School Of Natural SciencesEcology of ProductionWestern Sydney University Unit Code: 300619.1
Discipline: AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
Student Contribution Band: 2
Level: 2
Credit Points: 10
Assumed Knowledge
Basic knowledge of plants, animals, soils and climate would be an advantage.
Equivalent Units
300526 - Ecosystems and Agriculture, EY103A - Ecosystems and Agriculture
About this Unit
Students will study key processes that drive agricultural production (energetics and nutrient cycling) and the importance of maintaining natural vegetation, within-agroecosystem biodiversity and ecological processes to obtain sustainable production benefits. Students will create an inventory of natural resources on the Hawkesbury Campus, which will be analysed to determine production capabilities and environmental limitations. Students will gain a basic understanding of selected ecological issues in Australian agriculture, and of current strategies and initiatives to address these issues, including management of feral plants and animals, use of genetically modified organisms, and management of greenhouse gas emissions, carbon cycling and carbon credits.