School: Science

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    Diversity of Life
  • Unit Code

    SCI2116
  • Year

    2022
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    3
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Kristina Louise LEMSON

Description

Diversity of Life provides an overview of major groups of organisms, with a strong emphasis on eukaryotes. The unit adopts an evolutionary (phylogenetic) approach, and explores how the relationships among major clades of eukaryotes are revealed in their body structures, genetics and biochemistry. Australian organisms will also be emphasised. Note that practical activities in this unit may include the use of animals, animal products and tissues.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must have passed SCI1183 (Origins and Evolution of Life) and SCI1187 (Form and Function in Biology), AND 1 unit from SCI1125 (Professional Science Essentials) or EDU1009 (Communication Skills for Teaching and Learning).

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Apply the fundamental concepts of phylogenetic systematics to infer evolutionary relationships among Eukaryotes.
  2. Interpret complex systematic biological texts and data.
  3. Collect and analyse data to compare and contrast taxonomic groups.
  4. Explain how morphological, reproductive and molecular evidence inform hypotheses of relationship and illustrate the processes of organic evolution.
  5. Relate morphological, reproductive and molecular evidence to processes of organic evolution and classification based on phylogeny.
  6. Communicate complex systematic concepts using appropriate terminology to a range of audiences
  7. Relate morphological, reproductive and molecular evidence to phylogeny reconstruction and processes of organic evolution.

Unit Content

  1. General principles of phylogenetic systematics: monophyly and paraphyly; introduction to methods; interpretation of phylogenetic trees.
  2. Eukaryote origin and deep-time radiation: inference of deep-time relationships; the Last Eukaryote Common Ancestor; major lineages and taxonomic super-groups.
  3. Opisthokonta: Fungi (Holomycota), animals (Metazoa) and their immediate relatives.
  4. Animals: origins of and major evolutionary transitions within Metazoa; early-diverging lineages; Eumetazoa; Bilateria; Ecdysozoa; protostomes and deuterostomes; chordates; tetrapods.
  5. Protists: evidence for the paraphyly of 'Protista'; Key important lineages - Stramenopiles, Alveolates, Rhizaria and others.
  6. Archaeplastida: red and green algae; origins of land plants (Embryophytes); major evolutionary transitions, grades and clades - non-vascular plants; lycophytes; monilophytes; gymnosperms and angiosperms.
  7. Evolutionary drivers of biodiversity: Earth history and tectonics, fossil record and geological timescale; planetary climate change; extinction, mass-extinction and re-radiation; endosymbiosis; co-evolution; human impacts.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 3 hour labNot Offered13 x 3 hour lab
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot Offered13 x 2 hour lecture

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit has a strong focus on laboratory work. Following recorded or live lectures, laboratories have a distinct focus on evolution of animals and plants and the relationships between different groups. Coursework and additional support materials and activities are available online.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit information may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Laboratory Work ^Individual and group practical work and related theory, assessed as quizzes and written submissions.30%
TestMid-semester test10%
AssignmentFact sheet20%
ExerciseEnd of semester written assessment20%
TestEnd of semester test20%

^ Mandatory to Pass


Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

SCI2116|3|1

School: Science

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    Diversity of Life
  • Unit Code

    SCI2116
  • Year

    2022
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    3
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Kristina Louise LEMSON

Description

Diversity of Life provides an overview of major groups of organisms, with a strong emphasis on eukaryotes. The unit adopts an evolutionary (phylogenetic) approach, and explores how the relationships among major clades of eukaryotes are revealed in their body structures, genetics and biochemistry. Australian organisms will also be emphasised. Note that practical activities in this unit may include the use of animals, animal products and tissues.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must have passed SCI1183 (Origins and Evolution of Life) and SCI1187 (Form and Function in Biology), AND 1 unit from SCI1125 (Professional Science Essentials) or EDU1009 (Communication Skills for Teaching and Learning).

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Apply the fundamental concepts of phylogenetic systematics to infer evolutionary relationships among Eukaryotes.
  2. Interpret complex systematic biological texts and data.
  3. Collect and analyse data to compare and contrast taxonomic groups.
  4. Explain how morphological, reproductive and molecular evidence inform hypotheses of relationship and illustrate the processes of organic evolution.
  5. Relate morphological, reproductive and molecular evidence to processes of organic evolution and classification based on phylogeny.
  6. Communicate complex systematic concepts using appropriate terminology to a range of audiences
  7. Relate morphological, reproductive and molecular evidence to phylogeny reconstruction and processes of organic evolution.

Unit Content

  1. General principles of phylogenetic systematics: monophyly and paraphyly; introduction to methods; interpretation of phylogenetic trees.
  2. Eukaryote origin and deep-time radiation: inference of deep-time relationships; the Last Eukaryote Common Ancestor; major lineages and taxonomic super-groups.
  3. Opisthokonta: Fungi (Holomycota), animals (Metazoa) and their immediate relatives.
  4. Animals: origins of and major evolutionary transitions within Metazoa; early-diverging lineages; Eumetazoa; Bilateria; Ecdysozoa; protostomes and deuterostomes; chordates; tetrapods.
  5. Protists: evidence for the paraphyly of 'Protista'; Key important lineages - Stramenopiles, Alveolates, Rhizaria and others.
  6. Archaeplastida: red and green algae; origins of land plants (Embryophytes); major evolutionary transitions, grades and clades - non-vascular plants; lycophytes; monilophytes; gymnosperms and angiosperms.
  7. Evolutionary drivers of biodiversity: Earth history and tectonics, fossil record and geological timescale; planetary climate change; extinction, mass-extinction and re-radiation; endosymbiosis; co-evolution; human impacts.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 3 hour labNot Offered13 x 3 hour lab
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot Offered13 x 2 hour lecture

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit has a strong focus on laboratory work. Following recorded or live lectures, laboratories have a distinct focus on evolution of animals and plants and the relationships between different groups. Coursework and additional support materials and activities are available online.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit information may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Laboratory Work ^Individual and group practical work and related theory, assessed as quizzes and written submissions.40%
AssignmentFact sheet20%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination40%

^ Mandatory to Pass


Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

SCI2116|3|2