305726 (v.1) Western Australian Environments 111

Area:

Department of Environmental Biology

Credits:

12.5

Contact Hours:

2.0

Lecture:

1 x 1 Hours Weekly

Fieldwork:

1 x 1 Hours Weekly

Syllabus:

Natural regions, landscapes and ecosystems of Western Australia with special reference to unique aspects of the natural heritage. Important factors influencing ecosystems of W.A., including climate, soils, fire and geomorphology; evolutionary history oforganisms in W.A. Traditional Aboriginal relationships to the land. Water in W.A. landscapes; rivers, wetlands, saltlakes and estuaries. Water as a controlling factor in European settlement of the wheatbelt and the goldfields. Coastal marine environments- The Northwest Shelf, Shark Bay, the Leeuwin Current, fish and fisheries. The sandplain country, including the Swan Coastal Plain. The Darling Range, forestry in the jarrah and karri forests. Arid and semi-arid regions, mining and rehabilitation. Aspects of biodiversity and the interaction of plants and animals.

Unit Outcomes:

On successful completion of this unit students will have gained the ability to recognise and describe the landform and the biological communities of the main biogeographic regions of Western Australia and describe the main issues relating to conservationof biological resources in the different regions of Western Australia.

Text and references listed above are for your information only and current as of September 30, 2003. Please check with the unit coordinator for up-to-date information.

Unit References:

Attiwill, P and Wilson B., 2001, 'Ecology: an Australian Perspective', Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Hopper, S., Chappill, J., Harvey, M., George, A., 1996, 'Gondwanan Heritage - Past,Present and Future of the Western Australian Biota', Surrey Beatty, Chipping Norton. Barra, T.M., 1998, 'A Natural History of Australia', Academic Press, San Diego. Head, I.G., 1998, 'Continent of Extremes: Recording Australia's Natural Phenomena', University of NSW Press, Sydney. Gentilli, J., 1979, 'Western Landscapes', University of Western Australia Press, Nedlands.

Unit Texts:

No prescribed text.

Unit Assessment Breakdown:

Report 40%. Final Examination 60%. This is by grade/mark assessment.

Year	Location	Period	Internal	Area External	Central External
2004	Bentley Campus	Semester 2	Y