Available in 2024
Course code

MARI1000

Units

10 units

Level

1000 level

Course handbook

Description

Australia's marine environment is globally significant, containing some of the world's most diverse ecosystems and species, many of which are unique to Australia. The economic value of Australia's marine environment exceeds A$30 billion annually and its social value (for sport, recreation, relaxation) is immense in Australia's culture. Addressing future challenges for our oceans needs a sound understanding of its living and non-living features, including how we both benefit from, and impact upon, these valuable marine ecosystems. This course provides students with an introduction to the marine environment, to some of the most important marine ecosystems (coral reefs, beaches, rocky reefs), and current conservation and management issues (inc. climate change, land-based pollution, fishing and aquaculture, shoreline changes, marine protected areas) and their solutions. The course will be taught through on-line delivery of learning materials.


Availability2024 Course Timetables

Online

  • Summer 2 - 2024
  • Semester 1 - 2024
  • Semester 2 - 2024

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

1. Describe the physical marine environment, including the seafloor, oceanography and climate;

2. Describe key Australian marine ecosystems and species and their significance;

3. Recognise the social, economic and environmental benefits from sustainable use of Australia's marine environment;

4. Recognise the current issues for the Australian marine environment and their social, economic and environmental costs;

5. Integrate personal perspectives and evidence-based arguments for analysing contemporary issues in the marine environment;

6. Organise and communicate key concepts, using written and visual means.


Content

Module 1: Introduction to the Marine Environment

  • Environmental, economic & social benefits of our ocean resources
  • Climate, oceanography and currents
  • Structure of the seafloor
  • Australia's marine biodiversity & ecosystems, and challenges for living organisms

 

 Module 2: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

  • Coral reefs
  • Beaches
  • Estuaries, including seagrass, mangroves and saltmarsh
  • Rocky reefs, both intertidal and subtidal

 Module 3: Issues, Challenges, Responses (may include)

  • Climate change
  • Land-based discharge, including plastic pollution/stormwater
  • Sustainable fishing and aquaculture
  • Shoreline changes
  • Marine protected areas

Assessment items

Quiz: Quizzes

Professional Task: Factsheet development

Online Learning Activity: Analysis of contemporary issue


Compulsory Requirements

Compulsory Placement and WHS Requirements:

  • Induction - Self-Directed Learning WHS Induction Requirement - Students must complete a compulsory WHS induction, consisting of resources, a short quiz and submitted paperwork, all of which are fully online, before accessing further course materials.

Contact hours

Summer 2 - 2024 - Online

Self-Directed Learning-1
  • Online 120 hour(s) per term
  • Hours per week will vary depending on whether the course is run in semester 1 or 2 or as a compressed summer term. The total number of hours per term remains the same.

Semester 1 - 2024 - Online

Self-Directed Learning-1
  • Online 120 hour(s) per term
  • Hours per week will vary depending on whether the course is run in semester 1 or 2 or as a compressed summer term. The total number of hours per term remains the same.

Semester 2 - 2024 - Online

Self-Directed Learning-1
  • Online 120 hour(s) per term
  • Hours per week will vary depending on whether the course is run in semester 1 or 2 or as a compressed summer term. The total number of hours per term remains the same.

Course outline