Ecosystem Management - overview
Students learn about:
Ecosystems and their management
• interactions which lead to diverse ecosystems and their functioning
• vulnerability and resilience of ecosystems
– impacts due to natural stress
– impacts due to human induced modifications to energy flows, nutrient cycling, and relationships between biophysical components
• the importance of ecosystem management and protection
– maintenance of genetic diversity
– utility values
– intrinsic values
– heritage values
– need to allow natural change to proceed
• evaluation of traditional and contemporary management strategies.
Case studies of ecosystems
• Case study 1: Intertidal wetlands:
– spatial patterns and dimensions: location, altitude, latitude, size, shape and continuity
– biophysical interactions including:
– human impacts (both positive and negative) (human impact on Towra Point)
– traditional and contemporary management practices. ( management strategies at Towra Point Wetlands)
Case study 2: Coral Reefs
– spatial patterns and dimensions: location, altitude, latitude, size, shape and continuity
– biophysical interactions including: (Coral Triangle) (Great Barrier Reef)
– human impacts (both positive and negative) (Coral Triangle) (Great Barrier Reef)
– traditional and contemporary management practices. (Coral Triangle) (Great Barrier Reef)
The selected ecosystems at risk could include areas such as coastal dunes, freshwater wetlands, inter-tidal wetlands, coral reefs, arid areas, alpine areas, rainforests, temperate forests.
Students learn to:
Investigate and communicate geographically by
• asking and addressing geographical questions such as
– what are the reasons for the location of the Great Barrier Reef?
– what action is appropriate for managing wetland ecosystems sustainably?
– what will the rainforests of Kalimantan be like in the future?
Use geographical skills and tools such as
• calculating the gradient of a slope as a ratio
• calculating the vertical exaggeration of a cross section describing a specific ecosystem
• determining sight lines between two points
• recognising features of changing pressure patterns on weather maps in order to describe characteristics of different ecosystems
• constructing a log of events and activities to manage the development of a fieldwork activity explaining human impacts on an ecosystem at risk
• interpreting frequency distributions and diagrams about energy flows in different ecosystems
• constructing a precis map from an aerial photo or satellite image to describe spatial patterns of overland flow
• using GIS to examine spatial and ecological issues relevant to the protection and management of ecosystems.
Identify geographical methods applicable to, and useful in, the workplace such as
• using meteorological data, satellite imagery and aerial photography
• constructing environmental maps and compiling environmental impact reports
• the relevance of a geographical understanding of ecosystems at risk to a particular vocation such as: managing a national park, guiding tourist groups, ecological mapping for surveyors, evaluating dune stabilisation programs preserving heritage sites.
Course information provided from the NSW Board of Studies Syllabus.
Ecosystems and their management
• interactions which lead to diverse ecosystems and their functioning
• vulnerability and resilience of ecosystems
– impacts due to natural stress
– impacts due to human induced modifications to energy flows, nutrient cycling, and relationships between biophysical components
• the importance of ecosystem management and protection
– maintenance of genetic diversity
– utility values
– intrinsic values
– heritage values
– need to allow natural change to proceed
• evaluation of traditional and contemporary management strategies.
Case studies of ecosystems
• Case study 1: Intertidal wetlands:
– spatial patterns and dimensions: location, altitude, latitude, size, shape and continuity
– biophysical interactions including:
- the dynamics of weather and climate
- geomorphic and hydrologic processes such as earth movements, weathering, erosion, transport and deposition, soil formation
- biogeographical processes: invasion, succession, modification, resilience
- adjustments in response to natural stress
– human impacts (both positive and negative) (human impact on Towra Point)
– traditional and contemporary management practices. ( management strategies at Towra Point Wetlands)
Case study 2: Coral Reefs
– spatial patterns and dimensions: location, altitude, latitude, size, shape and continuity
– biophysical interactions including: (Coral Triangle) (Great Barrier Reef)
- the dynamics of weather and climate
- geomorphic and hydrologic processes such as earth movements, weathering, erosion, transport and deposition, soil formation
- biogeographical processes: invasion, succession, modification, resilience
- adjustments in response to natural stress
– human impacts (both positive and negative) (Coral Triangle) (Great Barrier Reef)
– traditional and contemporary management practices. (Coral Triangle) (Great Barrier Reef)
The selected ecosystems at risk could include areas such as coastal dunes, freshwater wetlands, inter-tidal wetlands, coral reefs, arid areas, alpine areas, rainforests, temperate forests.
Students learn to:
Investigate and communicate geographically by
• asking and addressing geographical questions such as
– what are the reasons for the location of the Great Barrier Reef?
– what action is appropriate for managing wetland ecosystems sustainably?
– what will the rainforests of Kalimantan be like in the future?
Use geographical skills and tools such as
• calculating the gradient of a slope as a ratio
• calculating the vertical exaggeration of a cross section describing a specific ecosystem
• determining sight lines between two points
• recognising features of changing pressure patterns on weather maps in order to describe characteristics of different ecosystems
• constructing a log of events and activities to manage the development of a fieldwork activity explaining human impacts on an ecosystem at risk
• interpreting frequency distributions and diagrams about energy flows in different ecosystems
• constructing a precis map from an aerial photo or satellite image to describe spatial patterns of overland flow
• using GIS to examine spatial and ecological issues relevant to the protection and management of ecosystems.
Identify geographical methods applicable to, and useful in, the workplace such as
• using meteorological data, satellite imagery and aerial photography
• constructing environmental maps and compiling environmental impact reports
• the relevance of a geographical understanding of ecosystems at risk to a particular vocation such as: managing a national park, guiding tourist groups, ecological mapping for surveyors, evaluating dune stabilisation programs preserving heritage sites.
Course information provided from the NSW Board of Studies Syllabus.
