Physical systems and the environment
Dr David Dunkerley, Dr John Grindrod and Dr Nigel Tapper
6 points * 4 hours per week * Second semester * Clayton * Two 1-hour lectures and a 2-hour practical
Objectives In order to successfully complete this subject students will need to show that they can utilise standard information search and retrieval techniques to access the body of literature describing the evolution of Australia's landscape, vegetation and climate patterns, and have a good basic understanding of that literature, including any competing theories or ideas; can synthesise and interpret the relevant material in such a way that the important ideas and arguments can be coherently communicated to others, either by written or oral means; are familiar and proficient with some simple techniques for analysing basic geographic and physical environmental information, including map reading and interpretation, classification and analysis of data using standard techniques including basic statistical analysis; have developed an appreciation of the importance of field work in studying the natural environment, along with the problems associated with making field measurements of natural phenomena.
Synopsis In three themes, this subject provides students with understandings of important aspects of the Australian physical environment, within a global environmental context. The first theme considers late Cainozoic physical environments. Following a brief review of tectonic processes which gave rise to present-day distributions of land and sea, the impact of past and present geomorphic processes upon desert landscapes, humid landscapes and glacial and periglacial landscapes is considered, along with the influence of humans in the area of land degradation and desertification. The second theme, `Australia's biogeographical heritage', provides a broad geographical perspective on Australia's vegetational environments, emphasising the present distribution and diversity of community types. The final theme `Australia's atmospheric environment' begins with a broad introduction to the global atmosphere, its structure and basic meteorological processes and the general circulation of the atmosphere. The focus then narrows to a more detailed consideration of the weather and climate of the Australian region, with particular attention to elements of the planetary circulation of importance here (eg the Australian summer monsoon, the Walker circulation and the El-Nino Souther Oscillation phenomenon, trade wind flow and the mid-latitude westerlies).
Assessment Written (2000 words): 35% * Examinations (2 hours): 50% * Practical work: 15%
Recommended texts
Condie K Plate tectonics and crustal evolution Pergamon, 1982
Groves R H (ed.) Australian vegetation CUP, 1981
Henderson-Sellers A and Robinson P J Contemporary climatology Longman, 1986
Jeans D N (ed.) Australia a geography vol 1, The natural environment 2nd edition, Sydney U P, 1986
Marsh W M and Dozier J Landscape Addison-Wesley, 1981
Recher H F and others A natural legacy. Ecology in Australia 2nd edn, Pergamon, 1986
Sturman A P and Tapper N J The weather and climate of Australia and New Zealand OUP, 1996
Van Andel T H New views on an old planet: Continental drift and the history of the Earth CUP, 1985
Williams M A J and others Quaternary environments Edward Arnold, 1993
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