Resource Management and Environmental Science, The School of (SRMES)


The School of Resource Management and Environmental Science links three Departments: Forestry, Geography (including Human Ecology), and Geology — and the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies. The School’s foci are: understanding the relationships between society, resources and environment; the management of land and water resources, of terrestrial ecosystems, and of urban and industrial systems; and the associated environmental sciences.

SRMES offers undergraduate degrees in Science, Resource and Environmental Management and Forestry, and combined courses with Arts, Commerce, Economics, Engineering, Law and Asian Studies. A wide range of course structures and specialisations is possible, and students are advised to consult the Handbooks for each degree (available free from the School) and Departmental advisers at an early stage.

The School offers both units taught jointly across the Departments, prefixed SREM, and units offered principally by each Department, prefixed ECOS, FSTY, GEOG and GEOL. SREM units are described here; Departmental units are described in subsequent sections of this handbook. CHEM1022 and PHYS1004 are relevant to SRMES students.

Earth Systems    SREM1002

(6cp) Group A

First semester
Three hours of lectures and up to two hours of practicals weekly, 1 hour tutorial, plus two field trips

Lecturer: Staff of the Geology, Geography, and Forestry Departments, and CRES.

Incompatible units: GEOL1011 and GEOG1005

Prerequisites: Nil. Students are advised to enrol concurrently in CHEM1014 or 1022

Syllabus: An introduction to the dynamic nature and evolution of Earth Systems for students interested in the linkages between the atmosphere, oceans, water cycle, rock and soil cycle, and the planet’s biota. Suitable for students who propose to major in geography, human ecology, geology, ecology, archaeology, forestry, and Resource Management and Environmental Science.

The Earth System consists of interlocking components, including the solid Earth, the soil mantle, the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, and the biosphere. Each of these components is considered, and emphasis is placed on their interactions. Both past natural and current human perturbations of the Earth System are explored. The key concepts used to understand the Earth System are developed through the course, with emphasis on driving processes and feedbacks both today and through geological history.

Assessment: A combination of field reports, theory and practical examinations.

Resource Biology    SREM1004

(6cp) Group A

First semester
(Formerly FSTY1002)
Three hours of lectures and three hours of practical classes per week

Course coordinators: Dr J.C.G. Banks & Dr M.T. Tanton

Syllabus: This unit serves as an entry point to the study of Australia’s biological resources leading to the Forestry and Resource Management degrees. It focuses on plants and animals of terrestrial ecosystems.

1. Introduction to plant resources: the study of the major plant groups — algae, fungi, mosses, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms — including their life cycles, habitat requirements, and interaction with their environment.

2. Introduction to Australian ecosystems: (a) modern concepts on the origin and evolution of the Australian biota, (b) structure and function of the ecosystem including the concepts of the biogeocoenose and closed and open cycles.

3. Introduction to animal resources: (a) major habitat types, within-habitat variation and the implication for biodiversity and distribution of animal species and numbers, (b) Use of habitat, examples of life cycles of selected species and dependence on habitat features, including invertebrates, selected frogs, arboreal mammals, ground-based mammals, birds from different feeding guilds, and bats. (c) Animal communities and interactions between species and within habitat. (d) Disturbance factors for animal communities and habitat, introduced predators and competitors; use of fire; natural calamities, creation and destruction of habitat. The human factor. (e) Implications for conservation and management.

Proposed assessment: By examination and tests, the weighting and times to be discussed

Preliminary reading

Australian Soils    SREM2005

(8cp) Group B (Science)

First semester
(formerly Forestry B03, FOR2003, FSTY2001 and SREM2001)
Four hours of lectures and four hours of practical work per week

Course coordinators: Dr J. Field and Dr R. Greene

Prerequisites: Completion of 18 Group A credit points and one chemistry unit.

Syllabus: An introductory course in soil science for resource and environmental managers, specifically related to the Australian continent, environment and regolith. The course develops the basic concepts related to properties and processes of soils in the field, emphasising the importance of the chemical, physical and biological interactions. A range of topics in soil science will be introduced: (i) soil formation — including, rock and soil weathering (soil forming factors), clay mineral types and formation, soil classification systems and soil mapping (ii) soil chemistry — including cation exchange, soil organic matter, nutrient cycling (iii) soil physics and hydrology — water relations and water flow at a range of scales from point source to catchments. (iv) the soil ecosystem, biota, fauna, microbiology, rhizosphere, mycorrhiza and nitrogen fixation (v) introduction to principles of soil conservation and management.

Proposed assessment: To be agreed in consultation with students.

Preliminary reading

Soil Management    SREM3003

(8cp) Group C (Science)

First semester
(Formerly & combining SREM 2001 [Soil Ecology and Management], SREM2002 [Soil Mapping] and SREM3002 [Soil Mapping])
Four hours of lectures and four hours of practical classes or tutorials or seminars per week, plus field excursions totalling approx. 10 days.

Course coordinators: Dr J. Field and Dr R. Greene

Prerequisites: At least 80 credit points including Australian Soils (SREM2005)

Syllabus: An advanced unit in soil science that follows the introductory unit Australian Soils (SREM2005). Soils and their formation are placed in the context of Australian landscapes to produce soil landscape models, and these are related to soil classification, land capability and sustainability mapping, and sustainable land use. The unit examines (i) the collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of soils data from a range of scales in landscapes, (ii) the relationship between soils and the landscape, models and predictive equations, and (iii) how an understanding of chemical, physical and biological interactions in soils can be used in sustainable ecological management. This last point is based on an analysis of the soil biota, the interactions between organisms and the ecology of the soil biota, and leads to an analysis of the manipulation of soil ecology and soil biotechnology. The unit will include a soil mapping project of a designated area, involving the incorporation of all the relevant sources of information, including remote sensing and published literature. The unit will use examples from humid, temperate, pastoral and agricultural land, and from irrigation, dryland and rangeland areas of Australia and overseas to illustrate principles of sustainable ecological management.

Proposed assessment: Will include a mapping project and a seminar that students will present during the course. Other assessment in consultation with class.

Preliminary reading

Land Management & Environmental Geoscience    SREM3004

(8cp) Group C (Science)

Second semester
(Formerly & combining Forestry C12, FOR3012, FSTY3055 [Land Conservation] and GEOL3008 [Environmental Geology])
A combination of lectures, tutorials, student seminars and practical classes plus field excursions of approximately 8 days

Course coordinators: Dr R. Greene (Geography), Dr P. De Deckker (Geology), Dr J. Field (Forestry).

Prerequisite: Completion of 4 Group B units with the prefixes FSTY, SREM, GEOG, GEOL or SREM.

Syllabus: The unit develops multi-disciplinary skills by integrating scientific knowledge into environmental management using practical examples. Selected environmental topics of concern to tomorrows land managers are examined through lectures, research projects and on site field study. Topics covered deal with environmental issues of land, atmosphere and marine environments; sustainable management and biota conservation in coastal zone, rangelands, croplands, national parks, and the continental shelf; issues in groundwater management, mine site rehabilitation and heritage values; risk management of geological hazards, and climate change will also be covered. This unit should be of interest to geographers, geologists, foresters, and others involved in land management.

Proposed assessment: To be agreed in consultation with class.

Preliminary reading

Landscape Ecology    SREM3011

(8cp) Group C (Science)

Second semester
Three hours of lectures and a three hour practical/tutorial class weekly, and up to six days field work.

Course coordinators: Dr B Mackey, Dr D Lindenmayer

Prerequisites: Either GEOG2001, GEOG2011 or GEOG2009. Incompatible with GEOG3011

Syllabus: Landscape Ecology is concerned with the space/time analysis and modelling of ecological phenomena on a landscape-wide basis. An integrated ecological perspective is promoted. The advent of GIS, remote sensing and environmental modelling enable ecological process and pattern to be analysed at hitherto unavailable space/time scales. Landscape- wide analyses can now be undertaken that complement data gained from conventional observations based on relatively small field plots or study sites. Larger scale processes, previously difficult to factor in, can now be readily incorporated into ecological analyses. These include the effects of climate, catchment hydrology, fire and the spatial configuration of habitat resources. A particular focus of the unit is the role played by the primary environmental regimes in determining the composition, structure and productivity of terrestrial ecological systems. The unit covers theory dealing with modelling, the hierarchical organisation of systems, and the concepts of niche and habitat from a landscape perspective. Methods are discussed and evaluated for the spatial analysis of climate and topographic effects on water and radiation regimes. The spatial and environmental controls on both the meta-population dynamics of plant and animal species, and fire, are also considered. Computer exercises utilise models for quantifying plant and animal environmental relations, and predicting their potential distributions. The computer-based practicals are complemented by field-based investigations.

Proposed assessment: To be agreed in consultation with students.

Preliminary reading

Modelling for Environmental Management    SREM3057

(8cp) Group C

First semester
Three hours of lectures and up to 5 hours of practical and tutorial work per week.

Prerequisites: Statistical Techniques 1 (STAT1003), and Group B units to the value of at least 32 credit points.

Course coordinator: Mr G. Cary

Syllabus: Graduates in Resource Management and Environmental Sciences require the ability to produce and use models in order to solve and investigate ecological problems. Ecosystem modelling is designed to provide students with an understanding of a range of modelling concepts, approaches and applications, as well as methods for determining the suitability of a particular model for a particular task. This unit also presents the opportunity for students to construct their own models on a variety of modelling platforms. Modelling for Environmental Management is not an ecological science course that uses a number of different modelling approaches, it is a course about modelling that draws on examples from a wide arena. It is important to note that no previous ecosystem modelling experience is required. The syllabus includes:

(a) Introduction including the concept of real and model systems, the philosophy of modelling, types of models and model structures.

(b) Important modelling concepts (assumptions, equilibrium, scale, information flows, stochasticity, calibration, optimisation).

(c) Evaluation of models with respect to validity, limitations, assumptions and sensitivity of model outcomes to input uncertainty.

(d) Case studies of models that represent a wide range of modelling approaches (Physical, Empirical, Statistical, Theoretical, Hybrid) as well as a wide variety of disciplines where models are commonly used (Disturbance and forest succession, Plant and stand growth, Hydrology, Forest management and production, Habitat, Landform, Climate).

(e) Model construction and implementation.

Assessment: Assignments including analysis of case study models and construction of an ecosystem modelling tool.

Preliminary reading

Resource and Environmental Management IVH    SREM4001, SREM4011

Honours Coordinator: Dr Tidemann

Undergraduates whose academic record includes a minimum of two Distinctions and four Credits in relevant second and third-year units at the ANU or another university may be admitted to the honours year. Admission is also dependent upon the availability of appropriate academic supervision and resources for the proposed research topic. The honours year involves 40 weeks of full-time study, usually commencing in February, or 44 weeks of full-time study commencing in July. Part-time study is also possible.

Honours students in Res&EnvMan are required to carry out a program of supervised research and to write a thesis integrating the research into a disciplinary or cross-disciplinary framework. Students are also required to present two formal seminars on their thesis topics, one early in the year outlining the proposed research program, and another toward the end to discuss the results. The research program is carried out under the supervision of at least one member of the academic staff of the School.

Students must contribute to a weekly (during semester) seminar program. Other requirements of the course and assessment of it will be negotiated by students on an individual basis in consultation with the honours coordinator and their principal supervisor. Students wishing to apply for entry to the honours year in Res&EnvMan should consult the course coordinator during the final semester of their pass degree course.