99027 Plant Identification and Vegetation Surveys
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Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 4 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
The ability to identify plants and conduct vegetation surveys is an essential combination of skills required for many careers in environmental sciences. The effective application of such skills in field assessments of biodiversity are relied upon by a wide range of end-users including government agencies, local councils, private consultancies, conservation groups and land managers. In this subject, students learn how to identify plants and conduct vegetation surveys so that they can complete field assessments of biodiversity to suit the needs of this wide range of end-users. Online self-paced learning is complemented with a hands-on, field-based training day so that students become highly skilled in plant identification, vegetation survey methods and communication of key findings of field assessments of biodiversity.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Understand and apply the fundamental botanical principles of plant identification with particular reference to the plant families and species of the Sydney region |
|---|---|
| 2. | Describe the range of methods available for vegetation surveys and apply plot-based survey skills to perform field assessments of biodiversity |
| 3. | Communicate the key summary findings of field assessments of biodiversity to inform end-users of biodiversity values |
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
1. Disciplinary Knowledge
Online self-paced learning activities on Canvas cover contemporary disciplinary knowledge about plant identification, vegetation surveys and communicating in written form the summary findings of field assessments of biodiversity. This disciplinary knowledge spans four modules in the subject: (1) Plant Identification; (2) Vegetation Survey Methods; (3) Field Assessments of Biodiversity; and (4) Communication of Biodiversity Values.
2. Research, Inquiry and Critical Thinking
Online self-paced assessment activities available on Canvas ask students to draw on subject disciplinary knowledge and to think critically about which plant identification and vegetation survey methods are appropriate for different types of biodiversity assessments. In this way students learn how to solve real-world environmental issues around biodiversity assessments: students investigate and critique potential solutions for an environmental assessment and then decide on a course of action that meets the resource limitations of the field situation. In the field, students perform their own research in the form of a plot-based biodiversity assessment. Using their own field-collected data, students gain an understanding not only of plant assemblage composition, structure and function, but of the concepts of vegetation as habitat for fauna as well as biodiversity values.
3. Professional, Ethical and Social Responsibility
This subject covers health and safety requirements, regulatory requirements, ethical conduct, and risk management in relation to field-based assessments of plant biodiversity.
4. Reflection, Innovation, Creativity
Students are asked to reflect on the subject’s learning activities in the broader context of the role of biodiversity in the healthy functioning of ecosystems and the subsequent goods and services that ecosystems provide for humans. Innovation and creativity in the subject are delivered in the form of the online self-paced assessment activities and the field trip with the requirement that students design innovative survey methods for complex assessments of biodiversity.
5. Communication
Students learn how to write up their fieldwork research to communicate in a clear and concise way the findings of their biodiversity assessment. Written communication in the style of practicing environmental scientists is a key outcome for students in this subject. Written work is critiqued by staff and feedback is provided to allow students to establish their communication skills as professional practitioners.
6. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges and Connection with Country
Interweaved with the disciplinary knowledge in this subject is an implicit appreciation of and respect for historical and contemporary Indigenous knowledges of Australian biodiversity. Specifically, students learn about Indigenous nomenclature (relevant to plant identification) and Indigenous values of plant biodiversity such as the use of plants as food and medicine (relevant to biodiversity assessments).
Teaching and learning strategies
Disciplinary knowledge drawn from research literature, government guidelines, environmental science practitioners and personal experience in the field of biodiversity assessment is covered in online self-paced learning and assessment activities as well as in the fieldwork. The integrated teaching and learning strategy is (1) to make the relevant and critical disciplinary knowledge available to students online on Canvas to facilitate self-paced learning, (2) to provide students with self-paced online assessment activities that both allow students to gauge their level of learning of disciplinary knowledge and that ask students to think critically in a problem solving manner and (3) to allow students to apply their knowledge of plant identification and vegetation survey methods in the field. Students are encouraged to help each other in a team with their research fieldwork, noting that all student assessment tasks are assessed individually.
Content (topics)
Plant identification; vegetation surveys; biodiversity assessments; plant assemblage composition, structure and function; vegetation as habitat for fauna; biodiversity values.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Disciplinary Knowledge
| Intent: | This assessment item addresses the following graduate attributes: 1. Disciplinary Knowledge 2. Research, Inquiry and Critical Thinking 3. Professional, Ethical and Social Responsibility 4. Reflection, Innovation, Creativity 6. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges and Connection with Country |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Criteria: | Correct answers to quiz questions |
Assessment task 2: Field-Based Skills
| Intent: | This assessment item addresses the following graduate attributes: 2. Research, Inquiry and Critical Thinking 3. Professional, Ethical and Social Responsibility 4. Reflection, Innovation, Creativity |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2 |
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Criteria: | This is a competency-based assessment conducted in-person during the field trip. Students are awarded marks for demonstrating correct vegetation survey techniques and correct plant identification. |
Assessment task 3: Biodiversity Assessment Report
| Intent: | This assessment item addresses the following graduate attributes: 2. Research, Inquiry and Critical Thinking 4. Reflection, Innovation, Creativity 5. Communication |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3 |
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Criteria: | Correct answers to questions and evidence of clear written communication skills |
Minimum requirements
Students must attend the field trip to be assessed on their field-based skills in vegetation surveys and plant identification.
Required texts
There are no required texts in this subject.
Recommended texts
The following two books are used in this subject and are available for students to use during the field trip. It is recommended that students obtain their own copies of these books if they are intending to pursue careers that involve vegetation surveys and plant identification.
Robinson L (2003) Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney. Simon & Schuster, Australia.
Fairley A, Moore P (2010) Native Plants of the Sydney Region. Allen & Unwin, Australia.