This intensive field course aims to provide students with advanced knowledge of modern and fossil carbonate environments, and the role of biological processes in reef building and erosion. It complements EMSC3023 Marine Biogeochemistry and BIOL3116 Marine Conservation Ecology, and is for students seeking a profession in marine science, environmental science or geochemistry. Several days will be spent at a coral reef location studying a modern reefal setting, fossil reef depositional environments and relevant biological processes. Activities will include both advanced lectures and field surveys.
This course has a limited enrolment (~20-25 students and permission is required to enrol in this course by completion of an Expression of Interest form, which will open and close at the beginning and end of February). Students are selected on merit, with priority given to those in their final year of program who require the course to graduate.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Recognise and map different environments and bio-zones on a carbonate reef platform.
- Apply field techniques used to describe and assess carbonate reef ecosystems.
- Produce maps of the reef flat.
- Gain a working knowledge of how to measure carbonate chemistry in the field.
- Describe the history of deposition of carbonate reef platforms over Holocene time.
- Demonstrate understanding of basic biological processes of coral reefs.
- Identify the major issues facing the future of carbonate reef ecosystems and the strategies that may be used to address these threats.
Other Information
The trip will be held in the September Winter break (usually the first week of September) at Orpheus Island. If there is a Spring trip it will be run in the last week of November or first week of December (during the Spring session) at One Tree Island.
The field trip costs $900 person plus return transport to Townsville (Orpheus Island) or Gladstone (One Tree Island) in addition to the normal course fees. Field trip costs can be paid via the Science Shop .
This course has a limited enrolment (~20-25 students and permission is required to enrol in this course by completion of an Expression of Interest form, which will open and close at the beginning and end of February). Students are selected on merit, with priority given to those in their final year of program who require the course to graduate. Please send any general enquiries to teaching.rses@anu.edu.au.
Frequently Asked Questions:
I am an international exchange student. Can I enrol in this course?
Exchange students are generally not eligible to enrol in out of session courses or field study programs. These opportunities are typically reserved exclusively for ANU students.
If the course is scheduled in the Winter session, are there contact hours in July?
If the course is offered during the Winter session, it is primarily centered around the September field trip, therefore there are no contact hours in July. There are pre-departure quizzes to be completed by the end of August, and there will be an information meeting for all the participants to attend (usually in early August).
Once I have completed the Expression of Interest form, when will I be notified if I am accepted in the course?
Correspondence to students is generally sent to students by late April or May, though timelines may vary.
What are the living conditions like?
Accommodation is a bunkhouse style. There are multiple rooms with 4-6 bunks each. Students will need to share the rooms. Students form their own groups, but any issues can be discussed before the trip departs. Toilets are composting and ~10 stairs are required to reach the toilets. Showers are "bucket showers" standing on rubber mats over coral rubble.
Indicative Assessment
- Oral presentation of research project (20) [LO 2,5,6,7]
- Examination (Held on the island location of the field trip) (30) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
- Research project report (30) [LO 1,2,3]
- Map of coral reef flat area (20) [LO 1,2,3]
- Note: To complete the course students must attend the field trip and complete the three on-course assessment tasks. All assessment items are hurdle assessments for the course. (0) [LO null]
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Workload
This is an intensive field course to be held either in September during the Winter session, or November/December/early January if scheduled during the Spring or Summer sessions. Students are expected to work individually and in groups.
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the session including:
- 1 week field trip
- Approximately 70 hours of self-directed study which will include assessment tasks to be completed after the field trip.
Inherent Requirements
Inherent requirements have not yet been determined for this course.
Requisite and Incompatibility
You will need to contact the Research School of Earth Sciences to request a permission code to enrol in this course.
Prescribed Texts
There are no prescribed texts for this course.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Winter Session
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6327 | 01 Jul 2026 | 24 Jul 2026 | 24 Jul 2026 | 30 Sep 2026 | In Person | N/A |