GEOLOGY AND PLANT LIFE

ENV3GPL

2021

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.

SchoolLife Sciences

Credit points15

Subject Co-ordinatorJohn Morgan

Available to Study Abroad/Exchange StudentsYes

Subject year levelYear Level 3 - UG

Available as ElectiveNo

Learning ActivitiesN/A

Capstone subjectYes

Subject particulars

Subject rules

PrerequisitesN/A

Co-requisitesN/A

Incompatible subjectsN/A

Equivalent subjectsN/A

Quota Management StrategyEnrolment accepted until quota reached

Quota-conditions or rulesN/A

Special conditionsN/A

Minimum credit point requirementN/A

Assumed knowledgeN/A

Career Ready

Career-focusedNo

Work-based learningNo

Self sourced or Uni sourcedN/A

Entire subject or partial subjectN/A

Total hours/days requiredN/A

Location of WBL activity (region)N/A

WBL addtional requirementsN/A

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

Graduate Capabilities

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 options

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Start date between: and    Key dates

Melbourne (Bundoora), 2021, Week 50-51, Blended

Overview

Online enrolmentYes

Maximum enrolment size40

Subject Instance Co-ordinatorJohn Morgan

Class requirements

Field TripWeek: 51 - 51
One 6.00 d field trip other recurrence on any day including weekend during the day from week 51 to week 51 and delivered via face-to-face.
This field intensive course will run at Buchan for 6 days

Lecture/WorkshopWeek: 50 - 50
Two 2.00 h lecture/workshop other recurrence on weekdays during the day from week 50 to week 50 and delivered via face-to-face.
Pre-field trip discipline-specific

TutorialWeek: 50 - 50
One 1.00 h tutorial other recurrence on weekdays during the day from week 50 to week 50 and delivered via online.
On-line tutorial and multiple classes

Assessments

Assessment elementCommentsCategoryContributionHurdle% ILO*
Field Trip Major Research Report (2000 words)N/AN/AN/ANo50 SILO1, SILO4
Field Trip Group Presentation of Research Results (PPT presentation; 15 mins) (equiv. 750 words)N/AN/AN/ANo25 SILO1, SILO2, SILO3
Online quiz (30 questions, multiple choice) (equiv. 500 words)N/AN/AN/ANo15 SILO1, SILO2
Field trip landscape model (Diagram of model with brief - 500 words - interpretation of patterns)N/AN/AN/ANo10 SILO5