UWA Handbook 2023

Unit Overview

Description

This unit is designed for students studying biological science majors wishing to gain experience in animal field studies. The main part of this unit is an eight-day field trip to Coral Bay, located in in the heart of the Ningaloo Reef World Heritage Area in the northwest of Western Australia. The field trip is typically held in July during the break between semesters 1 and 2. You learn techniques such as mist netting, mammal trapping, marine fauna surveys and experimental design and analysis.

The field trip itself is divided into two parts. The first comprises a series of field-based exercises that runs over five consecutive days (each exercise led by a different Biological Sciences academic). While individual projects change from year to year, the unifying aim of these exercises is to equip students with field-based skills and experiences. The second part of the field trip involves a single research project run over three days. In this second component, students work collaboratively in groups (16 students) to collect and compile data for subsequent organisation, analysis and dissemination by each student.

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Non-standard teaching period	UWA (Perth)	Face to face

Details for undergraduate courses

• Level 2 core unit in the Wildlife Conservation major sequence
• Level 2 option in the Zoology major sequence

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) work responsibly, ethically and competently in the field demonstrating appropriate use of techniques and equipment; (2) enter field data into databases and produce exploratory graphical plots; and (3) produce a scientific article or report based on a three-day group project on an aspect of animal biology that has been studied in the field.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) assessment of individual performance across five separate field work modules including data entry and (2) write an individual report based on a two-day group project. Further information is available in the unit outline.

To pass this unit, a student must: (a) achieve an overall mark of 50 per cent or higher for the unit; and (b) achieve the requisite requirements(s) or a mark of 50 per cent or greater, whichever is higher and specified in the unit outline, for the assessment of individual performance across five separate field work modules including data entry component.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Jason Kennington & Associate Professor Nicola Mitchell

Unit rules

Prerequisites

Successful completion of

Unit(s) BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology (ID 1244)

Approved quota: 50—students must be doing a major in Zoology, either as a the degree-specific major or as the second major. Of those students, the top 50 based on performance in BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology will be selected.

Incidental fees

Incidental student fees and charges are costs incurred by students as part of their studies at UWA that are in addition to their tuition fees (further information is available here or contact your Faculty Office).
Participation in this unit will incur the following incidental fee(s):
Field Trip (estimated cost - $900).

Contact hours

safety induction and lecture on animal welfare, ethics and science: 3 hours
fieldwork: 48 hours (4 x 1-day projects, 2-day group project)
other work: 16 hours (face-to face on campus, e.g. database entry, preparation of a major report based on a group project)

Note

This unit is subject to a quota.