600-303 Environmental Risk Assessment

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

600-203 Environmental Measurement or equivalent.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

Students completing this subject should be familiar with the concept of exposure pathways, understand the ecological processes associated with contamination in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, be able to develop empirical models and estimate exposures and responses in ecological systems. The course includes an outline of the framework for applying the concepts of test endpoints and assessment endpoints in the context of management goals. Students will learn how to perform fundamental exposure, hazard and ecological risk assessment procedures. The subject content includes exposure pathways, models for environmental toxicology, ecological effects of modified ecosystem processes, LC50 and LD50 tests, response surfaces, indicator species and exemplars, test endpoints, assessment endpoints and management goals, extrapolations among taxa, empirical modelling, parameter estimation, and risk assessment.

Assessment

A three hour written examination at the end of semester, and continuous assessment from tutorial and practical sessions. Both continuous assessment and the examination must be completed satisfactorily before credit can be granted for the subject.