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Handbook 1997 : Faculty of Arts : Geography

121-172 Global Ecology and Biogeography

Note:

Students who have taken 121-172 Environmental Management in 1993 cannot receive credit for this subject due to overlap in subject content.

Credit Points:

When taken from Geography, Faculty of Arts:
12.5 1st year
When taken from Geomatics, Faculty of Engineering:
12.5

Coordinator:

Dr Ian Thomas

Timetable:

Semester 2

Contact:

Two 1-hour lectures and a 2-hour laboratory per week. Up to two days of field work

Objectives:

Students completing this subject should:

  • be familiar with basic ecological concepts and issues in contemporary biogeography at the global scale;

  • be able to identify how environmental variables influence the distribution and properties of the world's major natural landscapes;

  • understand the extent of major human impacts on biomes, and approaches to preservation and restoration;

  • be able to apply basic field and laboratory methods for plant community (and soil) description and analysis.

Content:

Global patterns of species diversity. Biogeographic realms. Distribution, properties and functioning of the world's major biomes (tropical, temperate and boreal forests, grasslands, deserts, arctic and alpine assemblages, island ecosystems, wetlands. Introduction to world soils: processes of soil formation; distribution and properties of soils. Introduction to world soils. Human impacts on landscapes; deforestation, desertification, acidification, wetland conversion, fragmentation, extinctions, invasions. Preservation and restoration. Biodiversity.

Assessment:

Thirteen weekly practical exercises to be completed in class, assignment of up to 2000 words, a final 2-hour examination. Weighting of assessment items will be announced at the beginning of the semester.
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Handbook 1997 : Faculty of Arts : Geography 
Status:                   OFFICIAL 1997
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Copyright © University of Melbourne 1997.