11–12Biology 11–12 Syllabus (2025)

Explain ecosystem changes that have occurred as a result of the introduction of invasive species

Explain impacts of monoculture, pesticide use, land clearing and habitat loss on the health of ecosystems

Interpret data to demonstrate the effects of invasive species on the local environment

Conduct a secondary-source investigation to analyse the natural and human-induced causes for a selected Australian species becoming threatened, endangered or extinct

Describe the role of a keystone species in the health of an ecosystem

Analyse data on a keystone species and predict the outcomes of removing the species from an Australian ecosystem

Discuss biodiversity in relation to the diversity of genes and species in ecosystems

Assess the importance of gene pool size for the ongoing survival of a population

Use examples to compare asexual and sexual reproduction methods of plants for creating variation in a species

Use examples to compare external and internal fertilisation methods for creating variation in a species

Explain how asexual reproductive methods of budding, spore formation, parthenogenesis and binary fission impact on the continuity of species in changing environments

Explain how the founder effect and bottlenecks result in genetic drift

Discuss genetic drift, gene flow and selection pressures in relation to allele frequency in a population

Conduct a practical investigation to model how allele frequencies can be affected by different factors over successive generations

Analyse data on the effect of reduced genetic diversity on the survival of Tasmanian devil populations

Evaluate the effect of mutation, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow and genetic drift on allele frequencies in populations

Relate changes in the frequency of genetic variants to the genetic diversity, stability and evolution of a population

Explain the physical and chemical changes of a plant in response to the presence of pathogens

Conduct a scientific investigation to evaluate the effect of Panama disease on bananas

Use examples to assess the effects of infectious diseases on plants

Analyse data to justify the choice of an indicator species to determine a change in an Australian ecosystem

Explain the importance of genetic diversity in a species, species diversity and ecosystem diversity for ecosystem health, and the continuity of life in a changing environment

Discuss the concept of ecological sustainability

Describe how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Practices focus on sustainability and maintaining the health of Country/Place

Explain procedures employed in Australia to limit transmission of infectious diseases in animals and plants

Use examples to evaluate environmental management and quarantine methods used to control and prevent an epidemic in plants or animals in Australian ecosystems

Evaluate the success of physical, chemical and biological strategies used to control an invasive species in Australia

Assess the role of national parks and marine reserves in maintaining biodiversity in Australia

Analyse the benefits, limitations and ethical issues associated with the reintroduction of an extinct Australian species

Conduct a scientific investigation to evaluate an Australian conservation program that aims to improve genetic diversity of a threatened population

Predict future impacts of human-induced and natural selection pressures on the biodiversity of an ecosystem