Biology of Australian Flora & Fauna

This subject will introduce you to the natural history of Australia from the Cretaceous to the present and the influence of Australia's First Peoples and Europeans on Australia’s environments. You will explore the major biomes and climatic zones that have existed across the continent in the past, and the influence of climate change on their present and future distributions. You will learn of the incredible diversity of Australian flora and fauna both on land and in aquatic environments, and consider the biological challenges, adaptations and evolutionary journeys that have led to our current species diversity. This will include Australia's familiar and our more elusive inhabitants - from eucalypts and kangaroos to velvet worms and orchids. Throughout, you will learn of the conservation successes and failures and how we protect our precious flora and fauna for the future. This subject will require you to observe, record, and reflect on the diversity of the natural world, and complete self-guided field trips with your peers within the Melbourne metropolitan region. By the end of this subject students should be able to: