66036 Identifying Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems

This subject is designed to provide students with the knowledge required to identify groundwater-dependent ecosystems in situ. A brief overview of the various major ecosystems in Australia is given, including their defining features (structure, composition and climate envelope). Sources of water (rainwater, soil water, groundwater, fog, riparian water), patterns of water use (daily and seasonal), and the various methodologies available to measure ecosystem water use and the source(s) of water used by ecosystems are discussed. Factors that influence ecosystem water use (including climate, vegetation cover and water availability) are reviewed, as are definitions of ecosystem dependency on groundwater. Some discussion of field methods that are useful in the study of groundwater-dependent ecosystems is made in this subject.

Typical availability

Autumn semester, City campus

Note(s)

This subject is not available in 2009.