Environmental Science Study Notes

Students investigate the management of the biosphere through the lens of biodiversity. They examine categories of biodiversity, the role of biodiversity in sustaining ecosystems, ecosystem services, and strategies to counteract threats to biodiversity, focusing on a selected threatened endemic species.

Students explore variations in definitions of sustainability and how these are interpreted and applied in addressing a selected environmental science case study. They assess environmental impacts and risks, examine management strategies, stakeholder perspectives, and evaluate the effectiveness of environmental management.

Students investigate natural and human-based factors affecting Earth's climate, compare natural and enhanced greenhouse effects, explain methods for measuring and predicting climate change, and evaluate mitigation and adaptation strategies for managing climate change.

Students explore the use of different energy sources, their advantages and disadvantages, local and global impacts, and the challenges in building a sustainable energy future. They investigate the extent, availability, and consequences of alternative energy sources.

Students undertake a student-designed scientific investigation related to biodiversity, environmental management, climate change and/or energy use. The investigation involves generating primary data, analysing and evaluating data, and communicating findings in a scientific poster.

Students use biodiversity as a lens through which to investigate the management of a single Earth system, the biosphere. They examine the categories of biodiversity, the role of biodiversity in sustaining ecosystems, the provision of ecosystem services for human well-being and the strategies employed to counteract natural and human-induced threats to maintain biodiversity in the short-, medium- and long-term. Outcome 1: On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain the importance of Earth's biodiversity and how it has changed over time, analyse the threats to biodiversity, and evaluate management strategies to maintain biodiversity in the context of one selected threatened endemic species.

Students explore variations in definitions of sustainability and consider how these may be interpreted and applied in addressing a selected environmental science case study using Earth systems thinking. They assess the environmental impacts and risks associated with the case study, examine the elements of environmental management and its relationship to sustainability principles, consider stakeholder perspectives, analyse scientific monitoring data, and evaluate the effectiveness of the environmental strategy implemented. Outcome 2: On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain how sustainability principles relate to environmental management, analyse how stakeholder perspectives can influence environmental decision-making, and evaluate the effectiveness of environmental management strategies in a selected case study.

Students investigate natural as well as human-based factors that affect Earth's climate. They compare natural and enhanced greenhouse effects and their significance for sustaining ecological integrity, explain different methods for measuring and predicting climate change, and consider the degree of certainty associated with climate projections. Students explore risks and opportunities for human societies and ecological systems associated with climate change at a selected region or location, and evaluate mitigation and adaptation strategies. Outcome 1: On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse the major factors that affect Earth's climate, explain how past and future climate variability can be measured and modelled, and evaluate options for managing climate change.

Students explore the concepts associated with the use of different energy sources by human societies. They develop their understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of using different sources of energy and consider the local and global impacts of these uses over short, medium and long time scales. They investigate the extent, availability and consequences of selecting alternative energy sources for meeting current and projected demands, while considering the environmental, sociocultural, economic and ethical challenges involved in building a sustainable energy future. Outcome 2: On completion of this unit the student should be able to compare the advantages and disadvantages of using a range of energy sources, and evaluate the suitability and impacts of their use in terms of upholding sustainability principles.

Students undertake a student-designed scientific investigation in either Unit 3 or Unit 4, or across both Units 3 and 4, involving the generation of primary data related to biodiversity, environmental management, climate change and/or energy use, inspired by a contemporary environmental science challenge or issue. They develop a question, state an aim, formulate a hypothesis and plan a course of action while complying with safety and ethical guidelines, then undertake a controlled experiment, correlational study or fieldwork to generate primary quantitative data, analyse and evaluate the data, identify limitations, link results to scientific ideas, discuss implications, and draw a conclusion. The investigation is presented as a scientific poster and supported by a logbook. Outcome 3: On completion of this unit the student should be able to design and conduct a scientific investigation related to biodiversity, environmental management, climate change and/or energy use, and present an aim, methodology and method, results, discussion and a conclusion in a scientific poster.