BIO3082 - Global change biology

There is a more recent version of this academic item available.

Overview

This unit studies how human-induced environmental changes, such as climate change, affects organisms and ecosystems. We explore how environmental stresses affect the physiology, behaviour, and ecological interactions of different organisms. In turn, the implications of these changes for biodiversity and human society are also examined. The unit covers a range of organisms (i.e. plants, vertebrates, invertebrates, microorganisms) and biomes (e.g. grasslands, oceans, coral reefs, Antarctica). Throughout the course, we also consider intervention strategies that can increase the sustainability of human development and reduce its impacts on biota.

Offerings

S2-01-CLAYTON-ON-CAMPUS

Rules

Enrolment Rule

Contacts

Chief Examiner(s)

Professor Carla Sgro

Unit Coordinator(s)

Professor Carla Sgro

Notes

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Scheduled teaching activities and/or workload information are subject to change in response to COVID-19, please check your Unit timetable and Unit Moodle site for more details.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you should be able to:

Summarise the main anthropogenic pressures on biota, including climate change, land use change, pollution, and invasive species.

Explain how plants and animals respond to environmental stresses, including by modulating: gene expression, metabolism, morphology, and behaviour.

Assess how environmental change affects biodiversity, food security, and other ecosystem services.

Predict how ongoing environmental changes will affect the ecological distributions and interactions of animals, plants, and microorganisms.

Propose and evaluate strategies to prevent or mitigate environmental change and its impacts on biota.

Demonstrate critical analytical approaches to scientific research and writing scientific reports.

Teaching approach

Active learning

This unit involves exposing students to the key concepts that underpin our understanding of global change biology. We do so by reinforcing lecture-based content with active face-face and online practical classes where students take concepts presented in lectures and engage with them through hands-on practical exercises and small group activities. These small group discussions involve problem solving and discussion of key issues in global change biology.

Assessment

1 - Practical report: Water loss in plants

2 - Practical report: Temperature and plants

3 - Practical report: Climate-driven range shifts

4 - Posts on current issues in global change biology and participation in class discussion

5 - Examination (2 hours and 10 minutes)

Scheduled and non-scheduled teaching activities

Laboratories

Workshops

Workload requirements

Workload

Learning resources

Required resources

Availability in areas of study

Ecology and conservation biology
Environmental science
Plant sciences
Zoology