Australian Landscapes and Biota

This unit introduces students to both the range of environments and landscapes present across the Australian continent and the nature of the plants and animals that inhabit these landscapes. This will be achieved by: 1) discussing the factors that have shaped the various Australian environments, including geomorphological and climatic processes, and historical factors; 2) introducing the distinctive flora and fauna of Australia and the evolutionary pressures that have shaped the Australian biota; and 3) reviewing relationships between the biota and the environment. The unit also provides foundational knowledge on the Australian environment for students not continuing in the biological sciences.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Infer how various factors, including geomorphological, climatic, historical and evolutionary, have shaped present Australian landscapes and the various environments contained within;
2. Review and interpret the relationships between biotic (living) elements in the Australian environment and how these interact with various abiotic (non-living) elements;
3. Analyse a range of environmental data with practical and computer-based tools;
4. Communicate both individually and in groups complex inter-relationships between organisms and their environments, using written, oral and visual mediums; and
5. Interpret and contextualise the influence of humans on Australian landscapes and biota from historical, present-day and Indigenous perspectives.