BIOSCI 747 : Biosecurity and Invasion Biology
Science
2020 Semester One (1203) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 3: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
| Capability 5: | Independence and Integrity |
| Capability 6: | Social and Environmental Responsibilities |
Learning Outcomes
- Differentiate the stages of the invasion process and evaluate how these link to species biology (Capability 1 and 2)
- Evaluate abiotic factors and biotic interactions that might facilitate invasion and impact, and predict invasion success and impact in different ecosystem contexts (Capability 1 and 2)
- Work collaboratively in groups to critique and improve risk assessment techniques, challenge key invasion biology concepts, and use the scientific method to develop research proposals (Capability 2, 3 and 4)
- Communicate and debate invasion biology challenges both orally (to the class) and in written form (Capability 2, 3 and 4)
- Apply species distribution modelling techniques to species risk assessments and critically evaluate modelling techniques and species distribution heat maps (Capability 2, 3, 4 and 6)
- Apply their knowledge of the invasion pathway and risk assessment to a real world example, by developing an Environmental Protection Agency submission that assesses the risk of a species proposed for importation to New Zealand (Capability 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Species distribution modelling exercise | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Species risk assessment | 55% | Individual Coursework |
| Policy submission | 35% | Individual Coursework |
| 3 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||
| Species distribution modelling exercise | ||||||||||
| Species risk assessment | ||||||||||
| Policy submission | ||||||||||
Learning Resources
Special Requirements
This is a block course requiring attendance and participation from 8:30am - 4:30pm for 4 continuous days in the first week of Semester only.
Workload Expectations
This courses are designed so that the average student should be able to pass by spending 150 hours on this course. Use the following as a guide.
Contact time = 32 hours
Species risk assessment = 55 hours
Policy submission (Macrolophus) = 35 hours
Pre-reading and reading throughout = 28 hours
TOTAL 150 hours
Digital Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
No lecture recordings are available for this postgraduate course. Most of the course is workshopping and problem-solving. While some powerpoints will be used, these are loaded onto Canvas prior to the beginning of the Semester so that you can familiarise yourself with the material. There are a range of digital resources made available in Canvas.
Copyright
The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.
You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Student Feedback
During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.
At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.
Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.