BVB321 Ecosystem Protection
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | BVB321 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | BVB204 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $1,192 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $5,364 |
| International unit fee | $6,840 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | BVB321 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | BVB204 |
| Coordinator: | Grant Hamilton | g.hamilton@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Invasive species cause substantial and costly negative effects to native ecosystems. An understanding of the ecological processes by which they are introduced, establish and spread in new regions is essential for their control and to ensure the protection of ecosystems. Invasive species are now so widespread that they will be encountered in some way in a wide range of careers in ecology and environmental science. Invasive species can cause devastatiing effects in native ecosystemsand within agro-ecosystems. Managing invasive species populations in a sustainable manner requires science and sophistication. Integrating and extending work introduced in earlier units, you will learn the skills and concepts that are necessary to understand, analyse and manage invasive species, and the processes of biological invasion.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Critically analyse the current state of knowledge and issues relevant to pest and invasive species ecology and apply these to formulate effective management practices
- Apply appropriate quantitative and analytical skills relevant to understanding and managing invasive species.
- Effectively communicate investigations, results and conclusions in appropriate oral and written forms.
Content
Understanding the drivers and management of Invasive species is complex, with causes ranging from issues of global trade to the ecology of a single species in a region. Any current or future solutions therefore require a broad knowledge of these issues, together with the skills necessary to understand and formulate effective prevention and management strategies. Using data, real world examples and building on skills and knowledge from previous units, topics that may be included in the unit include:
- Characteristics of invasive species and invasions
- Transport pathways and avenues of invasion
- Establishment, spread and impact of pests and invasive species
- Pest and Invasive species management
- Approaches to modelling pests and species' invasions
- Current limitations on our understanding and future perspectives
- Indigenous perspectives in pest species and invasive species management
Learning Approaches
This unit will consist of a range of face-to-face learning activities including lectures, tutorials, and practical activities in computer labs.
Using case studies, texts and current literature, lecturers will assist you to identify ecological theory, software and skills relevant to understanding and managing invasive species. Working individually and collaboratively with peers, you will identify a range of issues that influence the capacity of species to become established in new areas, to survive and spread, and the range of impacts that this can have. This will be conducted together with exercises that will enable you to extend and practice your information gathering, analytical and modelling skills. These exercises will engage you in the kinds of activities that you might undertake when employed in biological or environmental fields or when undertaking further study. You will communicate the results of your investigations and exercises in appropriate scientific format. Your report writing and oral presentation skills will be developed in groups and individually, and improved by feedback from peers and lecturers.
There is a wide range of online resources pertinent to invasion ecology. You will be directed to these to assist with learning and preparation for assessment in the unit, and to enable you to keep abreast of new developments in the field after you graduate.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Assessment is designed to provide feedback to you progressively throughout the semester. This will involve a mix of written and oral feedback from lecturers on your weekly analysis tasks. You will also receive oral feedback from peers and lecturers on your practice report, and written and oral feedback from lecturers on your report.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment in this unit has been designed to assist you to develop an understanding of the ecological theory and techniques necessary for the understanding, analysis and management of pests and invasive species.
In most weeks you will have the opportunity to collaborate with your peers to practice recognising and analysing problems relevant to invasion ecology. The nature of the problems may vary from the analysis and evaluation of particular scenarios, requiring you to gather and synthesise information, to the solution of problems using appropriate software. You will then be asked to individually submit answers to set problems for assessment and feedback.
For several weeks you will have the opportunity to practice and improve your oral presentation skills with feedback from peers and your lecturer. Towards the middle of the semester you will be asked to give an online oral presentation for feedback and assessment. The presentation may be based on one of a range of topics relevant to invasive species or the invasion process.
Your final assessment piece will involve writing an annotated bibliography. To assist you with this, a list of possible topics will be provided to you early in semester, and specific papers will be considered to help you to practice and understand the assessment. You will be asked to submit the annotated bibliography towards the end of semester.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Problem Solving Task
A series of problems presented weekly. These involve either gathering and synthesising information, or using specific software to analyse aspects of invasive species and the invasion process. They require the results to be correctly interpreted in an appropriate context.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Presentation (Oral or Group)
You will be asked to investigate a topic relevant to invasive species or the invasion process. This will involve gathering and synthesising information. You will then be asked to give a brief oral report on your investigation.
Assessment: Annotated Bibliography
The annotated bibliography focuses on solving a pest management 'problem'. The aim of the assessment piece is to develop an in-depth understanding of the complexities of pest management problems, and an appreciation of the depth of science which underpin their solution. There will be at least two formative interviews between the group and the lecturer during the semester. Engagement with the online discussion board will form part of your assessment.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
You will also be directed towards online material
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit. You will be made aware of evacuation procedures and assembly areas in the first few lectures. In the event of a fire alarm sounding, or on a lecturer's instruction, you should leave the room and assemble in the designated area that will be indicated to you.