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Water is a resource that needs careful management to ensure it is used sustainably. In this data set, students analyse real research data about the sustainability of groundwater on Rottnest Island. 

Students will:
- understand the concepts of groundwater and aquifers and the role of the water cycle
- use MS Excel to construct simple graphs (or draw graphs by hand)
- interpret and analyse graphs and other representations of data
- investigate the effects of a changing climate on groundwater resources
- distinguish between correlation and causation

Learn about isotopes using real examples and real data, including comprehensive isotopic data of the first twenty chemical elements in the periodic table (hydrogen to calcium). 

Students will:
- learn how the number of neutrons and protons in an isotope affects its nuclear properties
- construct a section of the Table of isotopes, using MS Excel
- investigate the properties and uses of different isotopes

This resource guides students through how to interpret and analyse authentic research data, generated during a collaborative project between UNSW, UTS, ANSTO and Taronga Zoo Sydney. The project examines the use of high-resolution x-ray fluorescence as a tool to combat the international illegal wildlife trade (IWT) of short beaked echidnas, which are being removed from the wild and claimed as captive-bred. 

Students will:

- examine the adaptations of short beaked echidnas that increase their ability to survive in their environment
- explore the use of technology in contributing to the study and conservation of biodiversity
- construct simple graphs of the provided data using MS Excel, and interpret and analyse these graphs
- investigate how scientific knowledge interacts with social, economic, cultural and ethical issues.