This elaboration provides students with an opportunity to develop this core Science Inquiry Skill whilst addressing intercultural science inquiry skills relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures within the context of the following content description(s) from the Science Understanding and/or Science as a Human Endeavour strand(s).
Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043)
A potential way to approach this content description is:
In the planning for conducting an environmental survey to identify the presence and adaptations of flora or fauna species, consultation with local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community members can provide information about specific environmental safety issues. Biological surveys that are undertaken by scientists, including ecologists, provide the scientific basis for decisions regarding environmental management. They are used to collect data on the distribution, ecological relationships and conservation status of animal and plant species in an environment, and highlight patterns of biodiversity within that environment. A flora or fauna survey may show the dominance of a particular organism that is out-competing other species due to adaptations. Prior to undertaking a flora or fauna survey, members of the local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community can be consulted about potential safety risks in the region. It is likely that the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community can provide highly detailed local knowledge about potential safety risks in the survey area. This knowledge may include information regarding risks, such as crocodile locations in mangrove swamp environments, peculiar tidal events in coastal regions, dangerous geology or hazardous flora species. Consultation with the local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community in the planning stages of a flora or fauna survey can provide highly detailed local knowledge about the safety risks that need to be considered in field investigations.