Handbook

The present environment of Australia is the legacy of interactions between geological, biological and hydrological processes and human impacts. This subject links the biogeographical study of the distribution of plants and animals and their interaction with the physical environment to long-term environmental change using combined geospatial and field  Set within the context of long-term geological and climate change, topics include: the origins of Australian flora and fauna, adaptations related to climatic variability, anthropogenic effects on biota, and the response of landscapes to disturbances such as fire. The framework of the subject can be summarised as evaluating long-term controls on landscapes in conjunction with short-term dynamics to support biogeographic theory as an underpinning to learning.