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Urban Forest Ecosystems (FRST30003)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5Not available in 2018
Overview
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This subject imparts detailed knowledge on the crucial role that urban forests are playing in the development and resilience of sustainable cities around the world, using both local and international case studies. It begins by exploring the unique composition of urban forests, and the multiple social and ecological drivers that shape them in the context of global environmental change. This includes extreme biotic and abiotic stressors, such as changing pests and pathogens, fundamental plant physiology principles of drought, heat, light and pollution tolerance. The benefits that the urban forest generate for fauna habitat and biodiversity, human health and wellbeing, nature connectedness, microclimate cooling, and improved hydrology and water quality are discussed and analysed in detail. Finally, the subject brings these themes together through an urban landscape management lens to explore practical approaches to building our future urban forests through remote sensing, modelling ecosystem service values, and community engagement and participation. A central theme will be planning and managing urban forests for environmental equity, multiple social values and ecological outcomes in a contested urban landscape.
Intended learning outcomes
Students completing this subject should be able to:
- Describe the composition and structure of an urban forest, and identify important biogeographical, bioclimatic, demographic and cultural factors shaping urban forests globally;
- Analyse the role of biotic and abiotic stressors on urban tree health and function and how these shape tree selection under past and future urban climates and management regimes;
- Critically compare and assess the various social, ecological and ecosystem service benefits the urban forest is claimed to provide;
- Develop a community engagement and urban forest management plan to improve the long-term social and ecological functioning of an urban landscape.
Last updated: 17 May 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Completion of at least one of:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
BIOL10001 | Biology of Australian Flora & Fauna | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BIOL10004 | Biology of Cells and Organisms | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BIOL10005 | Genetics & The Evolution of Life | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LARC10001 | Natural History | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
HORT20026 | Designing with Plants | Semester 1 (On Campus - Burnley) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
- HORT20027 Greening Landscapes
Or 25 points of second year study from across biology, ecology, environmental science, plant sciences and social sciences provides suitable background knowledge. Examples include:
- BOTA20001 Green Planet: Plants and the Environment
- BOTA20004 Flora of Victoria
- ECOL20003 Ecology
- ENST20001 Human Behaviour and Environment
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 17 May 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Essay
| Week 6 | 25% |
In-Class LMS Test
| Week 12 | 25% |
Final Report
| During the examination period | 50% |
Additional details
- Essay (1000 words) due end of week 6 (25%)
- In-Class LMS test (60 minutes) week 12 (25%)
- Final Report (2,000 words) due week 14 (50%)
Last updated: 17 May 2024
Dates & times
Not available in 2018
Last updated: 17 May 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
Last updated: 17 May 2024