Course level

Undergraduate

Faculty

Science

School

School of the Environment

Units

2

Duration

One Semester

Attendance mode

In Person

Class hours

Lecture 2 Hours/ Week
Practical 3 Hours/ Week
2L3P

Recommended prerequisite

Assessment methods

Quizzes, Portfolio

Course enquiries

Dr Lyn Cook

Current course offerings

Course offerings Location Mode Course Profile
Semester 1, 2024 (19/02/2024 - 15/06/2024) St Lucia In Person Course Profile

Please Note: Course profiles marked as not available may still be in development.

Course description

This course examines the processes that drive the diversity and distributions of plants and animals. It will cover topics about the basic units of biodiversity - species -and how new species are discovered, recognised and described. We cover the phylogenetic basis of classification systems, and the different methods used to reconstruct evolutionary history and to test the origin of traits, including those relevant for ecology and adaption. We discuss processes that are thought to contribute to lineage diversity, and how biodiversity has changed through time and over large geographic scales. Case studies come primarily from plants and animals (both terrestrial and marine), but with some reference to other organisms. Examples will largely be drawn from, but not limited to, Australian examples.

Archived offerings

Course offerings Location Mode Course Profile
Semester 1, 2023 (20/02/2023 - 17/06/2023) St Lucia In Person Course Profile
Semester 1, 2022 (21/02/2022 - 21/06/2022) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2022 (21/02/2022 - 21/06/2022) External External Course Profile
Semester 1, 2021 (22/02/2021 - 19/06/2021) St Lucia Flexible Delivery Course Profile
Semester 1, 2021 (22/02/2021 - 19/06/2021) External External Course Profile
Semester 1, 2020 (24/02/2020 - 11/07/2020) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2019 (25/02/2019 - 22/06/2019) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2018 (19/02/2018 - 23/06/2018) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2017 (27/02/2017 - 24/06/2017) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2016 (29/02/2016 - 25/06/2016) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2015 (02/03/2015 - 27/06/2015) St Lucia Internal Course Profile