Day students: a compulsory 8 day field trip (14 April to 22 April 2007) is an integral part of the unit. An alternative fieldwork program is possible for students in other field trips.
This unit is highly regarded and widely recognised by government agencies as providing fundamental training in land resource assessment. The unit is structured around two major environmental issues: the degradation of soils especially by erosional processes and, its flip side, the recovery of soil in mechanical and chemical terms. To achieve this we utilise an internationally acclaimed dynamic model of soil formation (pedogenesis) that places particular emphasis on the transport of soil particles by biotic and abiotic processes. We utilise environmental history of changing landuse patterns and practices and other forms of environmental change over decadal to millennial time scales to assist in valid contextualisation.
A week-long, project based field-trip is used to explore aspects of these issues in greater detail. In keeping with the pragmatic style of the unit we consider the management of problem soils, biogeochemical cycling of major and minor elements, pedo-ecosystem functioning, pedodiversity, deciphering soil classifications (a real selling point for securing employment in natural resource assessment), interpreting soil maps, understanding the regolith, and the environmental interpretation of modern and ancient soils (paleosols). This is a core unit in the Geoecology program with links to related programs in biology and geology.
Graduates of this unit are sought after by government agencies especially the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources (but also National Parks & Wildlife, Agriculture, Forestry etc), local government and by environmental consulting firms.
