Arid Land Environments

Course aim

Students will develop advanced skills in literature and data research to develop a deep knowledge of environmental management in dryland ecosystems and landscapes. This includes a broad understanding of the ecological principles, drivers and threats in arid ecosystems, and how these relate to historical, social and economic factors that determine land management practices. Students will develop advanced skills in integrating and communicating this knowledge.

Course content

The course will cover: characteristics (climate, soils, biota and water) and locations of arid and semi-arid landscapes around the world; ecological principles governing the functioning of dryland ecosystems; water resources and management of arid lands in Australia and elsewhere; cultural history and land uses (rangelands, mining, Aboriginal land, wilderness, reserves, tourism); practical skills (experimental and survey techniques, data analysis and statistics, advanced report-writing).

Textbook(s)

Nil

Prerequisite(s)

Nil

Corequisite(s)

Nil

Teaching method

Component	Duration
INTERNAL, MAWSON LAKES
Lecture	2 hours x 10 weeks
Workshop	2 hours x 10 weeks
Field Placement (Fieldwork)	2 days x N/A

Note: These components may or may not be scheduled in every study period. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Assessment

Continuous assessment, Group presentation, Quiz, Report

Fees

EFTSL*: 0.125
Commonwealth Supported program (Band 2)
To determine the fee for this course as part of a Commonwealth Supported program, go to:
How to determine your Commonwealth Supported course fee. (Opens new window)

Fee-paying program for domestic and international students
International students and students undertaking this course as part of a postgraduate fee paying program must refer to the relevant program home page to determine the cost for undertaking this course.

Non-award enrolment
Non-award tuition fees are set by the university. To determine the cost of this course, go to:
How to determine the relevant non award tuition fee. (Opens new window)

Not all courses are available on all of the above bases, and students must check to ensure that they are permitted to enrol in a particular course.

* Equivalent Full Time Study Load. Please note: all EFTSL values are published and calculated at ten decimal places. Values are displayed to three decimal places for ease of interpretation.