Fire Ecology

You are here:

In this module, students learn that here in Victoria, many of the plants and animals are not only able to survive fire, they depend on it for their existence.

They identify the adaptive traits that help particular plant and animal species to survive and reproduce in fire prone environments and analyse the impact of a major fire on a Victorian ecosystem. This learning enables students to understand that fire is a natural part of Victorian ecosystems. This place has evolved with and because of fire.

Cover	Title and information
	1. Our Local Area (pptx 16.2MB) Students examine key characteristics of the natural environment in their local area, including vegetation, landforms and wildlife. They identify the vegetation types that are common in their local area and consider whether a bushfire could occur in their local area.
	2. Surviving and Thriving in This Fiery Place (pptx 12.4MB) Students discuss how a fire would impact on the local vegetation and wildlife. Students are then introduced to the concept of ‘adaptive traits’ and examine the adaptive traits that enable various plant species to survive and reproduce in fire prone environments (i.e. eucalyptus, banksia) ...
	3. The Climate in This Place (pptx 2.7MB) Students differentiate between weather and climate. They are introduced to the concept of ‘climate zones’, identify the characteristics of Victoria’s temperament climate, and examine how those characteristics contribute to a fire prone environment.
	4. What About the Animals? (pptx 4.9MB) Students explore how common animal species respond to fire (e.g. kangaroo, wallabies and echidnas) and discuss adaptive traits that enable them to survive and reproduce in a fire prone environment. Students then write a short newspaper article about the bare-nosed wombat’s ability to protect i ...