600-111 Biology of Australian Flora & Fauna

This subject is a joint botany/zoology subject

By the completion of this subject students should have:

• knowledge of the evolutionary history of the Australian biota, and the influence of past changes in geology, climate and soil;

• an appreciation of the great diversity and genetic resources of the Australian biota;

• knowledge of the structure and physiology of native plants and animals in relation to surviving in Australian environments;

• an understanding of the impact of humans on Australian ecosystems and issues of conservation biology; and

• skills to improve their self-study, analysis and evaluation of biological information.

This study will include the history of Australia from the Cretaceous to the present, and influence of Australian Aborigines and Europeans; Australian environments, climatic zones, major biomes; terrestrial biota: diversity, endemism and biology of Australian plants, relictual rainforests, sclerophylly, adaptation to fire, diversity, endemism and biology of unique habitats, low nutrients and aridity; diversity, endemism and biology of vertebrate fauna including amphibians and marsupials; marine environments, algae, invertebrates, reefs, mangrove communities, inland waterbodies; and ecology, conservation, and management of Australian ecosystems.

A 3-hour written examination at the end of the subject and submission of three activities from the self-study program.

• R B Knox, P Y Ladiges, B K Evans and R Saint, Biology. 2nd edn, McGraw-Hill, 2000.