Forest Ecosystems

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Intensive subject located at Creswick Campus from 6th February - 17th February 2012

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

An introduction to the forests and woodlands of southeastern Australia. The subject aims to provide a sound theoretical and practical understanding of the major ecological processes in forest ecosystems, including a focus on regeneration and recovery following fire. A 3-day field trip and associated practical work will ensure that students obtain direct experience in state-of-the-art methods used to analyze ecosystem processes such as nutrient and carbon cycling and a functional appreciation of forest soils.

By the end of the subject students should:

• Understand the ecosystem paradigm including energy flow, organic and inorganic transformation processes in forests
• Have a broad understanding of relationships among vegetation types, climate and soils within forest ecosystems of south-eastern Australia
• Understand the relevance of forests and forest soils in the global carbon cycle and the amelioration of global climate change
• Have gained practical experience in the quantitative analysis of forest biomass, decomposition and respiration processes involved in nutrient and carbon cycling within forests, and between forest ecosystems and the atmosphere
• Be capable of critically evaluating management impacts on forest ecosystem processes maintaining water, air and soil quality.

Participation in class discussions and group work - 20%, Literature review assignment (2000 words) - 30%, Major assignment (3500 words) - 50%.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.