complete any such work.

What to do if you have missed something

In rare cases you may not be able to sit a test or exam, or attend a field trip, because of involvement in international or national representative sport or cultural groups. In such cases see the course co-ordinator, and a course of action (usually the sitting of an equivalent test or exam at a different time, or submitting an equivalent piece of written assessment) will be arranged. This should be done well in advance of the set date for a missed exam/test/assignment. Please note – holiday trips, weddings, birthday parties etc. are not given special status in the University policy, so please do not ask for special consideration in these circumstances.

What if I fail part of the course

In BIOL, we require a satisfactory level of achievement in both the theoretical aspects of the discipline and in practical activities. This means you must attend all class activities and submit all items of assessment unless you have a very good reason not to (e.g. medical reasons). A student must attain a score of at least 40% for in-course assessment and at least 40% in the course exam/test, AND score at least 50% overall for the course, to be awarded a passing grade.

Best way to give feedback

We welcome constructive feedback at all times – help us to make this a valuable course for you.  We endeavour to remain approachable at all times.  If you would rather give feedback anonymously, please use the C.E.M. survey or talk to lab demonstrators, or your class rep. who will all report back to the staff-student liaison committee that includes a representative from each of the undergraduate classes. Class representatives will be selected from each class at the start of course.

The best way to complain

If you feel you have not been fairly treated during this course, please raise the issue with the lecturer or course co-ordinator in the first instance.  Other avenues include your class rep., who can raise issues anonymously, or the UCSA education coordinator.

Where to submit and collect work

All assignments should be placed in the designated collection box in the foyer of the 4th floor of the School of Biological Sciences (near the Secretaries' Office), unless directed otherwise by the course co-ordinator. All assignments must be accompanied by a cover sheet signed by you stating that the submitted work is not plagiarised. Cover sheets are available on top of the collection boxes, or you can download one from the Biology website (under Undergraduate). In addition, you may also be asked to submit your work electronically (via Learn) for analysis in Turnitin. You will be given instructions on how to do this in the assignment handout.

Marked assignments can be collected from the Secretaries' Office between the hours 9.30-10.30am and 1.30-2.30pm, unless directed otherwise by the course co-ordinator. Teaching staff will endeavour to return work as soon as possible, and should contact you if there are likely to be any delays that will prevent return within the maximum 4-week timeframe.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,607.00

International fee $7,866.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Biological Sciences .

All BIOL375 Occurrences

  • BIOL375-12S2 (C) Semester Two 2012