Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

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.

• Unit Title

  Marine and Coastal Ecosystems

• Unit Code

  SCI3210

• Year

  2016

• Enrolment Period

  1

• Version

  1

• Credit Points

  15

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  On Campus
  

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Description

This unit examines the biological, physical and chemical characteristics of coastal and marine ecosystems, including beaches, reefs, soft-bottom and estuarine ecosystems. The unit also examines the impact of human activity on these ecosystems. Students will explore and evaluate strategies for assessing impacts and achieving balanced management outcomes for marine environments. Students will also design, implement and report on marine sampling programmes.

Prerequisite Rule

(Students must pass 1 units from SCM2110, SCM2202 AND Students must pass 2 units from SCC1123, SCI1185)

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded SCI3256

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Analyse and explain the ecological interactions which maintain marine and coastal ecosystems, and the threats to these ecosystems.
2. Describe and critique the elements of effective environmental management plans and their relevant strategies for coastal zones.
3. Describe the characteristics of a range of different marine and coastal ecosystems.
4. Design sampling programmes for water quality and biological surveys in coastal environments.
5. Devise strategies to minimise adverse impacts of human activities on coastal and marine ecosystems.

Unit Content

1. Beaches and shorelines: the major features of shorelines; beach communities; management strategies to control shoreline and sand dune erosion.
2. Management approaches for marine environments: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - criteria for the selection, design and implementation of MPAs; Management of polluting activities outside MPAs; Regulatory and legislative frameworks for coastal management.
3. Marine ecosystems - estuaries, temperate and coral reefs, salt marshes, mangrove and seagrasses: physico-chemical characteristics; the biota and food chains; threats and their management
4. Oceanographic processes and their implications for marine biota.
5. Pelagic ecosystems: plankton and nekton; pelagic productivity and foodwebs.
6. Surveys: design and implementation of technically sound sampling programmes for water quality and biological surveys in the coastal and marine environments.
7. The coastal zone: classification of marine environments; the unique chemical and physical characteristics of marine environments; biological adaptation to the marine environment.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, laboratory work and field excursions.

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 Board of Examiners.

Text References

• White, M. W. D. (2007). Australasian marine pollution laws (2nd ed.). The Federation Press, Sydney, Australia:
• Nybakken, J. W., & Bertness, M. D. (2005). Marine Biology: an ecological approach. Pearson, San Francisco
• Brown, J., Colling, A., Park, D., Phillips, J., Rothery, D., & Wright, J. (1991). Waves, tides and shallow water processes. Open University Press, Milton Keys, U.K.
• Connell, S., & Gillander, B. (2007). Marine Ecology. Oxford University Press.
• Kaiser, M. J., Attrill, M., Jennings, S.,Thomas, D. N., Barnes, D., Brierley, A., & Williams, P. J. L. B. (2011). Marine ecology: Processes, systems and impacts (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press

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