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Biogeography and Ecology of Fire (GEOG30025)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Summer Term
Overview
| Availability(Quotas apply) | Summer Term |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
Fire is one of the most important controls over the distribution of vegetation on Earth. This subject examines the role of fire in natural systems, with a particular emphasis on the importance of fire in determining global vegetation patterns and dynamics over long periods of time. The aim is to understand how terrestrial systems have evolved to cope with and exploit fire, and to place the extreme flammability Australia's vegetation within a global context. The subject will examine concepts such as resilience, positive feedback loops, hysteresis and alternative stable states. The use of fire by humans to manipulate environments will be examined, with a particular emphasis on the variety of approaches employed by people across a diversity of environments over long periods of time, allowing an exploration of the social and cultural dynamics of fire and environmental management. A field excursion in Tasmania will visit a number of sites which will exemplify the subject themes. The practical exercises leading up to the field trip will focus on how to gather fire-related ecological data. The practical exercises following the field trip will be devoted to processing, analysing, interpreting and reporting on the field data. At the end of the subject, students will have gained an understanding of the way in which fire has shaped natural systems, as well as acquiring the skills necessary to formulate and test hypotheses.
More information about the subject and field trip can be seen at: http://michaelsresearch.wordpress.com/GEOG30025/
The estimated additional cost of the 7 day field trip to Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, is in the vicinity of $750.
Note this subject may be taken as the Capstone subject in the Geography major of the BA and BSc. All students, whether they are capstone students or not, will be required to complete online introductory materials that are common across all field classes.
Intended learning outcomes
At the completion of this subject, students will have achieved the following objectives
- An understanding of the causes and consequences of fire in terrestrial systems;
- An understanding of the specific adaptations that plants and animals have evolved to cope with fire;
- An ability to generate and test ecological hypotheses, design in-field ecological experiments and gather data to address specific hypotheses;
- Familiarity with the key literature and current debates on fire-ecology;
- An understanding of how the current global warming debate fits into the longer-term perspective
Generic skills
- ability to conduct library searches to source the latest relevant literature on key topic areas;
- ability to comprehend some of the current debates in the field;
- software skills, such as Excel and more specialised software, such as ecological ordination software and R;
- basic introduction to plant identification, ecological data acquisition and analysis;
- field skills, especially an ability to design and execute controlled field experiments;
- data interpretation skills, informed by the relevant literature;
- group field and research activities.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Some background in Ecology, Physical Geography and/or Earth Science is strongly recommended. Students are normally expected to have completed one or more 2nd yr physical geography, biology and/or earth science subjects. Interested students should contact the coordinator for advice.
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: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
Group Presentation - 20 minutes duration – due in weeks 4 - 5, 15%
Individual report based on the analysis of field data – due in week 6, 2000 words, 50%
Field Journal due at end of field trip – due in week 2, 1000 words, 25%
Four online reading assignments - due in weeks 2-4, 400 words, 10%
Hurdle Requirement:
Attendances: Students must attend a minimum of 90% of practical sessions
Online Capstone Module for Geography Field Classes (students are to complete this module in the pre-teaching period)
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- Summer Term
Coordinator Michela Mariani Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 12 x 1 hr lectures (12 hours); 7 days field work (40 hours); Practicals: 1x2 hr pre-field practicals, 5x3 hr post-field practicals (17 hours) Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 90% of practical sessions Total time commitment 170 hours Pre teaching start date 7 January 2019 Pre teaching requirements Students are to have completed the Online Capstone Module for Geography Field Classes within the pre-teaching period. Teaching period 14 January 2019 to 24 February 2019 Last self-enrol date 7 December 2018 Census date 25 January 2019 Last date to withdraw without fail 22 February 2019 Assessment period ends 15 March 2019 Summer Term contact information
Time commitment details
170 hours total time commitment
Additional delivery details
An enrolment quota of 50 students (in undergraduate and post-graduate offering) applies to this subject. For detailed information on the quota subject application process, enrolment deadlines and selection preferences, refer to the Faculty of Science website: http://science.unimelb.edu.au/students/course-planning-and-advice
The estimated additional cost of the 7 day field trip is in the vicinity of $750. The 2018 field trip to Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, will take place form 15 January to 21 January. Students need to confirm selection through a $100 deposit avoid additional field trip costs. Total field trip balance will be due by prior to leaving on the field trip.
This subject requires all students to actively and safely participate in laboratory and field activities. Students undertake field trip experiences that will require them to be physically capable of undertaking outdoor field work in remote locations
Students must complete, or have previously completed, the online Geography learning module.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Fire on Earth: An Introduction – Scott, Bowman, Bond, Pyne and Alexander
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Major Environmental Science Major Geography Informal specialisation Science-credited subjects - new generation B-SCI Major Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Major Geography Informal specialisation Selective subjects for B-BMED Informal specialisation Environments Discipline subjects Major Environmental Geography - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Quota limit applied - UoM students will be given preference over CAP applicants
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022