Overview
Students will gain an understanding of the physiological adaptations of animals that enable them to inhabit a range of environments and how animals can respond to environmental challenges such as climate change. Students will also conduct independent literature research and examine a range of procedures and technologies used to research the environmental physiology of animals.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
BIOL11100
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2017
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Residential Schools
This unit has a Compulsory Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Personal observation, course evaluations
Lectures are overlong and difficult to relate to Learning outcomes
I will revisit the learning outcomes and content for this course. For 2017, I will try to pre-record the lectures in smaller sessions (30 minutes max) and then run Collaborate tutorials.
Shorter summary lectures were pre-recorded this year and students felt that they were an improvement. Evening tutorials were offered but they were poorly attended.
Feedback from Course Evaluations, student emails, personal reflection
Students (again) felt that the research presentations were worthwhile and interesting. One student disagreed, noting that it was time they could have spent elsewhere. My personal opinion is that a couple of the sessions were over long.
I will make the research sessions more succinct and timetable one per day rather than a whole day.
In 2017 there was only a single research presentation. Students enjoyed the session and were engaged, asking lots of questions afterwards.
Feedback from Personal observation, course evaluations
Some equipment is still not working well and results in pracs not being successful.
I will work with the laboratory staff to ensure pracs are viable.
Pracs ran better this year with less issues with equipment.
Feedback from Self reflection
Students struggled with the Literature Review despite support provided and offers of scaffolding. However, I am loathe to make the 'stepwise' development of the literature review compulsory as by third year, students need to take responsibility for their own time management.
I will offer a Collaborate tutorial on writing literature reviews.
A tutorial was held about Literature reviews but it was poorly attended.
- Describe the functioning and control of physiological systems in a range of animals.
- Explain the physiological responses of animals to a range of environmental challenges.
- Present, analyse and interpret physiological data.
- Demonstrate a range of practical skills relevant to the study of environmental physiology.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
2 - Practical Assessment - 10% | ||||
3 - Examination - 50% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Communication | ||||
2 - Problem Solving | ||||
3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
4 - Information Literacy | ||||
5 - Team Work | ||||
6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
8 - Ethical practice | ||||
9 - Social Innovation | ||||
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
2 - Practical Assessment - 10% | ||||||||||
3 - Examination - 50% |
Textbooks
Principles of Animal Physiology
Edition: 3rd edn (2015)
Authors: Moyes & Schulte
Pearson
Edinburgh Edinburgh , UK
ISBN: 9780321838179
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
d.clifton@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Basic Principles
Chapter
Chapter 1, 2, 3; Moyes & Schulte
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Energy and Nutrition
Chapter
Chapter 14; Moyes & Schulte
Events and Submissions/Topic
Identify which group of animals you will be researching for your literature review and notify your course coordinator by email.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 13; Moyes & Schulte
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Respiration and circulation
Chapter
Chapter 9 & 11; Moyes & Schulte
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Thermoregulation
Chapter
Chapter 15; Moyes & Schulte
Events and Submissions/Topic
Literature review: Send an annotated list of at least 15 relevant articles to your course coordinator.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Sensory Systems and Locomotion
Chapter
Chapter 5, 6, 7; Moyes & Schulte
Events and Submissions/Topic
Send an outline of your literature review to the course coordinator for feedback.
Module/Topic
Hormones, Pheremones and Reproduction
Chapter
Chapter 4 & 16; Moyes & Schulte
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Marine life
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Estuaries
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submit your first draft of your literature review to Turnitin for checking.
Module/Topic
Freshwater and extreme aquatic habitats
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Terrestrial ecosystems
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Extreme terrestrial habitats and Review
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Revision. Exams start 8/6/17
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
You are required to write a 4,000 to 5,000 word literature review on the following topic:
Choose a group of Australian animals from the list below and discuss their physiological and behavioural adaptations to the environment and, hence, comment on their potential to adapt to climate change.- Micro bats
- Megapodes
- Bettongs
- Tree Kangaroos
More information will be available on the Moodle site.
Week 12 Monday (29 May 2017) 9:00 am AEST
Exam Week Friday (16 June 2017)
Marks will be awarded for writing skills, content, research and referencing. Marks will not be allocated for sections that are plagiarised or copied, in line with CQU Policy. A detailed marking scheme is available on the Moodle site.
- Describe the functioning and control of physiological systems in a range of animals.
- Explain the physiological responses of animals to a range of environmental challenges.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
2 Practical Assessment
Submission of Laboratory Log Book, including experimental data, calculations and answers to questions. Exact details will be provided on the Moodle site and discussed at the residential school.
On completion of the residential school
Week 6 Friday (21 Apr 2017)
Marks will be awarded for completeness and presentation of data, accuracy of calculations and answers to questions. Detailed marking criteria will be provided on the Moodle site.
- Describe the functioning and control of physiological systems in a range of animals.
- Explain the physiological responses of animals to a range of environmental challenges.
- Present, analyse and interpret physiological data.
- Demonstrate a range of practical skills relevant to the study of environmental physiology.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
Examination
Dictionary - non-electronic, concise, direct translation only (dictionary must not contain any notes or comments).
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.