This unit gives students a comprehensive introduction to the ecological processes that affect the conservation and restoration of vegetation, wildlife and landscapes. A focus of the unit is on rehabilitation of northern Australian systems but south east Asian and other Australian examples are discussed. It builds upon first-level and second-level biology units by developing the students' ability to apply biological and ecological knowledge to real land rehabilitation and species conservation issues. Issues range from the creation of stable vegetation communities on mined land, the rehabilitation of pastoral land, to the restoration of specific fauna habitat or the maintenance of threatened flora and fauna populations. Students will understand key ecological processes affecting plant growth, ecosystem sustainability and community development and how to utilise those processes by effective environmental management to achieve rehabilitation and ecological management aims. Assessment items develop the report writing skills a student would require as a professional working in this field.
RECOMMENDED TEXT - INVASION ECOLOGY
