GEOLOGY AND PLANT LIFE

ENV3GPL

Not currently offered

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

Before any other influences began to fashion life and its lavish diversity, geological events created the initial environments - both physical and chemical - for the evolutionary drama that followed. This field course will draw on the role of landforms and rock types in producing the unique geographical distributions of plants. Using the landforms and vegetation of Snowy River region, East Gippsland, this field course will examine how the dramatic variations of topography, the undulating ground and crevices of limestone karst, and the subtle realm of sand dunes affect plant life. It will illustrate the ongoing evolutionary consequences of the geology-plant interface. Geology and Plant Life will answer the question of why certain plants grow on certain soils and certain terrain structures, and what happens when this relationship is disrupted by human agents. It will be useful to a wide spectrum of students in the natural sciences: plant ecologists, paleobiologists, climatologists, soil scientists, geologists, geographers, and conservation scientists.

School: Life Sciences (Pre 2022)

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: John Morgan

Available to Study Abroad/Exchange Students: Yes

Subject year level: Year Level 3 - UG

Available as Elective: No

Learning Activities: N/A

Capstone subject: Yes

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: N/A

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: N/A

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Quota Management Strategy: N/A

Quota-conditions or rules: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Minimum credit point requirement: N/A

Assumed knowledge: N/A

Career Ready

Career-focused: No

Work-based learning: No

Self sourced or Uni sourced: N/A

Entire subject or partial subject: N/A

Total hours/days required: N/A

Location of WBL activity (region): N/A

WBL addtional requirements: N/A

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

Graduate Capabilities

COMMUNICATION - Communicating and Influencing
COMMUNICATION - Cultural Intelligence and Global Perspective
DISCIPLINE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Creativity and Innovation
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Research and Evidence-Based Inquiry
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Adaptability and Self-Management
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Ethical and Social Responsibility
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Leadership and Teamwork

Intended Learning Outcomes

01. Define and explain key geology and botany terminology
02. Describe and explain the ethical constraints on collection of geological and plant specimens
03. Design and discuss a small group research project and orally present a testable hypotheses and supporting data
04. Produce a grammatically correct, well-structured, coherent and scientifically accurate scientific report based on independent analysis of research project data
05. Critique and synthesise scientific information from the field trip to prepare a summary of landscape evolution and vegetation pattern
Subject not currently offered - Subject options not available.