208-413 Biological Systems Analysis

Admission to honours or postgraduate degree.

This subject will examine the biophysical, biological and ecological processes in agricultural production, with an emphasis on plants and plant communities.

Case studies will be used as a framework for students to identify the major factors operating in agricultural systems, and their interrelationships. In each case study, lectures and tutorials will assist students to systematically build a conceptual model of how the system functions, identify key variables and response functions, and find data from literature to parameterise the variables and functions. Appropriate process-based models will be used to explore the behaviour of the system in response to changes in environment and management.

The subject should help students develop an understanding of the major driving factors and variables in biological systems, determine future research requirements and identify where management changes will have the greatest impact.

At the completion of this subject students should be able to:

• recognise the complexity of a biological system and how components of biological systems interact at different levels;

• display an understanding of how models can be used to analyse biological factors and variables, and their interactions;

• identify research or management priorities from an understanding of biological systems; and

• formulate simple process-based conceptual models at different hierarchical levels.

Two mid-semester assignments totalling up to 3000 words (20% each), an end-of-semester paper of up to 3000 words (40%) and a seminar presentation (20%).