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UQx: Tropical coastal ecosystems

4.9 stars
8 ratings

Take the challenge and understand problems and solutions to managing tropical coastal ecosystems.

9 weeks
4–5 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
Enrollment closed
Future dates to be announced

About this course

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Do you want to develop the skills and knowledge needed to help preserve tropical coastal ecosystems? These habitats provide goods and services for hundreds of millions of people but human activities have led to their global decline. TROPIC101x will introduce you to the incredible plants and animals that create these unique ecosystems. You will go on to explore the challenges these ecosystems are facing such as overfishing, coastal pollution, ocean warming and acidification, then learn about some techniques being used to tackle these problems. Lectures will be delivered by leading experts. Many of them were filmed on-site in the Great Barrier Reef, at The University of Queensland's research station on Heron Island. The course concludes with an innovative virtual ecology project, where you will have the option to take part in a citizen science project. Join us on an exciting journey, as you develop new knowledge and skills, during this beautiful and engaging course!

At a glance

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated skills:Ecosystem Science, Coastal Ecology, Ecology

What you'll learn

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  • A basic understanding of the value, vulnerability, dynamics and sustainable management of tropical coastal ecosystems
  • Basic experimental design skills plus some simple analytical and statistical techniques
  • An understanding and appreciation of the local and global threats to tropical coastal ecosystems
  • An understanding and practical use of spatial planning tools
  • The process of designing and implementing an experiment in a virtualecology project

Learner testimonials

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"This is one of my all-time favourite MOOCs. It's well presented, interesting, covers a lot of ground, and just plain FUN!" - Gunhild Jonsson

"This a great course that teaches the science of tropical ecosystems and how to think like a scientist. I learned a lot of useful information about how climate change and humans affect benthic ecosystems and what might be done to alleviate those effects." -Benjamin Nash

"Highly recommended to aspiring scientists and environmentalists!" -Anushka Kale

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