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Biology Teaching and Learning Centre · ANU College of Science and Medicine
Course not offered in 2026. Plants and animals from cold alpine environments have evolved strategies to enable them to survive freezing temperatures and short growing seasons. While in tropical rainforests, they have evolved to deal with wet, often dark conditions where they rarely encounter other members of their own species. Finding suitable places to settle, grow and reproduce is a challenge. In both environments plants and animals have evolved special morphologies, physiologies and behaviours that influence the way they interact with other species, and that allow them deal with extreme conditions. If you would like to conduct original field research on plants and animals in a beautiful field site, this intensive residential field course may be for you. Through directed research projects, conducted in small groups and led by field experts, we introduce students to field studies in plant and animal ecology. We explore the ways that diverse organisms respond to conditions in their environment and acquire the resources they need to survive, grow and reproduce: their functional ecology. The course location varies among years, but regardless of location the same theoretical principles will be explored in the context of protected area management, conservation and climate change. By exploring the functional ecology of plants and animals simultaneously, students develop an understanding of the differences and commonalities among organisms. Students develop skills in research including project design and execution, data analysis and interpretation, and oral and written presentation of results. Students will also be exposed to a wide array of field techniques used in ecophysiology and behavioural ecology. Our aim is to give participants a chance to do real science and to embrace being a scientist. The experience enables students to approach their later year studies with independence and a new perspective and will provide real-world skills relevant in both science and non-science careers.
Field notebook
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Final report: This assessment item is a hurdle and students must achieve a minimum of 40% to pass the course.
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Presentations: Students will present results of directed field problems as a group
Learning outcomes 5, 6, 7
Mid and end of course quizzes: Two one hour quizzes of lecture material 10% each
Learning outcomes 1, 3, 5, 7
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the session including: - Overall there will be about 75 hours contact with teaching staff - Approximately 50 hours of individual and group work This is a residential intensive course. Students are expected to complete preparatory readings, actively participate and contribute to all course content during the trip, and complete a final report on return. Work Integrated Learning Fieldwork Other Information This is a field course. The field trip will be held in the Daintree in the Winter Session in even years, and in an alpine location in Spring Session in odd years. As this is a field course, places are limited. Please register your interest online. Expressions Of interest (EOI) for the Winter Session trip in June will be accepted from February, and from April for the November trip. Admission is granted on a rolling basis until the course is filled. The additional cost of the field course (to cover travel, food and accommodation) will be approximately $1,500 and can be paid via ScienceShop . For more information, please email rsb.studentadmin@anu.edu.au. Students must achieve a minimum grade of 40% in the final report to pass this course. Check out these great videos: Functional Ecology field trip to Kosciuszko National Park in December 2016 and the Daintree Rainforest in July 2017 and Singapore in 2018 .
Readings will consist of articles from textbooks and the primary literature. The course will travel with a library of relevant texts.