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49122 Ecology and Sustainability

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

UTS: Engineering: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 120 credit points of completed study in C10061 Bachelor of Engineering Diploma in Engineering Practice OR 120 credit points of completed study in C10066 Bachelor of Engineering Science OR 120 credit points of completed study in C10067 Bachelor of Engineering
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Handbook description

The aim of this subject is for students to examine the fundamental principles of ecological systems and biodiversity, and in the context of ecological sustainable development gain an understanding of the effect of human impact on these systems. Environmental problems relating to air, water, soil and noise pollution, greenhouse and the disposal of solid and hazardous waste will be studied. Using local and regional case studies, students will learn to evaluate and develop strategies and management practices to achieve sustainable solutions for these problems and examine other areas such as ecotourism and industrial ecology.

Subject objectives

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Identify local environmental problems (such as air, water, soil and noise);
2. Comprehend global environmental problems such as greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, and acid rain)
3. Explain the concepts of ecologically sustainable management principles.
4. Apply sustainable solutions and fundamental principles of ecological systems in the context of ecological sustainable development.

This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

  • Identify, interpret and analyse stakeholder needs. (A.1)
  • Identify constraints, uncertainties and risk of the system (social, cultural, legislative, environmental, business etc.) (A.3)
  • Apply principles of sustainability to create viable systems (A.4)
  • Apply systems thinking to understand complex system behaviour including interactions between components and with other systems (social, cultural, legislative, environmental, business etc.) (A.5)
  • Identify and apply relevant problem solving methodologies (B.1)
  • Apply decision-making methodologies to evaluate solutions for efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability (B.4)
  • Demonstrate research skills (B.6)
  • Evaluate model applicability, accuracy and limitations (C.3)
  • Communicate effectively in ways appropriate to the discipline, audience and purpose. (E.1)
  • Work as an effective member or leader of diverse teams within a multi-level, multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural setting (E.2)

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is offered by distance mode and block mode.

As a student in this subject you are expected to read all course material and complete your assignments by their due dates. The marked assignments will be sent back to you within 3-4 weeks of submission.

Content

Introduction; Environmental management and planning systems; Ecological systems and processes; Basic ecological principles: bio-geochemical cycles, development of ecosystems, interaction between physical ecosystems; Global environmental issues such as Greenhouse Effect, ozone depletion, acid rain etc.; Human impacts on ecosystems; Population growth; Terrestrial ecosystems (forests and agricultural land); Aquatic ecosystems (lakes, rivers and oceans); Bio-diversity; Sustainable development; An overview of major environmental problems: their effects and remedies; Air pollution; Noise pollution; Water pollution; Soil pollution; Solid and hazardous wastes, including contaminated site assessment and remediation strategies; Environmental assessment audit practices; Case studies

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Assignment 1

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objectives:

1, 2 and 4

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

A.1, A.4, B.1, B.6 and E.2

Weight: 15
Length:

8 pages including tables and figures
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Correctness of calculations 25 1, 2, 4 A.1, A.4, B.1, B.6, E.2
Correctness of design 25 1, 2, 4 A.1, A.4, B.1, B.6, E.2
Correctness of reasoning and interpretation 30 1, 2, 4 A.1, A.4, B.1, B.6, E.2
Appropriateness of recommendation 20 1, 2, 4 A.1, A.4, B.1, B.6, E.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Assignment 2

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 4

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

A.1, A.3, A.4, B.1, C.3 and E.2

Weight: 10
Length:

10 pages (half to one page per question)
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Correctness of calculations 25 1, 2, 3, 4 A.1, A.3, A.4, B.1, C.3, E.2
Correctness of design 25 1, 2, 3, 4 A.1, A.3, A.4, B.1, C.3, E.2
Correctness of reasoning and interpretation 30 1, 2, 3, 4 A.1, A.3, A.4, B.1, C.3, E.2
Appropriateness of recommendation 20 1, 2, 3, 4 A.1, A.3, A.4, B.1, C.3, E.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Ecologically sustainable management

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objectives:

1, 3 and 4

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

A.1, A.3, A.4, A.5, B.6 and E.1

Weight: 20
Length:

10 pages
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Correctness of reasoning and interpretation 30 1, 3, 4 A.1, A.3, A.4, A.5, B.6, E.1
Appropriateness of recommendation 30 1, 3, 4 A.1, A.3, A.4, A.5, B.6, E.1
Quality of report 40 1, 3, 4 E.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 4: Supplementary Short Assignment on Ecology

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 4

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

A.1, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.4, C.3 and E.2

Weight: 5
Length:

3 pages
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Correctness of reasoning and interpretation 50 1, 2, 3, 4 A.1, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.4, C.3, E.2
Correctness of calculations 50 1, 2, 3, 4 A.1, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.4, C.3, E.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 5: Final Exam

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 4

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

A.1, A.3, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.6 and C.3

Weight: 50
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Correctness of calculations 25 1, 2, 3, 4 A.1, A.3, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.6, C.3
Correctness of design 25 1, 2, 3, 4 A.1, A.3, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.6, C.3
Correctness of reasoning and interpretation 30 1, 2, 3, 4 A.1, A.3, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.6, C.3
Appropriateness of recommendation 20 1, 2, 3, 4 A.1, A.3, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.6, C.3
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

This subject has a FORMAL EXAMINATION, which will be held during weeks 15, 16 and 17 of the semester (after the teaching period).

In order to pass the subject, you have to obtain a minimum of 50% in the final exam.

Required texts

UTS course notes and materials in UTSonline

Recommended texts

None

References

  1. Brown V A, 1998, ‘Managing Local Sustainability - Policy, Problem solving, Practice and Place’, University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury , NSW, Australia
  2. Davis M L and Cornwell D, 1991, 'Introduction to Environmental Engineering', Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York
  3. DLWC, 1997, ‘Biosolids Management for Country NSW’, NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, Sydney
  4. Francesco di Castri, 1997, ‘Biodiversity’, World Science Report
  5. Masters G M, 1998, 'Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science', Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
  6. Mackenzie L D and Cornwell D A, 1991 ‘ Introduction to Environmental Engineering’ International edition - McGraw-Hill Inc
  7. Odum E P, 1989, 'Ecology and our endangered life-support systems', Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, Mass.
  8. Peirce J, Weiner R F and Vesilind P A, 1998, ‘ Environmental Pollution and Control’, Butterworth - Heinemann Publications, Woburn, MA, USA.
  9. Sincero A.P and Sincero G A, 1996 ‘ Environmental Engineering - A Design Approach’, Prentice Hall, Saddle River, New Jersey
  10. Stoll U, 1996, ‘Municipal Sewage Sludge Management’, Environmental Systems Review # 30, Environmental Information Systems Information Centre (ENSIC), Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand.
  11. UN Commission on Sustainable Development, 1996, ‘ Indicators of sustainable development and methodologies - Report, United Nations Publications, New York
  12. Vigneswaran S, Sundaravadivel M and Chaudary, D, 2004, ‘ Environmental Management, SCITECH Publishers
  13. Westman W E, 1985, 'Ecology, impact assessment, and environmental planning', Wiley
  14. World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987, 'Our Common Future', Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1987

Other resources

Please see subject coordinator if you are not already enrolled on UTS-ONLINE for this subject. Refer Student Guide.