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Handbook 1997 : Faculty of Science : Botany

606-301 Community and Ecosystem Ecology

Note:

Credit cannot be granted for both 606-301 and 606-311.

Credit Points:

20.0

Coordinator:

Dr P M Attiwill and Dr P R Minchin

Prerequisite/s:

Botany 606-201, 606-204.

Timetable:

Semester 1

Contact:

26 lectures (two a week) and 69 hours practical work (three hours a week), including 30 hours (five to six days) of excursions prior to the semester

Objectives:

Students should gain:

  • a knowledge of the structure and function of some major plant communities in Australia;

  • knowledge of autecology, plant community ecology and ecosystem dynamics;

  • knowledge of factors determining the rates of productivity and nutrient cycling and of the dynamics of organic matter in plant communities;

  • skills in chemical analysis of soils and plants, and in numerical analysis of floristic and environmental data;

  • skills in field sampling, data acquisition and field interpretation.

Content:

Vegetation and soils of natural ecosystems of Australia. Structure, floristics and dynamics of vegetation. Chemistry of forest soils, forest productivity and nutrient cycling. Techniques for quantitative analysis of vegetation data. Effects of competition and disturbance on community structure. Theories and models of community structure, dynamics and diversity.

Assessment:

A 3-hour written examination at the end of semester; up to eight practical reports of up to four pages each; a report of 2000-3000 words on the excursion and related practical work.

Prescribed Texts:

  • Groves R H, Australian Vegetation, 1981 Cambridge University Press.
  • Attiwill P M and Leeper G W, Forest Soils and Nutrient Cycles, 1987 MUP.
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Handbook 1997 : Faculty of Science : Botany 
Status:                   OFFICIAL 1997
Last Modified:            Wednesday March 12 3:36 pm
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Copyright © University of Melbourne 1997.