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Unit of Study AGT03090 - Land Degradation and Rehabilitation (2020)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    1. It is strongly recommended that you have completed the following unit prior to enrolling in this unit - AGR03072 - Soil Processes 2.There will be a three day compulsory residential for Online students that will be held on the Lismore campus. Please refer to to https://www.scu.edu.au/timetables for further information on timetables.

Unit description

Examines the main processes that occur in the degradation of land. The major forms of land degradation are examined. These include soil erosion by water and wind, soil structural degradation, soil acidification, water repellence, salinisation, and mass movement. The processes that lead to the formation of each form of land degradation are examined as are the strategies and principles of rehabilitation and prevention of each land degradation form. Land capability classification and acid sulphate soils are also examined. This unit includes a Masters Tutorial component in which students critically analyse advanced issues in the field.

Unit content

  • Erosion by water
  • Soil erosion by wind
  • Soil structural degradation
  • Soil acidification
  • Water repellence by soil
  • Salinisation
  • Land capability classification
  • Soil conservation structure design
  • Acid sulfate soils and their management
  • Mass movement

Availabilities

Not currently available in 2020

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 identify and discuss the causes, prevention and rehabilitation of a range of types of land degradation
2 classify land according to a land capability classification system and critically analyse that classification
3 explain the principles and practices of soil conservation structure design
4 critically analyse a selected land use or land management issue in relation to its land degradation potential, recommended prevention and rehabilitation strategies and its social, political and economic implications.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. identify and discuss the causes, prevention and rehabilitation of a range of types of land degradation
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  2. classify land according to a land capability classification system and critically analyse that classification
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  3. explain the principles and practices of soil conservation structure design
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  4. critically analyse a selected land use or land management issue in relation to its land degradation potential, recommended prevention and rehabilitation strategies and its social, political and economic implications.
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4: