Overview
In Environmental Physiology of Animals you will study 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. You 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 or BIOL12112
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 - 2019
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 Student unit evaluation
Weekly zoom tutorials to clarify content would be beneficial.
Tutorials will be considered.
- 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 - 20% | ||||
| 3 - Examination - 40% | ||||
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 - 20% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Examination - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
Additional Textbook Information
Resources and readings will be available on the moodle site. Students are welcome to purchase any recent text on Animal Physiology to support their learning.
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.
a.anastasi@cqu.edu.au
a.carton@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Basic Principles
Chapter
Moyes & Schulte, pp 4-18
Wilmer et al, pp 3-15
Events and Submissions/Topic
Introduce yourself on the General Discussion Forum
Module/Topic
Energy and Nutrition
Chapter
Moyes & Schulte, pp 51-53, 628-631
Urry et al, pp 152-155, 166-186, 915-919
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
Osmoregulation and excretion
Chapter
Moyes & Schulte, pp 543-554, 580-589
Wilmer et al, pp 51-62, 70-7, 76-110
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Respiration and circulation
Chapter
Moyes & Schulte, pp 357-372, 491-495
Hill et al, pp 583-615
Urry et al, pp 973-975
Events and Submissions/Topic
Literature review: Send an annotated list of at least 15 relevant articles to your course coordinator.
Module/Topic
Thermoregulation
Chapter
Hill et al, pp 277-289
Urry et al, pp 910-915
Sherwood et al, pp 682-704
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Send an outline of your literature review to the Unit Coordinator for feedback.
Prepare for Residential School by perusing practical activities.
Module/Topic
Nerves and Muscles
Chapter
Urry et al, pp 910-915, 1096-1105, 1114-1118, 1153-1163
Events and Submissions/Topic
Compulsory Residential School: 26 - 28 April
Your Log Book must be completed and submitted before leaving Residential School
Module/Topic
Hormones, Pheromones and Reproduction
Chapter
Moyes & Schulte, pp 683, 696-698
Hill et al, pp 455-467, 476
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Marine habitats
Chapter
Moyes & Schulte, pp 548-553
Hill et al, pp 590-593
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Estuaries and Shorelines
Chapter
Moyes & Schulte, pp 2-3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Submit your first draft of your literature review to Turnitin for checking, then send to Unit Coordinator for feedback.
Module/Topic
Freshwater and extreme aquatic habitats
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Terrestrial ecosystems
Chapter
Wilmer et al, pp 1199-1204
Events and Submissions/Topic
Literature review is due Monday Week 12.
Module/Topic
Extreme terrestrial habitats and Revision
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Revision. Exams start Thursday 13/6/19
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 their environment. Use this information to comment on their potential to adapt to climate change.
- Flying Foxes
- Tasmanian Devils
- Wombats
- Dunnarts
More information will be available on the Moodle site.
Week 12 Monday (3 June 2019) 5:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (21 June 2019)
Marks will be awarded for writing skills, content, research and referencing. Marks will not be allocated for sections that are plagiairised or copied, in line with CQU Policy. A rubric 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
You are required to submit your Laboratory Log Book, including experimental data, calculations and answers to questions before leaving the Residential School. Exact details will be provided on the Moodle site and discussed at the residential school.
You are required to submit your log book before leaving the Residential School: 5.00pm Sunday April 28th.
Week 9 Monday (13 May 2019)
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
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.
What can you do to act with integrity?
