BIOL304 - Ecotoxicology

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

CHEM105 Foundations of Chemistry , BIOL129 Foundations of Ecology

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

Ecotoxicology is the study of toxicants and their impact on the environment and is a critical area of understanding for scientists who wish to work in the areas of environment and/or conservation. The unit will explore a range of contaminants and the resulting responses of aquatic and terrestrial systems at both a subcellular through to ecosystems response. Students will become familiar with common methods and approaches for the detection and assessment of impacts, and have a broad understanding of sampling and analytical procedures. The broader-scale management of pollution issues and 'real-world' application of ecotoxicology as a science will also be investigated. This unit aims to provide students with practical knowledge and skills in determining how biological systems respond to and are affected by contaminants.