Course information

Faculty of Science
School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences

BIOS2091 | MSCI9001
Marine & Aquatic Ecology
Term 3 2022

Photo: Adriana Vergés

Contributions from:
Prof Adriana Vergés, Prof Alistair Poore,
Prof Peter Steinberg, Prof Emma Johnston

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2
 Course information

BIOS2091 | MSCI9001
Marine and aquatic ecology

Table of contents

Course information ......................................................................................................... 4

Course schedule............................................................................................................. 7
Assessment .................................................................................................................... 9
Resources for students................................................................................................. 11
Moodle Quizzes ………………………………………………………..…………………….16
BEES research in marine and freshwater biology ........................................................ 17
Opinions in ecology ...................................................................................................... 21
Independent field projects………………………………………………………………….. 25

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Course information

Year of Delivery 2022

Course Code BIOS2091 & MSCI9001
Course Name Marine and Aquatic Ecology
Academic Unit School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Level of Course 2rd year, undergraduate & Postgraduate
Units of Credit 6 UOC
Session(s) Offered T3
Assumed Knowledge,
Prerequisites or Co- MSCI1001
requisites
Hours per Week 6
Number of Weeks 10
Commencement Date Monday 12th September, 2022
Summary of Course Structure (for details see 'Course Schedule')
Component HPW Time & Day Location

Monday 10am (online & interactive)

Lectures, seminars and

3 Thursday 1pm (recorded) Online
debates

Friday 2pm (recorded)

In person –
Fieldwork and/ or
4 Wednesday 9-1pm (in person) Teaching Lab 4
laboratory practicals
and in the field
TOTAL 7

Staff Involved in the course

Staff Role Name Contact Details

Course Convenor Prof Adriana Vergés a.verges@unsw.edu.au
Additional Lecturers & Prof Alistair Poore a.poore@unsw.edu.au
Teaching Staff Facilitators Prof Paul Gribben p.gribben@unsw.edu.au
A/Prof Suhelen Egan s.egan@unsw.edu.au
Prof Torsten Thomas t.thomas@unsw.edu.au
Prof Tracey Rogers tracey.rogers@unsw.edu.au
Prof Richard Kingsford richard.kingsford@unsw.edu.au
Dr Laura Parker l.parker@unsw.edu.au
A/Prof Tracy Ainsworth tracy.ainsworth@unsw.edu.au
Aaron Eger aaron.eger@unsw.edu.au
Tutors & TBC
Demonstrators
Technical & Suzy Evans s.evans@unsw.edu.au
Laboratory
Staff
Other Support
Staff

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 Course information

Course details

Course Description Ecology of marine and freshwater systems, emphasising benthic communities.
(Handbook Entry) Population and community dynamics of these systems. Evolution of life histories in
the light of constraints of aquatic systems. Emphasis on experimental approaches
to aquatic ecology. Special topics considered include chemical ecology,
plant/herbivore ecology, and applied aspects of the topic such as mariculture. A
section on the biology and taxonomy of marine algae (seaweeds) is included.
Fieldwork is an important component of the course.

Course Aims The course is aimed to provide an understanding of the processes that govern the
ecology of aquatic habitats with a major emphasis on the ecology of marine coastal
systems, and particularly the experimental analysis of benthic communities. Marine
systems are then compared to streams and both freshwater and saline lakes.

Student Learning At the end of the course, students should be able to discuss the relative
Outcomes importance of the major ecological processes structuring marine and freshwater
communities.

They will have experience in each of the steps involved in the ecological research
that has given rise to such knowledge. These are: 1) the careful formulation of
hypotheses, 2) the design of field experiments and sampling, 3) collection of data,
4) data analysis, and interpretation, and 5) communication of results via scientific
reports.

Students should be familiar with the application of ecological data to applied

problems in marine and freshwater habitats (pollution, habitat loss, overfishing,
flow regulation, marine reserves).

Graduate Attributes Developed in this Course

Science Graduate The level of FOCUS

0 = NO FOCUS
Attributes 1 = MINIMAL Activities / Assessment
2 = MINOR
3 = MAJOR
Research, inquiry 3 Class research projects, Independent research projects
and analytical (all assessed)
thinking abilities
Capability and 3 Students design their own research project (assessed).
motivation for Links in course materials to current research activities
intellectual at UNSW
development
Ethical, social and 3 Links in course material to applied problems in marine
professional and aquatic habitats. Recognition that a diverse range
understanding of views are held on ecological issues.
Communication 3 Written reports (for scientific audiences), Oral
presentations
Teamwork, 3 Independent group research project & oral
collaborative and presentations (assessed as report)
management skills
Information literacy 0

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 Major Topics Major topics to be covered include:
(Syllabus Outline) • experimental marine ecology of rocky shores, kelp forests, soft
sediment communities, coral reefs and seagrass beds
• ecology of streams and lakes
• life histories of marine invertebrates and algae
• marine chemical ecology
• marine microbiology
• applied aspects of marine and freshwater ecology (pollution,
disturbance, overfishing, biotechnology and biofouling, marine
reserves and flow regulation).
• marine conservation biology

Relationship to Other BIOS2091 shares its lectures and some assessments with MSCI9001
Courses within the Conservation in aquatic ecosystems
Program
BIOS2091 is intended to complement BIOS3081 Ocean to Estuarine
Ecosystems, which is the third year offering in marine science.

Study of ecological processes and field experimentation also form part of

BIOS3601 Advanced Field Biology, BIOS3671 Conservation Biology and
Biodiversity, BIOS2011 Evolutionary & Physiological Ecology, and
BEES2041 Data Analysis for Life and Earth Sciences.

Many honours and postgraduate projects conducted within the school

involve research in marine ecology.

Rationale and strategies underpinning the course

Teaching Strategies The lectures are organised around key ecological processes that shape
different marine and aquatic habitats (rocky shores, kelp forests, coral reefs,
etc) and also focus on current marine conservation issues. Lectures provide
the key theoretical concepts and examples of experiments conducted to test
hypotheses about the functioning of aquatic habitats.

The practical sessions and field trips provide an opportunity to gain

experience in the design, conduct and communication of ecological
experiments in the field. The class will conduct one experiment that has
already been designed, and groups of students will design their own
sampling programs in independent research projects.

Rationale for learning and The focus on experimental ecology in the lecture and practical material was
teaching in this course chosen as it this approach that has been particularly powerful in advancing
our understanding of marine and aquatic ecology.

The ability to design and conduct rigorous experiments, analyse the resultant
data, and communicate the results in written and oral form are skills
essential for graduates seeking employment in this field.

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BIOS2091 & MSCI9001: Marine & Aquatic Ecology | Sessions in blue are online and recorded (you can watch in your own time), sessions in green are
in-person. Sessions in yellow are online and interactive – please log on at the appropriate time via the zoom link provided. Password is 20912022
Week Session Date Time Lecturer Topic
Week 1 Lec 1 12/9/22 3pm - interactive Adriana Vergés Introduction to the course

Prac 14/9/22 9am -1pm in-person Adriana Vergés Opinions in Ecology & Independent Field projects preparation

Lec 2 15/9/22 9am - recorded Adriana Vergés Species interactions: Herbivory & Predation
Lec 3 16/9/22 2pm - recorded Paul Gribben Species interactions: Competition & Facilitation
Week 2 Lec 1 19/9/22 3pm - interactive Adriana Vergés Debate 1
Prac 21/9/22 *11.30am - 2.30pm* Adriana Vergés Whale watching (Meet at Circular Quay, 11.30am)
in-person
Lec 2 22/9/22 9am - recorded Adriana Vergés Larval & supply ecology
Lec 3 23/9/22 2pm - recorded Moninya Roughan Ocean connectivity
Week 3 Lec 1 26/9/22 3pm - interactive Adriana Vergés Debate 2
Prac 28/9/22 9am -1pm - in person Adriana Vergés Independent Field projects: snorkel induction & preparation
*In the field*
Lec 2 29/9/22 9am - recorded Adriana Vergés Rocky shores
Lec 3 30/9/22 2pm - recorded Aaron Eger Kelp forests
Week 4 Lec 1 3/10/22 Public holiday NO SESSION TODAY ------
Prac 5/10/22 9am -1pm in-person Independent fieldwork Independent Field projects: data collection

Lec 3 7/10/22 9am - recorded Adriana Vergés Seagrass meadows

Lec 3 7/10/22 2pm - recorded Tracy Ainsworth Coral reefs
Week 5 Lec 1 10/10/22 3pm - interactive Adriana Vergés Debate 3
Prac 12/10/22 9am -1pm in-person Independent fieldwork Independent Field projects: data collection

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Schedule & Assessment

Week Session Date Time Lecturer Topic

Week 5 Lec 2 13/10/22 9am - recorded Torsten Thomas Microbial diversity
Lec 3 14/10/22 2pm - recorded Suhelen Egan Marine holobionts
Week 6 17/10/22 Break
Week 7 Lec 1 24/10/22 3pm - interactive Adriana Vergés Debate 4
Prac 26/10/22 9am -1pm in-person Torsten Thomas/ Su Egan Marine Microbiology – practical 1

Lec 2 27/10/22 9am - recorded Adriana Vergés Threats to marine populations

Lec 3 28/10/22 2pm - recorded Laura Parker Impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems
Week 8 Lec 1 31/10/22 3pm - interactive Adriana Vergés Debate 5
Prac 2/11/22 9am -1pm in-person Torsten Thomas/ Su Egan Marine Microbiology – practical 2

Lec 2 3/11/22 9am - recorded Paul Gribben Marine invaders: Establishment to impact
Lec 3 4/11/22 2pm - recorded Adriana Vergés Marine reserves
Week 9 Lec 1 7/11/22 3pm - interactive Adriana Vergés Debate 6
Prac 9/11/22 9am -1pm in-person Adriana Vergés Independent Field Projects: Presentations

Lec 2 10/11/22 9am - recorded Tracey Rogers Conservation of marine megafauna

Lec 3 11/11/22 2pm - recorded Richard Kingsford Desert Rivers
Week Lec 1 14/11/22 3pm - interactive Adriana Vergés Debate 7
10
Prac 16/11/22 9am -1pm in-person Alistair Poore Algal diversity – lecture
10-1 pm interactive Alistair Poore Algal diversity: practical
Lec 2 17/11/22 9am - recorded Richard Kingsford Freshwater management: problems
Lec 3 18/11/22 2pm - recorded Richard Kingsford Freshwater management: solutions

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 BIOS2091 | Assessment 2022

Task Knowledge & abilities Assessment Criteria % of Date of Feedback

assessed total
mark Release Submission WHO WHEN HOW

Continuous learning
Moodle quizzes:
assessment of knowledge of During Marks and
Comprehension of material 14th Prof Adriana
Moodle quizzes the ecological processes 15% practical oral
covered in lectures, seminars Sept Vergés
structuring marine and Throughout the term sessions comments
and practical classes.
freshwater habitats,

Extent of research. Effective

written communication of Written article. On day
scientific controversy to a of assigned debate (9
10%
Ability to read ecological wide audience, in writing and am)
Opinions in ecology
literature critically. Ability to orally. 14th
write and present a Extent of research. Effective Sept
persuasive argument orally. persuasive oral Debate.
communication of scientific 5% On day and time of
controversy to a wide assigned oral debate
audience
Effective planning of Proposal
research, including 10% 4th October
Ability to design a sampling experimental design. (9 am) Prof Adriana Marks &
program to test specific Two weeks
Completion of field and/ or Vergés & written/
Independent field hypotheses. Ability to plan after
lab tasks, correct analysis Report demonstrators oral
project report and conduct ecological 14th submission
and presentation of results. 20% 7th November comments
research in the field. Ability Sept
Effective communication of (9 am)
to write a scientific report
results as a scientific paper.
and prepare a scientific
presentation. Effective communication of
research and results to a Oral presentation 9th
5%
scientific audience. November
Knowledge of the ecological
processes structuring marine Comprehension of all
Final exam* Date set
and freshwater habitats. material covered in lectures,
by exam
Ability to contrast functioning seminars and practical 35%
office
of ecosystems across classes
habitats studied.

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Schedule & Assessment
MSCI9001 | Assessment 2022

Task Knowledge & abilities Assessment Criteria % of Date of Feedback

assessed total
mark Release Submission WHO WHEN HOW

Continuous learning
assessment of:
- knowledge of the ecological
Moodle quizzes:
processes structuring marine During Marks and
Moodle quizzes and Comprehension of material 14th Prof Adriana
and freshwater habitats, 10% practical oral
class discussions covered in lectures, seminars Sept Throughout the Vergés
- ability to critically assess the sessions comments
and practical classes. term.
structure of published scientific
articles and extract relevant
information.

Extent of research. Effective Written article.

written communication of On day of
scientific controversy to a wide 10% assigned debate
Ability to read ecological
Opinions in ecology audience, in writing and orally. (9 am)
literature critically. Ability to 14th
write and present a persuasive Sept
Extent of research. Effective
argument orally. Debate.
persuasive oral
On day and time
communication of scientific 5%
of assigned oral
controversy to a wide
debate
audience
Proposal
Effective planning of research,
15% 4th October
including experimental design. Prof Adriana Marks &
Ability to design a sampling (9 am) Two weeks
Vergés & written/
program to test specific Completion of field and/ or lab after
Independent field demonstrators oral
hypotheses. Ability to plan and tasks, correct analysis and Report submission
project report 14th comments
conduct ecological research in presentation of results. 20% 7th November
Sept
the field. Ability to write a Effective communication of (9 am)
scientific report and prepare a results as a scientific paper.
scientific presentation. Effective communication of
research and results to a Oral presentation
5%
scientific audience. 9th November
Knowledge of the ecological
processes structuring marine
Final exam* Comprehension of all material Date set
and freshwater habitats. Ability
covered in lectures, seminars by exam
to contrast functioning of 35%
and practical classes office
ecosystems across habitats
studied.

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 Resources

Resources for students

Text Books Connell, SD and BM Gillanders (eds) (2007) Marine ecology. Oxford
University Press

Availability: UNSW bookshop, UNSW library, Open Reserve

Course Manual You are reading it! (available as pdf from Moodle)

Required Readings Lecture notes for each section of the course will suggest recommended
readings from the text and other sources of information.

Reference to studies in the primary literature (i.e. original studies in

journal articles rather than textbooks) will form an important part of the
course.

The following list includes the most important general ecology journals
and the major journals that are devoted entirely, or in large part, to
marine ecology, freshwater ecology, or marine botany:

Aquaculture, Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, Aquatic

Botany, Botanica Marina, Coral Reefs, Ecological Monographs,
Ecology, Ecology Letters, European Journal of Phycology, Freshwater
Biology, Hydrobiologia, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and
Ecology, Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK, Journal
of Marine Research, Journal of Phycology, Limnology and
Oceanography, Marine Biology, Marine Ecology Progress Series,
Marine and Freshwater Research, Nature, Nature Climate Change,
Oceanography and Marine Biology, Annual Review, Oecologia, Oikos,
Phycologia, Phycological Research, PNAS, Science, Trends in Ecology
and Evolution (This list is by no means exhaustive, and of course
articles are scattered throughout the biological literature).

Additional Readings Bertness, MD., JF Bruno, BR Silliman, and JJ Stachowicz (eds) (2014).
Marine Community Ecology and Conservation. Sinauer Associates,
Sunderland.

Scientific articles and other primary references provided during lectures.

Recommended Internet Course web page (Moodle)

Sites
Lecture outlines, data sets from practicals, instructions for assessment
and other useful resources will be posted throughout the session on the
BIOS2091/ MSCI9001 web page. You will need to log on (using your
student number and zPass) to Moodle:
http://moodle.telt.unsw.edu.au/

Required Equipment, Training and Enabling Skills

Equipment Required All required equipment will be provided during practicals/ lab sessions.

Enabling Skills Training Students are required to observe WHS regulations during the
Required to Complete this fieldtrip and practicals. Safety should be your top priority during
Course fieldtrips and lab classes. If you are unsure of any procedures,
please consult with staff.

All lectures, practicals and seminars/ debates will take place in a

laboratory setting, where wearing covered shoes is compulsory.
During the Microbiology practical sessions held in the laboratory it is

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Moodle Quizzes

compulsory to wear laboratory coats and covered shoes. Students

cannot be admitted to these classes without these items. Additional
safety requirements will be announced at the start of each practical.

During field trips, it is essential to wear non-slip covered shoes that you
are prepared to get wet. Students also need to wear appropriate
clothing for the weather e.g. rain jackets if raining or hats and
sunscreen if sunny. Extra care must be taken on the rocky shore due
to wave action.

Course evaluation and development

Student feedback is gathered periodically by various means. Such feedback is considered carefully with a
view to acting on it constructively wherever possible. This course outline conveys how feedback has
helped to shape and develop this course.

Mechanisms of Last Review Comments or Changes Resulting from Reviews

Review Date

Major Course 2021 Changes associated with moving this unit from 3rd year (3091) to 2nd
Review year (2091) and with adapting to COVID19 restrictions and teaching
online only, including practicals.

2019 Changes associated with moving from 12 weeks to 10 weeks under

UNSW’s T3 has resulted in a change in schedule, with all lectures/
labs and fieldwork concentrated on a single day. Flipped activities
and new fieldwork practicals were introduced.

2010 Revision of lecture material with greater focus on marine

conservation issues (given lecture material is shared with MSCI9001
Conservation in aquatic ecosystems)

2008 The change from 14 week to 12 week sessions involved the removal
of one of the written reports with assessment of practical exercise
being moved to the final exam.

2006 Course revised to add independent group research projects and

replace oral debates with written Opinions in Ecology essays.

The course is periodically evaluated. The current approach to obtain

MyExperience feedback from students is via MyExperience. While the responses
are generally overwhelmingly positive, several changes resulting
from these evaluations have been implemented through time,
including a reduction in the number of written reports, more fieldwork,
more time allocated to the independent research projects, more help
to be available on the preparation of written reports, and a reduced
value for the final exam.

Administration matters

Expectations of Students Attendance at all sessions is expected.

Assignment Submissions UNSW policy for late report submission

For reports submitted up to five (5) days late (120 hours), a 5% per day
penalty applies. Reports submitted more than five (5) days late will
not be marked. If medical grounds preclude submission of a report by the
due date, contact should be made with the course convenor as quickly as
possible. A medical certificate or other types of evidence will be required

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 Resources

for Special Consideration and late submissions and must be appropriate

for extension period. Assignment extensions will not be considered
under any other circumstances.

Health and Safety1 Information on relevant Health and Safety policies and expectations at
UNSW can be accessed online http://www.safety.unsw.edu.au/staff-
student-resources/students

Please note that to ensure your safety at UNSW during the COVID-19
pandemic, you must complete the COVID-19 Module on Moodle before
the start of term. Please refer to this information at any time during term
as needed.

Assessment Procedures The final examination will be scheduled by the Examinations Office.
Students should be available for examination throughout the entire UNSW
end-of-session examination period. Supplementary examinations will only
be granted to students who miss the final examination due to illness or
other unexpected reasons outside their control. A student who wishes to
apply for a supplementary examination should contact the course
coordinator as soon as the problem becomes apparent, and should apply
for special consideration. Special consideration cannot be given for
students who have planned or wish to plan any holiday trips or return
flights home before the end of the examination period. If a supplementary
examination is granted, it will normally be held before the beginning of the
next session. Until then, you should maintain a current address with SIS,
and be available for contact and assessment.

For information on examinations see

https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/academiclife/assessment/examinations/ex
aminations.html).

If illness or misadventure intervenes to prevent a student meeting an

assessment deadline or class meeting then he/she should contact the
lecturer in charge of the assessment. The conditions for special
consideration are given at https://student.unsw.edu.au/special-
consideration.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Inclusion is when “a diversity of people (e.g. of different ages, cultural
backgrounds, genders) feel valued and respected, have access to
opportunities and resources, and can contribute their perspectives and
talents to improve their organisation” (Diversity Council Australia, 2019).

We aim to create an inclusive classroom environment that enables

students to feel supported and a strong sense of belonging, regardless of
identity or background. UNSW has numerous resources to assist with
this, including: UNSW Ally, Counselling and Psychological Services,
Disability Services, International Student Support, Student Support
Advisors, The Learning Centre, Nura Gili, Pregnancy and Parenting
Support, Diversity Champions. Those students who have a disability that
requires some adjustment in their teaching or learning environment are
encouraged to discuss their study needs with the course coordinator (Prof
Adriana Vergés prior to, or at the commencement of, their course, and
with the Equity Officer (Disability) in the Equity and Diversity Unit (9385
4734 or http://www.studentequity.unsw.edu.au/).

UNSW Science also has an Academic Disability Advisor, John Wilson

(J.E.Wilson@unsw.edu.au).

Issues to be discussed may include access to materials, signers or note-

takers, the provision of services and additional exam and assessment

1
UNSW Occupational Health and Safety: www.riskman.unsw.edu.au/ohs/ohs.shtml

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 Moodle Quizzes

arrangements. Early notification is essential to enable any necessary

adjustments to be made.

Student Complaint
Procedure2 In all cases you should first try to resolve any issues with the course convenor
(Prof Adriana Vergés).

If this is unsatisfactory, you should contact the Director of Teaching (A/Prof

Stephen Bonser, s.bonser@unsw.edu.au) or the Deputy Head of School (A/Prof
Scott Mooney s.mooney@unsw.edu.au) who is the School's Grievance Officer
and Designated Officer under the UNSW Plagiarism Procedure.

UNSW has formal policies about the resolution of complaints that are available
online for review (see https://student.unsw.edu.au/complaints).

School Contact Faculty Contact University Contact

A/Prof Scott Mooney Prof Simon Killcross Head of Student
Deputy Head of School Acting Deputy Dean Lifecycle
(Undergraduate (Education) clare.jones@unsw.ed
Programs) s.killcross@unsw.edu.au u.au
s.mooney@unsw.edu.au Tel: 9385 3034 Tel: 9385 3087
Tel: 9385 8063 or
University
A/Prof Scott Mooney Counselling and
Associate Dean Psychological
(Undergraduate Programs) Services3
s.mooney@unsw.edu.au Tel: 9385 5418
Tel: 9385 8063 counselling@unsw.ed
u.au

2
UNSW Complaints Procedure: https://student.unsw.edu.au/complaints
3
University Counselling and Psychological Services https://student.unsw.edu.au/counselling

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 Resources

UNSW academic honesty and plagiarism

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the presentation of the thoughts or work of another as one’s own.

*Examples include:
• direct duplication of the thoughts or work of another, including by copying material, ideas or concepts
from a book, article, report or other written document (whether published or unpublished),
composition, artwork, design, drawing, circuitry, computer program or software, web site, Internet,
other electronic resource, or another person’s assignment without appropriate acknowledgement;
• paraphrasing another person’s work with very minor changes keeping the meaning, form and/or
progression of ideas of the original;
• piecing together sections of the work of others into a new whole;
• presenting an assessment item as independent work when it has been produced in whole or part in
collusion with other people, for example, another student or a tutor; and
• claiming credit for a proportion a work contributed to a group assessment item that is greater than that
actually contributed.†

For the purposes of this policy, submitting an assessment item that has already been submitted for
academic credit elsewhere may be considered plagiarism.

Knowingly permitting your work to be copied by another student may also be considered to be plagiarism.

Note that an assessment item produced in oral, not written, form, or involving live presentation, may
similarly contain plagiarised material.

The inclusion of the thoughts or work of another with attribution appropriate to the academic discipline
does not amount to plagiarism.

The Learning Centre website is main repository for resources for staff and students on plagiarism and
academic honesty. These resources can be located via:

www.lc.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism

The Learning Centre also provides substantial educational written materials, workshops, and tutorials to
aid students, for example, in:
• correct referencing practices;
• paraphrasing, summarising, essay writing, and time management;
• appropriate use of, and attribution for, a range of materials including text, images, formulae and
concepts.

Individual assistance is available on request from The Learning Centre.

Students are also reminded that careful time management is an important part of study and one of the
identified causes of plagiarism is poor time management. Students should allow sufficient time for
research, drafting, and the proper referencing of sources in preparing all assessment items.

* Based on that proposed to the University of Newcastle by the St James Ethics Centre. Used with kind permission
from the University of Newcastle
† Adapted with kind permission from the University of Melbourne

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Moodle Quizzes

MOODLE QUIZZES

Each week, the content of the lectures will be examinable via a series of short online
Moodle quizzes, which will be uploaded on a weekly basis on Fridays and need to be
completed by the following Friday.

16
 Further study

BEES Marine & Aquatic Research

A wide variety of marine and freshwater research is conducted by staff and students
at UNSW. This includes the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences
(BEES), the School of Mathematics and Statistics, School of Biotechnology &
Biomolecular Sciences (BABS), the Evolution & Ecology Research Centre (E&ERC),
the Centre for Marine Science and Innovation (CMSI), the Climate Change Research
Centre (CCRC) and the Centre for Ecosystem Science (CES).

Students interested in further study via Honours should familiarise themselves with the
research activities of the various laboratories and talk to relevant staff, their research
fellows and their students. The formal requirements for entry into Honours and
postgraduate programs and further details on research activities can be found on the
Honours BEES web page (https://www.bees.unsw.edu.au/honours).

Here’s a list of BEES academics that work in the aquatic and marine realm.

Associate Professor Tracy Ainsworth is a microbial ecologist based at the School of

BEES whose research largely focuses on coral reef ecosystems and climate change
impacts. Her research has re-evaluated the role of bacterial communities in coral
bleaching and she has developed novel methods for analysis of coral bacterial
communities. She has ongoing projects in both the Great Barrier Reef and the NSW
coastline.

Professor Rob Brander, a.k.a. ‘Dr Rip’ is a coastal geomorphologist in the School of
BEES. His research focuses on the morphodynamics of coastal nearshore systems
including the interaction between wave action and beach morphology and related
coastal management issues. Recent projects include relating physical measurements
of rip current flow on beaches around Australia to beachgoers' perception,
understanding and response to the rip current hazard. He leads the Science of the Surf
program and also has ongoing projects related to the vulnerability of coral reef-islands
in the Great Barrier Reef and Maldives.

Dr Mark Browne is a Senior Research Associate at the School of BEES. As an

ecologist, his research aims to understand the impacts of human activities (priority
pollutants, plastic debris, urbanization) on marine biodiversity. He collaborates closely
with colleagues at a wide range of national and international institutions, enabling a
strong multi-disciplinary approach. He is particularly interested in the scientific basis for
managing environmental problems and he advises governments and industry on this.

Associate Professor Suhelen Egan is a microbial ecologist based at the School of

BEES who specializes on host-microbe interactions, marine biotechnology, molecular
biology, -omics technologies and ecology. Much of her recent research has focusesd
on understanding the diversity and function of the seaweed microbiome.

Professor Matthew England is a Scientia Professor of Climate Dynamics at the

School of BEES and the Climate Change Research Centre. His expertise covers the
dynamics of the oceans and their role in climate variability and climate change on time-
scales of seasons to millennia.

Professor Paul Gribben’s research investigates the processes driving marine

biodiversity. His interdisciplinary approach combines fundamental life-history theory,
behavioural ecology and community ecology to better our understanding of the
response of marine communities to global change. His research is conducted in a wide
range of ecosystems including mangrove forests, seagrasses, intertidal sand flats,

17
Research bites: Further study

rocky shores and kelp forests. Current research projects include: 1) factors determining
the spread and impacts of marine invaders, 2) processes structuring intertidal marine
communities across continents, 3) role of sediment microbes in estuarine plant
interactions, and 4) understanding how habitat-forming species facilitate biodiversity.
PhD and Honours students in his group conduct research throughout Australia and
internationally.

Professor Richard Kingsford is the director of the Centre for Ecosystem Science
(CES). His research group focuses on the ecology of inland rivers, their wetlands and
dependent biota, particularly waterbirds. Recent projects include: 1) examining the
distribution and extent of wetlands across New South Wales to determine
representativeness in conservation reserves, 2) effects of diminishing river flows on the
ecology of the Macquarie Marshes and Lowbidgee wetlands, and 3) changes in
waterbird communities in relation hydrological regulation of floodplain lakes.

Dr Mariana Mayer-Pinto is a Scientia Fellow at the School of BEES. Her research

broadly focuses on human impacts on marine ecosystems. Mariana uses ecological
theory and experimental field ecology in innovative ways to understand the
mechanisms by which anthropogenic stressors (e.g. priority pollutants, urbanization)
affect biodiversity and ecosystem function across a wide range of marine habitats, with
a strong focus on solution-based research. She is a Chief Investigator of the Living
Seawalls project, which uses green engineering to enhance the ecological
performance of artificial structures.

Professor Katrin Meissner is the Director of the Climate Change Research Centre at
the School of BEES. She is interested in abrupt climate change events as well as
thresholds and feedbacks in the climate system. She uses Earth System Climate
Models in conjunction with paleoclimate records to improve our understanding of the
basic mechanisms underlying climate variability and climate change, particularly in the
context of terrestrial biogeochemical cycles and ocean circulation.

Dr Laurie Menviel is a Scientia Fellow at the Climate Change Research Centre in the
School of BEES. She combines numerical experiments and paleoproxy records to
study climate-carbon cycle interactions on centennial to glacial timescales.
She is particularly interested in the impact of water masses changes on the climate
and the marine carbon cycle.

Dr Laura Parker is an Indigenous Scientia Fellow and ARC DAATSIA Fellow.

She is interested in understanding and overcoming the impacts of climate change and
environmental stress on marine organisms. Her research focuses specifically on
building resilience in marine molluscs to current (e.g. salinity, food availability) and
future (e.g. ocean warming and acidification) stressors and understanding the
underlying physiological, molecular and epigenetic mechanisms involved. Through her
research, Laura aims to develop new capacities to 'future-proof' natural oyster
populations and the Australian oyster industry, and contribute to the restoration of
degraded oyster habitats that are of enormous importance to Indigenous Australians.
Her research is currently supported by an ARC Discovery Indigenous grant titled “The
basis of oyster resilience to global environmental change”.

Professor Alistair Poore is Head of the School of BEES. He conducts research into
the ecology and evolution of species interactions among marine invertebrates, algae
and seagrasses. Current research projects include: 1) the effects of herbivores on
marine communities, 2) the ways in which consumers can tolerate plant chemical
defences, 3) the evolution of host plant selection by marine herbivores, 4) effects of

18
 Further study

pollution on the invertebrate fauna inhabiting rocky reefs, and 5) tolerance of urchins
and crustaceans to ocean warming and acidification.

Professor Tracey Rogers conducts multidisciplinary research to understand the

ecology of marine mammals, particularly Antarctic seals. Current research projects
within her Mammal Lab group examine the potential impacts of climate warming on the
Southern Ocean ecosystem and how these changes will influence the pack-ice seals.
The research uses a number of different techniques for studying foraging and spatial
use behaviour of seals, including stable isotope analysis, stress and reproductive
hormone analysis, satellite telemetry and acoustic surveying.

Associate Professor Jes Sammut conducts research involving sustainable

aquaculture, coastal resource management, diseases of aquatic organisms and the
aquatic impacts of coastal development. He is involved in aid and development work in
Asia, particularly in the aquaculture and agriculture sectors. Recent projects include: 1)
remediation and management of degraded earthen shrimp ponds in Indonesia and
Australia, 2) identification of risk factors causing Sydney Rock Oyster production
losses, 3) land capability assessment for land-based aquaculture, 4) planning tools for
marine fin-fish cage culture, and 5) restoration of tsunami-impacted aquaculture ponds
in Aceh.

Associate Professor Alex Sen Gupta is based at the Climate Change Research
Centre in the School of BEES. His research revolves around the role of the ocean in
the climate system, how the ocean influences regional climate and what global climate
models tell us about the future of the ocean.

Professor Iain Suthers is head of the Fisheries and Marine Environmental Research
Facility at the School of BEES. His research group is interested in fish ecology,
biological oceanography and human impacts on coastal environments. Recent projects
have included 1) tracing nutrient pathways in coastal ecosystems using stable carbon
and nitrogen isotopes, 2) determining the importance of physical mechanisms in
blooms of plankton in coastal and estuarine systems, 3) the use of zooplankton size
structure as an environmental monitoring tool, and 4) restocking of harvested fish in
estuaries.

Professor Torsten Thomas is the Director of the Centre for Marine Science and
Innovation. His research focuses on the interaction of bacteria with their environment
and aims to understand the function of the enormous diversity of bacteria in natural
systems. He explores the microbial world, for example by high-throughput DNA
sequencing and uses bioinformatics to make predictions about functional and
ecological properties of bacterial communities. Current projects include 1) Bacteria-
sponge symbiosis, 2) Microbial conversion of coal to methane, 3) Functional diversity
and redundancy of marine communities, 4) Antibiotics and resistance in the marine
environment and 5) Genomics of evolving, bacterial populations.

Professor Adriana Vergés is a marine ecologist at the School of BEES Her research
focuses on the ecology and conservation of coastal marine communities such as algal
forests, coral reefs and seagrass meadows. Her research group investigates the
ecological impacts of climate change in marine ecosystems and develops solutions for
the conservation of the world’s algal forests and seagrass meadows, which are
increasingly under threat. Most of her research is experimental and takes place
underwater, with a SCUBA tank strapped to her back. Adriana is a Founder and Chief
Investigator of Operation Crayweed and Operation Posidonia, two projects that seek to

19
Research bites: Further study

restore underwater forests and meadows in Sydney and beyond. She is passionate
about science communication and the merging of art and science.

Please note that an Honours research project in marine or freshwater ecology needs
not be restricted to these topics or staff, and joint projects with other staff members,
and external supervisors (e.g., at NSW Fisheries, Australian Museum, EPA) can be
considered.

20
 OPINIONS IN ECOLOGY
“Marine ecology has long ceased being a spectator sport”
Stephen Palumbi, Stanford University

While ecologists are usually a mild-mannered and reasonably friendly bunch, there are
occasions when practicing scientists disagree strongly on various issues. It is quite common
for different researchers to hold contrasting views on the importance of various processes in
marine and aquatic ecology, and what sort of research should be done. Such debate is often
healthy for the science, but can leave new students confused as to what we know in ecology.
Such confusion proves a particular problem when we need to communicate ecological
knowledge to environmental managers or politicians.

In this exercise, students will be allocated a topic that has been contentious and will be asked
to write a popular science article and participate in a class debate arguing for one particular
side (rather than review both sides of the debate). In doing so, you will need to acknowledge
the criticisms of the concept you are supporting, and then argue against those criticisms. To
do this successfully, you will need to read the literature critically, and select arguments and
examples that support your side of the debate.

The article should be written in the style of a popular science article and may be illustrated
with figures and tables.

The topics put forward will emphasise issues that link marine and aquatic ecology to practical
problems in conservation and management of coastal environments. It is in these areas where
scientists need to be able to clearly argue their point of view.

ALLOCATION OF TOPICS:

At the beginning of the course, students will be allocated a topic from the list below, as well as
a side of the debate. There will be up to 4 students independently working on the same topic/
side of the debate. Everyone has to write their own popular science article, but then you need
to get together as a group to prepare for the debate.

Debate 1: Sustainable whaling should be allowed

19th Sept 2022

Debate 2: Ecologists have a duty to be environmental activists

26th Sept 2022

Debate 3: We need to start implementing ‘assisted evolution’ strategies to protect

marine ecosystems
10th Oct 2022

Debate 4: We are not ready to start sinking seaweeds to remove carbon from the
atmosphere
24th Oct 2022

Debate 5: The world’s focus on plastic pollution distracts us from tackling more
damaging environmental problems in our oceans
31st Oct 2022

Debate 6: Aquaculture is key to feed the world’s growing population

7th Nov 2022

Debate 7: The pressure to publish in high-profile journals is harming science

14th Nov 2022

21
 ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE:
The seven debates are distributed throughout the course

The due date for the popular science article for each student will be at 9am on the day
of the allocated debate.

All article submissions are individual. For the debate, you will be graded both on the basis
of how you perform individually and how the whole team (i.e. your side of the debate) present
the motion in a unified and cohesive way

In-class Debate:

All debates include an affirmative and a negative view, with up to eight students participating
in each session and speaking for 5 minutes each with the following basic structure:

• Affirmative group – 2 students x 5 minutes to present their case to the audience

• Negative group – 2 students x 5 minutes to present their case to the audience
• Affirmative group rebuttal – 1 student x 5 minutes
• Negative group rebuttal – 1 student x 5 minutes
• Affirmative group summary & conclusion – 1 student x 5 minutes
• Negative group summary & conclusion – 1 student x 5 minutes
• Decision on the motion and class discussion – 10 minutes

All the students arguing for the same side of the debate need to meet prior to the debate as a
team to agree on how they are going to be presenting their arguments in a cohesive way.

Popular science article: The overall writing style should be targeting a general audience, e.g.
see articles published by The Conversation. The text needs to include citations. Please include
a reference list at the end of the assignment. Word limit: 800 words (not including
references).

Finding references. Below you will find links to scientific articles to start your research
on each topic, but you are expected to read extensively beyond the suggested
references. Comment pieces in journals such as Science and Nature can often point
towards appropriate literature, and websites like The Conversation can also offer useful
starting points. While your arguments may be guided by these popular science articles,
your arguments need to be based and supported by scientific papers. The best
databases for finding scientific literature are Google Scholar, Scopus and the ISI Web
of Knowledge. Use the general search for finding papers on given topics or by certain
authors. Use the cited reference search to find recent papers that have cited a given
paper. This allows you to go forward in time from the introductory references given
below.

STARTING REFERENCES FOR OPINIONS IN ECOLOGY

Debate 1: Sustainable whaling should be allowed

19th Sept 2022

Bejder, M., D. W. Johnston, J. Smith, A. Friedlaender, and L. Bejder. 2016. Embracing

conservation success of recovering humpback whale populations: Evaluating the case
for downlisting their conservation status in Australia. Marine Policy 66:137-141.

Cote, I. M., and C. J. M. P. Favaro. 2016. The scientific value of scientific whaling.
Marine Policy 74:88-90.
22
Normile, D. 2019. Japan's exit from whaling group may benefit whales. Science
363:110-111.

Debate 2: Ecologists have a duty to be environmental activists

26th Sept 20212

Kaiser, J and KS Brown. 2000. Ecologists on a mission to save the world. Science 287:
1188-1195.

Pace, M. L., S. E. Hampton, K. E. Limburg, E. M. Bennett, E. M. Cook, A. E. Davis, J.

M. Grove, K. Y. Kaneshiro, S. L. LaDeau, G. E. Likens, D. M. McKnight, D. C.
Richardson, and D. L. Strayer. 2010. Communicating with the public: opportunities and
rewards for individual ecologists. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 8:292-298.

A podcast you may want to listen to for inspiration: ABC ‘Who’s Gonna Save Us?’
Episode 2: ‘Scientists on strike’ https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/whos-gonna-
save-us/02-scientists-on-strike/101372654

Debate 3: We need to start implementing ‘assisted evolution’ strategies to

protect marine ecosystems
10th Oct 2022

Filbee-Dexter, K., & Smajdor, A. (2019). Ethics of assisted evolution in marine

conservation. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 20.

van Oppen, M. J. H., J. K. Oliver, H. M. Putnam, and R. D. Gates. 2015. Building coral
reef resilience through assisted evolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences 112:2307-2313.

Gross, M. 2018. Can science rescue coral reefs? Current Biology 26:R481-R484.

Coleman, M. A., & Goold, H. D. (2019). Harnessing synthetic biology for kelp forest
conservation1. Journal of Phycology, 55(4), 745-751.

Debate 4: We are not ready to start sinking seaweeds to remove carbon from the
atmosphere
24th Oct 2022

Ricart, A. M., Krause-Jensen, D., Hancke, K., Price, N. N., Masqué, P., & Duarte, C. M.
(2022). Sinking seaweed in the deep ocean for carbon neutrality is ahead of science
and beyond the ethics. Environmental Research Letters, 17(8), 081003.

Hurd, Catriona L., Cliff S. Law, Lennart T. Bach, Damon Britton, Mark Hovenden, Ellie
R. Paine, John A. Raven, Veronica Tamsitt, and Philip W. Boyd. (2022) Forensic
carbon accounting: Assessing the role of seaweeds for carbon sequestration. Journal
of Phycology

Debate 5: The world’s focus on plastic pollution distracts us from tackling more
damaging environmental problems in our oceans
31st Oct 2022

Stafford, R., and P. J. Jones. 2019. Viewpoint–Ocean plastic pollution: A convenient

but distracting truth? Marine Policy 103:187-191.

23
Avery-Gomm, S., T. R. Walker, M. L. Mallory, and J. F. Provencher. 2019. There is
nothing convenient about plastic pollution. Rejoinder to Stafford and Jones “Viewpoint–
Ocean plastic pollution: A convenient but distracting truth?”. Marine Policy 106:103552.

Debate 6: Aquaculture is key to feed the world’s growing population

7th Nov 2022

Costello, C., L. Cao, S. Gelcich, M. Á. Cisneros-Mata, C. M. Free, H. E. Froehlich, C.

D. Golden, G. Ishimura, J. Maier, I. Macadam-Somer, T. Mangin, M. C. Melnychuk, M.
Miyahara, C. L. de Moor, R. Naylor, L. Nøstbakken, E. Ojea, E. O’Reilly, A. M. Parma,
A. J. Plantinga, S. H. Thilsted, and J. Lubchenco. 2020. The future of food from the
sea. Nature 588:95-100.

Olaussen, J. O. 2018. Environmental problems and regulation in the aquaculture

industry. Insights from Norway. Marine Policy 98:158-163.

Debate 7: The pressure to publish in high-profile journals is harming science

14th Nov 2022

Earlier this year, the University of Delaware (USA) accepted the conclusion from an
investigative panel that renowned marine ecologist Dr Danielle Dixson committed
fabrication and falsification in research about climate change, fish behaviour and coral
reefs. The University has sought the retraction of several research articles by Dr
Dixson, including a high profile article published in Science. Dr Dixson denies all
allegations of wrong-doing.

Dr Dixson did her PhD at James Cook University, in Queensland, under the
supervision of Professor Philip Munday, and her research showed that ocean
acidification can disorient fish and negatively impact key behaviour like swimming
toward chemical cues emitted by their predators. The conclusions of this research have
since been questioned. In particular, an article led by Clark et al. published in Nature in
2020 questioned the large effect sizes and low variances in the data published by Dr
Dixson in many articles. The authors of this study were among the whistle-blowers that
first questioned Dixson’s work. They quantified the effects of elevated carbon dioxide
(i.e. more acidic water) on predator cue avoidance across 3 years in 560 individual fish,
aiming to replicate some of the work carried out by Dr Dixson. They concluded that,
contrary to the work published by Dr Dixson, ocean acidification have negligible effects
on fish behaviour.

Many are arguing that this type of scientific misconduct may be partly fuelled by the
research culture of many universities, where there are very high levels of competition
among academics. In these environments there is a so-called ‘publish or perish’ culture
where academics are under high pressure to publish their academic work, with articles
in top impact publications such as Science and Nature being the most highly regarded
outcomes. Some have argued that this high pressure can lead to increases in
misconduct.

Read about Danielle Dixon’s controversial case here:

Star marine ecologist committed misconduct, university says – Science Insider
article in Science.

Read about Clark’s article questioning Dixson’s work:

Clark, T. D., Raby, G. D., Roche, D. G., Binning, S. A., Speers-Roesch, B., Jutfelt, F.,
& Sundin, J. (2020). Ocean acidification does not impair the behaviour of coral reef
fishes. Nature, 577(7790), 370-375.

24
SOME REFERENCES REGARDING PRESSSURE TO PUBLISH:

Fanelli, D. (2010). Do pressures to publish increase scientists' bias? An empirical

support from US States Data. PloS one, 5(4), e10271.

Fanelli, Daniele, Rodrigo Costas, and Vincent Larivière. "Misconduct Policies,

Academic Culture and Career Stage, Not Gender or Pressures to Publish, Affect
Scientific Integrity." PLOS ONE 10, no. 6 (2015): e0127556.

25
 INDEPENDENT FIELD PROJECTS

Introduction (Wednesday 14th September 2022)

Understanding the ecology of organisms in field conditions, and the subsequent

communication of results involves the following steps:
1) the careful formulation of hypotheses,
2) the design of field experiments and/or sampling,
3) collection of data
4) data analysis and interpretation
5) communication of results via scientific reports.

In this exercise, you will get together in groups of 6 students to gain experience in all of
these steps, including the formulation of your own hypotheses and sampling designs.

Planning (Wednesday 14th Sept and 5th Oct 2022)

A list of research topics will be made available via Moodle and will be discussed during the
first planning session.

Each group will select a research topic and brainstorm ideas to formulate a statement of
hypotheses, a sampling design to test these hypotheses and a list of equipment needed to
carry out the fieldwork.

At the end of the planning sessions, students should have:

• formed groups,
• swapped contact details,
• collected/ downloaded the initial reading material
• commenced planning the field exercise
• determine what hypotheses are being tested
• determine explicit sampling design (i.e., how many sites, times, replicates etc.)
• determine what data will be collected and from what sources
• establish what statistical methods will be used to analyse the data
• prepared a list of equipment they will need to carry out the field work

During the second planning session, students will also have the opportunity to identify the
relevant study species in the field and brainstorm and obtain feedback on proposed
research plans from lecturers and demonstrators.

Independent field projects data collection

Each group will conduct the field work independently, in their own time. There will be no
practical sessions during weeks 4 and 5 to allow groups to do this work.

Independent Field Project Assignment structure

This project will be assessed via three distinct components: a research proposal, a scientific
report and an oral presentation.

1: Research proposal

Word limit: 1000 words

NOTE: Although the research will be done as a group, the proposal document is individual.

26
Each student will be required to prepare a research proposal outlining and justifying their
specific work plans. Writing a proposal is an essential step in performing scientific research.
We generally submit proposals to funding bodies such as the Australian Research Council
or the NSW Environmental Trust, who decide whether to invest money on the proposed
research on the basis of two main criteria:

Scientific quality – this includes the clarity of the hypotheses or research objectives, the
strength of the experimental design and the feasibility of the proposed research

Significance and innovation – this relates to the overall importance of the research. Will it
increase our knowledge in a meaningful way? Does it apply new ideas/ methods/
approaches that may be useful in other projects?

The proposal should have the following sections:

Project title: Make it short (< 25 words) and descriptive. Avoid using acronyms.

Project summary: In no more than 100 words of plain language, summarise aims,
significance and expected outcomes.

Background and aims: Here you need to provide a rationale for the project. This will
involve defining the problem assessed by your research (establishing the research
‘territory’) and developing a clear research question (establishing the a ‘niche’ or
‘knowledge gap’). This section should include a ‘mini’ literature review component, where
you summarise what we already know about the topic being researched. You should end
with one (or more) clear aims. These aims can be phrased as statements, questions or
hypotheses. For example:

Statement example:
“The overarching aim of this project is to quantify the impacts of coastal tropicalisation to
marine food webs.”

Question example:
“This project proposes to citizen science photographs to answer two questions:
(1) Is fish biodiversity greater inside marine protected areas?
(2) Does fish biodiversity increase towards the tropics?”

Hypothesis example:
“We will use quantitative surveys to investigate the following hypothesis:
(1) There is a negative relationship between kelp and urchin abundance in NSW”

Approach and methodology: Here you outline the experimental design and the methods
that will be used. This needs to provide enough details so that we can assess whether the
design is sound. So, for example, you need to clearly explain what the factors in the
experimental design are, whether they are fixed or random, the number of replicates, etc.
You should make sure you consult this with your instructors during the planning sessions,
as they can provide highly valuable feedback.

Significance and innovation: Here you describe the importance of the research problem
being addressed. You should also describe how the anticipated outcomes will advance the
knowledge base of the discipline and why the aims and/ or approach are novel and
innovative.

Logistics, timeline and personnel: This section should summarise the role,
responsibilities and contributions of all the members of your group. You should also include
a timeline for the project including key dates for task completion.

Acknowledgements (including PERMITS): Acknowledge any help you may have

27
 received preparing the application and detail any permits required to be used for the
research.

References: Include a list of all references used throughout the proposal.

Research proposal marking scheme

The marks will be allocated as follows:

Summary (15)
Background and aims (25)
Approach & methodology – overall description (15)
Approach & methodology – experimental design (25)
Significance & innovation (15)
Logistics, timeline & personnel (5)

Total (100)

28
 2. Independent field project scientific report

Word limit: 1500 words + graphs and tables as needed.

The report on this experiment should be presented as a scientific report in a format as if this
was to be submitted to the marine ecological journal Marine Ecology-Progress Series
(MEPS). Thus your report should have the following sections:

Title page,
Abstract,
Keywords,
Text (Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion),
Figures and Tables,
Acknowledgements
Literature Cited.

The hypotheses being tested should be clearly stated in the Introduction.

The Methods section may be kept brief but include enough details so that your
experimental design/ sampling could be reproduced/ repeated by another researcher. This
section must include information on the statistical tests used to analyse the data.

The Results section is where you present your data as text, figures and tables, including the
results of any statistical analyses.

The Discussion section is where you place your results in the context of previous work and
where you discuss the implications of your data. Do not repeat the Results in this section!
You should explain whether your results are consistent with the work of others, and if not
you may speculate about why that may be.

Independent field project report: marking scheme

The marks will be allocated to sections of the report as follows:

Abstract (10)
Introduction (20)
Materials and methods (10)
Results
• Text (10)
• Figures (10)
• Analyses (10)
Discussion (30)

Total (100)

3: Oral presentation on field projects

Each group is required to present a short talk on their field project. The aim is to present the
main findings of your research to the rest of the class.

Your presentation should include:

• Background information on your project (i.e., what's the knowledge gap targeted)
• The specific hypotheses you aimed to test and details of your experimental design
• The methods used to test the hypotheses
29
 • Your results and their interpretation

Your challenge is to do all that within 10 minutes. Every student is expected to speak.

You can download your presentation from the cloud as appropriate during the class. The
presentations will be retained for marking. Please make sure to detail the name of all group
participants on either the first or the last slide.

Oral presentation marking scheme

The marks will be allocated as follows:

Clarity of research question – 20

Clarity of experimental design – 20
Clarity of results – 20
Clarity of interpretation of results – 20
Overall presentation style/ engagement/ timing – 20

Total (100)

30