91168 Ecological Genetics
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Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 91123 Nature and Evolution AND 65111 Chemistry 1
Description
Molecular genetic techniques for answering questions about ecological processes and human interactions with the biosphere are rapidly becoming integrated into many fields. Careers as diverse as conservation and environmental management, disease and human health research, fisheries management, biosecurity and environmental diagnostics are now requiring a strong understanding of molecular genetic approaches.
Specific molecular techniques have been developed to answer ecological questions such as: What is the structure of a population? How are species/individuals related to one another and how do they evolve? Where and when can a problem species in water/land/soil/food be found, and how can we detect it more rapidly? What is the genetic basis of specific traits, like growth, fecundity, photosynthesis, behaviour, secondary metabolite production?
On the other side, ecological and evolutionary approaches are fast becoming central to determining the emergence of infectious diseases. A working understanding of ecological experimental design and analysis is essential for those working in environmental health. This subject is of great benefit to students of environmental, conservation and marine sciences, as well as those studying human and animal health. With a strong emphasis on participation and practical and industry applications, students learn how to apply specific techniques to suit the situation, design approaches to suit a question and interpret molecular genetic data for a multitude of contexts.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Explain the way in which evolutionary theory underpins molecular ecology and how these key concepts apply to modern evolutionary biology. |
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| 2. | Identify the question/s asked in a biological research study and compare and contrast the molecular ecological techniques used to answer these question/s. |
| 3. | Analyse genetic sequence data using alignments, phylogenetic inference methods and publically available databases of nucleotide and protein data. |
| 4. | Apply specific molecular ecological techniques to answering biological questions regarding the identification, distribution and abundance of organisms. |
| 5. | Apply specific molecular ecological techniques to answering biological questions regarding the relatedness of organisms along a geographic distribution. |
| 6. | Explain the ways in which environmental factors may impact the functional biology of organisms, including the expression of functional genes. |
| 7. | Interpret scientific experimental data and communicate, through written, visual and oral presentations, a justification that your data is an evidence base for decision making. |
| 8. | Reflect on and discuss contemporary issues in food safety, epidemiology, conservation biology, fisheries management, biosecurity, climate change impacts and environmental diagnostics from the perspective of research derived using molecular ecological approaches. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of following course intended learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate theoretical and technical knowledge of environmental science, including key chemical and physical processes, and the physiological functions and behaviour of animals, plants, and microorganisms. (1.1)
- Assess scientific evidence and apply effective field studies and experimental design, analysis and critical thinking to evaluate changes and impacts on the environment. (2.1)
- Work autonomously or in teams to develop, test, and integrate professional skills across research fields within environmental science with consideration to compliance with workplace health and safety procedures, animal ethics, and environmental impact assessments. (3.1)
- Engage in reflection and learning beyond formal educational contexts in environmental sciences to make effective judgments about one's own work, explore new and innovative solutions, and progress the application of environmental knowledge and skills. (4.1)
- Identify and practice appropriate communication approaches to examine and articulate the role of environmental science within local, regional, and global settings. (5.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject will develop the following graduate attributes:
1. Disciplinary knowledge
a. Developing your knowledge of molecular ecological techniques and their application will be achieved through:
b. Diagnostic tests during Week 1 to gauge your initial understanding of both ecological theory and molecular genetic techniques and concepts, prior to the start of the course.
c. Quizzes throughout the teaching session prior to the practicals, when you will demonstrate your knowledge of the laboratory practical for that week, as well as the lecture material.
d. Tutorials, in which you will present the results of a scientific paper, and discuss the methods used and their appropriateness to the question investigated. This will involve discussions and feedback from lecturers to shape your understanding of the concepts.
Practical classes will provide the opportunity for hands on application of the theoretical knowledge.
The lectures, which will present material in an interactive format to encourage reflection and discussion.
2. Research, Inquiry and Critical Thinking
a. The tutorials will be the major forum for fostering an enquiry-oriented approach and knowledge of current research in the field. Each week, small groups of participants will present their critical evaluation of a molecular ecological research study in a field such as conservation and environmental management, disease and human health, fisheries management, biosecurity and environmental diagnostics. You will define the issues, synthesize evidence from a range of sources, and critically assess the approach and conclusions. Your learning will be assessed by the depth of analysis and the clarity of presentation, as well as your considered contributions to group discussions.
c. Scientific curiosity will be developed during the practicals. Each week, the practical will invite you into a scenario commonly encountered by those working in the fields where molecular ecological tools are needed. You will be encouraged to ask questions, and think about the techniques and their application. Your practical knowledge will be assessed by the final practical exam.
3. Professional, Ethical and Social Responsibility
a.Teamwork and collaboration will be learnt through working in a small group to design a presentation based on a scientific paper. During the tutorials, you will listen to the points of view of others, consider different perspectives on the questions of interest, and add considered responses to the discussion. You will be assessed on your presentation and on your contribution to scientific discussions.
b. Advanced computing skills will be learnt by using a variety of software packages commonly used in professional practice during the practicals. Data handling and quantitative analysis skills will be developed through the quantitative and statistical analysis of results from the laboratory experiments.
c. Professional research skills such as the ability to record accurately and consistently your laboratory outcomes will be developed by keeping your laboratory book. You will be assessed on your laboratory book, and you will have an opportunity to improve after feedback early in the semester.
d. Societal needs for food safety, freedom from infectious disease, well functioning environmental goods and services, a food production system free from biosecurity pests and disease, and conservation of key species, will be a constant point of reference in lectures and tutorials. The responsibility and role of science to work towards these goals using molecular ecological approaches will be investigated.
4. Reflection, Innovation, Creativity
a. The tutorials require weekly reading and reflection on the current state of scientific knowledge in the field as reflected in a scientific paper. Original ideas regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the scientific approaches that have been conducted by others, novel methods that could be applied to answer the same question, and novel questions that have arisen as a result of the research, will be fostered. You will be assessed based on the quality, including the degree of reflection and innovation, of your contributions to the scientific discussions.
5. Communication
a. Excellence in visual and oral communication will be developed through the design of an audio visual presentation of the scientific paper. You will be assessed on your verbal communication skills, as well as the use of visual aids (ie powerpoint presentation) to enhance the impact of the presentation.
b. Excellence in laboratory written reports and data communication and presentation (graphs, tables) will be developed through the weekly laboratory sessions, including the assessment of the lab book, as well as the laboratory exam.
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject involves on average 5.0 contact hours per week through online lectures (1 hour), in person tutorials (1 hour) and practical sessions (3 hours). It will be delivered by way of lectures, tutorials and practical classes, including laboratory activities and computer exercises, fieldwork, and self-directed learning during class preparation activities.
During the interactive lectures online, you will learn about the theoretical basis of ecological genetics. This is the ‘why’ of the subject. These will draw on examples, helping to bring theoretical concepts alive. In the tutorials, you will work in small groups to learn to analyse, question, and interpret the use of specific molecular ecological techniques used by scientists in order to answer specific questions. This is the ‘when, where, who’ of the subject. The tutorials are designed to assist your learning and understanding of the concepts in an applied, collaborative learning environment, using real world research journal articles by scientists currently working in the field. Your contribution to the discussions and your presentation of the information you have read will be assessed.
During the practical classes you will get hands-on experience in the application of molecular ecological techniques to real world questions. This is the ‘how’ of the subject. In preparation for the practical classes, you will be expected to be familiar with that week's practical notes and your current lecture material in preparation for the weekly quiz, which will be available during the first 20 minutes of the practical. These activities are designed to prepare you to work effectively in the laboratory with molecular genetic equipment and techniques to investigate the ecological genetics of plants, animals, bacteria, protists, fungi and other organisms. You will be required to keep a laboratory notebook, as is standard practise for working scientists in all areas of government, industry and research, and you will be assessed on your practical laboratory skills at the end of the semester.
You will have opportunities to receive feedback during the practical and tutorials. These activities will allow you to work collaboratively with peers to develop your professional teamwork and communication skills, and well as research practice and enquiry, listening to other people’s point of view, contributing verbal and written input, and sharing responsibility for the completion of tasks.
Content (topics)
The program contains a brief outline of the subject content.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Online quizzes
| Intent: | This assessment item addresses the following graduate attributes: 1. Disciplinary knowledge 2. Research, inquiry and critical thinking |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2, 3 and 6 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): 1.1 and 2.1 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Criteria: | Your quizzes will be assessed for the correctness of your answers, based on your reading and understanding of the background principles and rationale of the experimental methods. |
Assessment task 2: Critical evaluation of the scientific paper and participation in tutorial discussions
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes: 1. Disciplinary Knowledge 2. Research, inquiry and critical thinking 3. Professional, ethical and social responsibility 4. Reflection, Innovation, Creativity 5. Communication |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, group and individually assessed |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | The presentation will be 20 minutes. It will be conducted in the tutorials. Each group will be assigned a paper, and will be given two weeks to prepare their presentation. |
| Criteria: | The presentation will be assessed on the insight, comprehensiveness and background knowledge displayed in your information, as well as the clarity and conciseness of your visual and vocal presentation, and the degree to which you are able to engage your peers in discussion and facilitate an active, relevant, and informed discussion. The presentation will be assessed as a group, and will constitute 25% of your mark. The participation in tutorial discussions will constitute 15% of your mark, and will be based on your informed and relevant contributions to group discussions on the topics of the presentations. |
Assessment task 3: Practical exam and assessment of the laboratory book
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes: 1. Disciplinary Knowledge 2. Research, inquiry and critical thinking 3. Professional, ethical and social responsibility 5. Communication |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): 1.1, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.1 |
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | The practical exam will take 2 hours. |
| Criteria: | The assessment of practical skills will be based on your conducting the correct laboratory procedures. This involves relevant written documentation of what was done, labelling of samples, appropriate methods and equipment used, following all laboratory safety procedures, and obtaining correct results. Practical skills will be assessed individually and worth 25% of the mark. The laboratory book will be assessed while you are conducting the practical exam. It will be assessed on the completeness of relevant documentation of methods and samples, appropriate record keeping, legibility and comprehensiveness. It will be worth 15% of the mark. |
Recommended texts
Evolution, 4th edition 2017, by D. J. Futuyma and M Kirkpatrick
http://find.lib.uts.edu.au/?R=OPAC_b3295633
Other useful texts:
Molecular Ecology by Graham Rowe et al ISBN 9780198716990
http://find.lib.uts.edu.au/?R=OPAC_b3246895
Ecology 4th Edition by William Bowman et al ISBN 9781605356181