Agricultural Landscape Systems unit (KLA381)

Introduction

This unit links your knowledge in agronomy, horticulture and business to the area of agricultural land resource assessment. We will develop your understanding and land management skills via practical experiences with SE Tasmanian soil and land resources. This unit will put it to practise your basic knowledge of soil chemistry, soil physics, physical geography and environmental sciences. We will also introduce you to GIS and geophysical methods in addition to field and online assessment of land resources. Agricultural Landscape Systems KLA381 – KLA534 involves assessing land for sustainable and profitable production potential for a range of uses. It will involve desk-top (web searches), field (soil pits, geophysics) and minor laboratory based assessment of the soils, landforms, climate, hydrology, vegetation and geology on a small area in SE Tasmania. This information will be used by you to assess both land capability and suitability. You will be asked to report and justify your assessments in a seminar and via several written reports. Hobart campus based students will be working in pairs and will thus share their marks for assessment tasks undertaken together. Distance students (Launceston and interstate) can work alone or in pairs if possible, on a local property/farm following consultation with Dr Doyle. The unit involves 5 - 6 days (practicals + out of class time) field work involving soil profile description, land use assessment, topographic evaluations (slope angle, aspect etc) followed by limited soil testing of soil samples in the laboratory. We also aim to undertaking some geophysical assessments i.e., EM (electromagnetic) and radiometric (Ur, Th and K) surveys on the same property. Learning will be based on theory (lectures and your reading), fieldwork, laboratory work and some computer laboratory sessions. Your assessment tasks include both written and oral activities. The theory will cover soil survey, soil and land classifications, landform assessment, catchment hydrology and use of GIS software.

Summary

Unit name	Agricultural Landscape Systems
Unit code	KLA381
Credit points	12.5
College/School	Sciences and Engineering Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture
Discipline	Agriculture and Food Systems
Coordinator	Associate Professor Marcus Hardie
Available as an elective?	Yes
Delivered By	University of Tasmania
Level	Advanced

Availability

Specific information on 2027 unit availability will be available in August

Learning Outcomes

• Describe soil profiles in the field and map and classify them using the Australian standard systems.
• Collect, interpret and integrate soil, land, climate and crop information so as to make sustainable and productive land use assessments and evaluations.
• Be able to utilise basic GIS and online spatial information systems and portals.
• Communicate clearly and justify your land resource assessments via written and oral reporting.

Fee Information

2027 fee information will be available in August.

Requisites

Prerequisites

(Admission into a Masters course) OR ((KLA213 - Soil Formation, Function and Fertility OR KEA101 - Understanding Earth Systems OR KEA102 - Earth Resources, Environments and Evolution))

Teaching

Teaching Pattern	26 lectures, 13 x 3-hr practicals, several full-day field trips including on weekends
Assessment	Desktop Study (15%)|Oral Defence (20%)|Examination (30%)|Final report (35%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required	Required readings will be listed in the unit outline prior to the start of classes.

The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.