212-104 Land Resources & Their Management

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject will demonstrate how the application of science provides the basis for improvements in productivity and the development of environmentally-acceptable practices. On completion of this subject, students will be able to apply the principles developed in relation to land use in Victoria and to other regions. They will also appreciate the importance of relationships between the various scientific disciplines of agricultural science, and the emphasis placed on integration as well as discipline strength in solving complex problems associated with biological systems functioning at large scales.

Topics discussed will include the relationship between crystalline structure, chemical composition and the physical properties of common minerals; rocks as aggregates of minerals; an introduction to igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and weathering processes; the distribution and formation of the major soil types in Victoria; the influence of climate, geology and soil type on land use capability; climate and weather in Victoria and their effects on plant and animal productivity; consequences of improper land use; examples of land degradation; concepts of integrated catchment management; waste management.

Assessment

A 3-hour written paper at the end of the semester; a practical examination and reports on the field excursions.

Prescribed Texts

• Barr N F & Cary J W, Greening a Brown Land: The Australian Search for Sustainable Land Use. Macmillan, 1992.