ENV2022 - Environmental field skills and monitoring - 2019

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Science

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Christopher Johnstone

Coordinator(s)

Dr Christopher Johnstone

Unit guides

Offered

Clayton

  • Second semester 2019 (On-campus)

Prerequisites

6 points of level one BIO.

Note that Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Science double degree students are exempt from this pre-requisite.

Synopsis

This unit provides an introduction to the monitoring of plants, water and soils. It provides hands-on and industry relevant experience in the tools and techniques for conducting a multi-disciplinary environmental assessment. Techniques for the design, implementation and analysis of environmental monitoring are examined. To increase the successful implementation of monitoring programmes in management protocols, ways to incorporate science in decision-making are explored. During this unit students will implement an environmental monitoring programme to generate reports on the state of the environment at Monash University.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Articulate the purpose for performing environmental monitoring and the importance of good experimental design and quality assurance in these programmes;
  2. Describe environmental monitoring techniques and tools for plants, water and soils and demonstrate the ability to implement a multi-disciplinary monitoring programme;
  3. Use quantitative skills to analyse and interpret data derived from environmental monitoring;
  4. Evaluate and integrate theory drawn from several disciplines to describe the results of environmental monitoring programmes to a broad audience.

Assessment

NOTE: From 1 July 2019, the duration of all exams is changing to combine reading and writing time. The new exam duration for this unit is 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Mini quizzes: 15%

Examination (2 hours): 40%

Field report: 45%

Workload requirements

  • One 1-hour seminar and one 1-hour online activity per week
  • Eight 3-hour practicals and two half-day field trips per semester

See also Unit timetable information

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study