monitor nnatural resource mmaannagement practices

LLeeaarrnneerr GGuuiiddee PPrriimmaarryy AAggrriiccuullttuurree

MMoonniittoorr NNaattuurraall RReessoouurrccee

MMaannaaggeemmeenntt PPrraaccttiicceess

My name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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NQF Level: 2 US No: 116263

The availability of this product is due to the financial support of the National Department of Agriculture and the AgriSETA. Terms and conditions apply.

Monitor natural resource management practices

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 116263 22

Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

BBeeffoorree wwee ssttaarrtt…… Dear Learner - This Learner Guide contains all the information to acquire all the knowledge and skills leading to the unit standard:

Title: Monitor Natural Resource Management Practices

US No: 116263 NQF Level: 3 Credits: 4

The full unit standard will be handed to you by your facilitator. Please read the unit standard at your own time. Whilst reading the unit standard, make a note of your questions and aspects that you do not understand, and discuss it with your facilitator.

This unit standard is one of the building blocks in the qualifications listed below. Please mark the qualification you are currently doing:

Title ID Number NQF Level Credits Mark

National Certificate in Animal Production 49048 3 120

National Certificate in Plant Production 49052 3 120

This Learner Guide contains all the information, and more, as well as the activities that you will be expected to do during the course of your study. Please keep the activities that you have completed and include it in your Portfolio of Evidence. Your PoE will be required during your final assessment.

WWhhaatt iiss aasssseessssmmeenntt aallll aabboouutt?? You will be assessed during the course of your study. This is called formative assessment. You will also be assessed on completion of this unit standard. This is called summative assessment. Before your assessment, your assessor will discuss the unit standard with you.

Assessment takes place at different intervals of the learning process and includes various activities. Some activities will be done before the commencement of the program whilst others will be done during programme delivery and other after completion of the program.

The assessment experience should be user friendly, transparent and fair. Should you feel that you have been treated unfairly, you have the right to appeal. Please ask your facilitator about the appeals process and make your own notes.

Are you enrolled in a: Y N

Learnership?

Skills Program?

Short Course?

Please mark the learning program you are enrolled in:

Your facilitator should explain the above concepts to you.




HHooww ttoo uussee tthhee aaccttiivviittyy sshheeeettss…… Your activities must be handed in from time to time on request of the facilitator for the following purposes:

The activities that follow are designed to help you gain the skills, knowledge and attitudes that you need in order to become competent in this learning module.

It is important that you complete all the activities and worksheets, as directed in the learner guide and at the time indicated by the facilitator.

It is important that you ask questions and participate as much as possible in order to play an active roll in reaching competence.

When you have completed all the activities and worksheets, hand this workbook in to the assessor who will mark it and guide you in areas where additional learning might be required.

You should not move on to the next step in the assessment process until this step is completed, marked and you have received feedback from the assessor.

Sources of information to complete these activities should be identified by your facilitator.

Please note that all completed activities, tasks and other items on which you were assessed must be kept in good order as it becomes part of your Portfolio of Evidence for final assessment.

EEnnjjooyy tthhiiss lleeaarrnniinngg eexxppeerriieennccee!!




HHooww ttoo uussee tthhiiss gguuiiddee …… Throughout this guide, you will come across certain re-occurring “boxes”. These boxes each represent a certain aspect of the learning process, containing information, which would help you with the identification and understanding of these aspects. The following is a list of these boxes and what they represent:

MMyy NNootteess …… You can use this box to jot down questions you might have, words that you do not understand,

instructions given by the facilitator or explanations given by the facilitator or any other remarks that

will help you to understand the work better.

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What does it mean? Each learning field is characterized by unique terms and definitions – it is important to know and use these terms and definitions correctly. These terms and definitions are highlighted throughout the guide in this manner.

You will be requested to complete activities, which could be group activities, or individual activities. Please remember to complete the activities, as the facilitator will assess it and these will become part of your portfolio of evidence. Activities, whether group or individual activities, will be described in this box.

Examples of certain concepts or principles to help you contextualise them easier, will be shownin this box.

The following box indicates a summary of concepts that we have covered, and offers you an opportunity to ask questions to your facilitator if you are still feeling unsure of the concepts listed.




WWhhaatt aarree wwee ggooiinngg ttoo lleeaarrnn?? What will I be able to do? ................................……............................................... 6

Learning Outcomes ..................................................……....................................... 6

What do I need to know? ....................................……............................................ 7

Session 1: Understanding flora and fauna of the workplace ..……................... 8

Session 2: The relationship between soils and flora and fauna .....……............ 16

Session 3: Understanding a two dimensional map...............……....................... 29

Glossary ....................................………...........……................................ 36

Am I ready for my test? ...............................................……............... 37

Checklist for Practical assessment .......................……...................... 38

Paperwork to be done ......................................……......................... 39

Terms and Conditions……………………………………………………………………. 40

Acknowledgements .............................……........................................ 40

SAQA Unit Standards




WWhhaatt wwiillll II bbee aabbllee ttoo ddoo?? When you have achieved this unit standard, you will be able to:

Explain the importance of maintaining and increasing of natural resources.

Incorporate this understanding into existing farming activities by monitoring practices to conserve the environment, including natural resources, thereby ensuring optimal use of natural resources on the farm.

Be conversant with agricultural regulations and aspects of conservation so that environmentally sound agricultural practices will be applied.

Gain an understanding of sustainable agricultural practices as applied in the animal-, plant and mixed farming sub fields.

Participate in, undertake and plan farming practices with knowledge of their environment.

LLeeaarrnniinngg OOuuttccoommeess At the end of this learning module, you must is able to demonstrate a basic knowledge and understanding of:

Basic fire fighting rules.

Basic principles of natural resources management.

Acts and legislation on "conservation of Agricultural Resources".

OHS Act.

Natural Resource Conservation Act.

Components of the water cycle.

Components of ecosystems.

Components of an energy cycle.

Principles of sustainability.

Classification of fauna and flora relevant to the direct environment.

Alien species relevant to the direct environment.

Three main soil types and characteristics.

Definitions and terminology.




Prevailing climatic conditions of the area.

Sources of water.

Sources of energy (renewable and non renewable).

Basic topography and map reading.

Types of pollution.

Importance of natural resources management.

WWhhaatt ddoo II nneeeedd ttoo kknnooww??

NQF 2: Apply sustainable farming practices to conserve the ecological environment.

MMyy NNootteess …… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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SSeessssiioonn 11

UUnnddeerrssttaannddiinngg fflloorraa aanndd ffaauunnaa ooff tthhee wwoorrkkppllaaccee

After completing this session, you should be able to: SO 1: Understanding the flora and fauna of the workplace and the appropriate cycles involved. SO 2: Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of an ecosystem and a food chain. SO 6: Demonstrate a basic understanding of the energy cycle.

1.1 The complexity of living organisms, their physical environment, and all their interrelationships in a particular unit of space The study of ecosystems are based on the view that all the elements of a life-supporting environment of any size, whether natural or man-made, are parts of an integral network in which each element interacts directly or indirectly with all others and affects the function of the whole.

All ecosystems are contained within the largest system known as the ecosphere, which encompasses the entire physical Earth (geosphere) and all of its biological components (biosphere).

An ecosystem can be categorized into its abiotic constituents, including minerals, climate, soil, water, sunlight, and all other non-living elements, and its biotic constituents, consisting of all its living members. The abiotic and biotic systems are linked through two major forces:

The flow of energy through the ecosystem; and

Cycling of nutrients within the ecosystem.

The fundamental source of energy in almost all ecosystems is radiant energy from the sun. The ecosystem’s autotrophic, or self-sustaining; organisms use the energy of sunlight. Consisting largely of green vegetation, these organisms are capable of photosynthesis—i.e., they can use the energy of sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into simple, energy-rich carbohydrates.




The autotrophic organisms use the energy stored within the simple carbohydrates to produce the more complex organic compounds, such as proteins, lipids, and starches that maintain the organisms' life processes. The autotrophic segment of the ecosystem is commonly referred to as the producer level.

Organic matter generated by autotrophic organisms directly or indirectly sustains heterotrophic organisms. Heterotrophic organisms are the consumers of the ecosystem; they cannot make their own food. They use, rearrange, and ultimately decompose the complex organic materials built up by the autotrophic organisms. All animals and fungi are heterotrophic organisms, as are most bacteria and many other microorganisms.

Together, the autotrophs and heterotrophs form various trophic (feeding) levels in the ecosystem: the producer level, composed of those organisms that make their own food; the primary-consumer level, composed of those organisms that feed on producers; the secondary-consumer level, composed of those organisms that feed on primary consumers; and so on. The movement of organic matter and energy from the producer level through various consumer levels makes up a food chain.

For example, a typical food chain in grassland might be grass (producer) → mouse (primary consumer) → snake (secondary consumer) → hawk (tertiary consumer). Actually, in many cases the food chains of the ecosystem overlap and interconnect, forming what ecologists call a food web. The final link in all food chains is made up of decomposers, those heterotrophs that break down dead organisms and organic waste.

A food chain in which the primary consumer feeds on living plants is called a grazing pathway. If the primary consumer feeds on dead plant matter it is known as a detritus pathway. Both pathways are important in accounting for the energy budget of the ecosystem.

As energy moves through the ecosystem, much of it is lost at each trophic level. For example, only about 10 percent of the energy stored in grass is incorporated into the body of a mouse that eats the grass. The remaining 90 percent is stored in compounds that cannot be broken down by the mouse or is lost as heat during the mouse's metabolic processes. Energy losses of similar magnitude occur at every level of the food chain; consequently, few food chains extend beyond five members (from producer through decomposer), because the energy available at higher trophic levels is too low to support further consumers.

The flow of energy through the ecosystem drives the movement of nutrients within the ecosystem. Nutrients are chemical elements and compounds necessary to living organisms. Unlike energy, which is continuously lost from the ecosystem, nutrients are cycled through the ecosystem, oscillating between the biotic and abiotic components in what are called biogeochemical cycles. Major biogeochemical cycles include the water cycle, carbon cycle, oxygen cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle, sulphur cycle, and calcium cycle. Decomposers play a key role in many of these cycles, returning nutrients to the soil, water, or air, where the biotic constituents of the ecosystem can again use them.




The process of orderly replacement of one ecosystem by another is known as ecosystem development, or ecological succession. Succession occurs when living organisms, first colonize a sterile area, such as barren rock or a lava flow. Alternatively when an existing ecosystem is disrupted, as when a forest is destroyed by a fire and recolonised after the destructive event. The succession of ecosystems generally occurs in two phases. The early, or growth, phase is characterized by ecosystems that have few species and short food chains. These ecosystems are relatively unstable but highly productive, in the sense that they build up organic matter faster than they break it down.

Ecosystems in the later, or mature, phase are more complex, more diversified, and more stable. The final, or climax ecosystem is characterized by a great diversity of species, complex food webs, and high stability. The major energy flow has shifted from production to maintenance. Climax ecosystems tend however to be sensitive to disrupting events.

Human interference in the development of ecosystems is widespread. Farming, for example, is the deliberate maintenance of an immature ecosystem, one that consists of few species (sometimes only one), highly productive but relatively unstable.

Sound management of ecosystems for optimal food production should seek a compromise between the characteristics of young and mature ecosystems, and should consider factors that affect the interaction of natural cycles.

Short-term production can be maximized by adding energy to the ecosystem in the form of cultivation and fertilization. Such efforts, however, can hinder efficient energy use in the long run by producing an imbalance of nutrients, an increase in pollutants, or a heightened susceptibility to plant diseases as a consequence of intensive inbreeding of crops.

During the second half of the 20th century, the study of ecosystems has become increasingly sophisticated and is now instrumental in the assessment and control of the effects of agricultural development and industrialization on the environment. On farms, for instance, it has been shown that optimal long-term production of pasturage requires a moderate grazing schedule. Moderate grazing ensures a steady renewal of the moisture and nutrient content of the soil. This has emphasized the need for multiple-use strategies in the cultivation of arable lands.

Systems ecology has been concerned with the consequences of accumulated insecticides and has provided a way of monitoring the climatic effects of atmospheric dust and carbon dioxide released by the burning of fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, and natural gas). It has helped to determine regional population capacities and has furthered the development of recycling techniques that may become essential in humanity's future interaction with the environment.




The most direct impact of humans on ecosystems is in their destruction or conversion thereof. Clear-cutting (the cutting of all trees within a given forest area) will, obviously, destroy a forest ecosystem. Selective logging may also alter forest ecosystems in important ways. Fragmentation or the division of a once continuous ecosystem into a number of smaller patches may disrupt ecological processes so that the remaining areas can no longer function as they once did.

Climate Change

It is now widely accepted that humanity’s activities are contributing to global warming, chiefly through the accumulation of “greenhouse” gases in the atmosphere. The impact of this is likely to increase in the future. As noted above, climate change is a natural feature of the Earth. Previously, however, its effects were mitigated as ecosystems could effectively “migrate” by moving latitude or altitude as the climate changed. Today, people that in many cases there is no such place for the remaining natural or semi-natural ecosystems to migrate to have appropriated so much of the world’s land surface.

Contamination of the natural environment through a range of pollutants including herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, industrial effluents, and human waste products, is one of the most pernicious forms of impact on the natural environment. Pollutants are often invisible, and the effects of air pollution and water pollution may not be immediately obvious, although they can be devastating in the long run.

Human beings have been responsible either deliberately or accidentally for altering the distribution of a vast range of animal and plant species. This includes not only domesticated animals and cultivated plants but also pests such as rats, mice, and many insects and fungi. Species, which become naturalized may have a devastating impact, through predation and competition, on natural ecosystems.

Removal of excessive numbers of animals or plants from a system can cause major ecological changes. The most important example of this at present is the over-fishing of the world’s oceans. Depletion of the great majority of accessible fish stocks is undoubtedly a cause of major change, although its long-term impact is difficult to assess.

Controlling human impact on ecosystems.

Controlling the impact of man on ecosystems is probably the biggest challenge facing human beings in the coming millennium. Solutions will have to be found at all scales, from the local to the global.

Protection of remaining natural ecosystems in national parks and other protected areas is crucial. However, this will not prevent areas being affected by factors such as climate change, or air- or water-borne pollutants. Moreover, as natural areas shrink in size they are likely to require more and more active management to maintain their ecological functions, for example through control of exotic species, manipulation of water levels in wetlands, or periodic controlled burning in some forest habitats. Increased intervention of this sort will always be risky, as we still do not fully understand the workings of most ecosystems.




Control of pollution and emission of greenhouse gases will require action at the global level, as will efforts to prevent further deterioration of marine fisheries through over-fishing. Ultimately, the solution lies in control of human population growth and in a far more restrained approach to our use of natural resources and expenditure of energy.

Functions and values of wetlands

Wetland functions are physical, chemical, and biological processes or attributes that are vital to the integrity of the wetland system. Because wetlands are often transition zones (ecotones) between uplands and deepwater aquatic systems, many processes that take place in them have a global impact: they can affect the export of organic materials or serve as a sink for inorganic nutrients. This intermediary position is also responsible for the biodiversity often encountered in these regions, as wetlands “borrow” species from nearby aquatic and terrestrial systems. Wetlands play a major role in the biosphere by providing habitats for a great abundance and richness of floral and faunal species; they are also the last havens for many rare and endangered species.

Some wetlands are considered among the Earth's most productive ecosystems. The wetland's function as a site of biodiversity is also valuable to humans. The capacity of wetlands to absorb a great amount of water also benefits developed areas. A wetland system can protect shorelines, cleanse polluted waters, prevent floods, and recharge groundwater aquifers, earning wetlands the kidneys of the landscape.”

As a natural resource, soil, in turn, is also a combination of living and nonliving components: it consists of atmospheric gases, water, living and dead organic materials, and more or less finely divided mineral substances. Moreover, soil is a product of the interaction between the living and the nonliving environment. The living components of soil fit the definition of renewable resources, within the limitations that have been noted, and the mineral components fit the definition of non-renewable resources. As long as the living components of soil remain healthy and continue to function, the mineral components are recycled from the soil, through the organic life within it (e.g., bacteria and other micro organisms), and back to the soil following the decay and breakdown of dead organic materials. Because most forms of terrestrial life are dependent upon it for their continued existence, soil must be maintained in a renewable state. Mining soil, or using it in such a way that its fertility is exhausted and it is washed or blown away by too-rapid erosion, reduces the likelihood that life can continue to exist in the area affected.

After reading through the above section on ecosystems and the interaction of food chains we all realize that there is a lot of learning and adapting that will have to occur if we want to try and maintain a balance in the future.

In the past there was balance in the ecosystem and it could counter the effects of grazing by the natural fauna of the area.




For example a veld might have contained both the black and white rhino in different quantities. The black rhino would have fed on scrub and bushes. The impact by this rhino was huge and the mere presence ensured that the scrubland was contained to limited areas of the greater ecosystem. This rhino was termed a “browser”. Because the number of black rhino present was determined by the carrying capacity of the land there was a balance achieved. This balance did change as times of drought and fire affected the areas.

The black rhino would have trampled grazing and delicate ground covers but its occurring numbers would not have had a long term impact on the grazing or plants found in the area.

At the same time there would have been white rhinos present. These white rhinos were grazers as opposed to the black rhinos that were browsers. These white rhinos would have grazed the area of naturally occurring grasses. They were a bulk grazer and would have eaten a different species of grasses and groundcovers to what the eland and zebra would have eaten. The occurrence of food was more of a control factor on the size of populations than the occurrence of natural enemies.

Many grass species have evolved the ability to tolerate high levels of grazing, which is evident to anyone who regularly mows a lawn. Simultaneously, they have evolved other defences, such as high silica content, which reduces their palatability to some grazers. A number of herbivorous mammals have responded to these defences by evolving the ability to specialize on grasses with high silica content and low nutritional value.

Many large grazing mammals such as elephants have high-crowned teeth that are constantly replaced by growth from below as the crowns are worn down by the silica in their food. Many of these species also have complicated digestive systems with a gut full of micro flora and micro fauna capable of extracting many of the nutrients from the plants.

Plants have evolved more than 10,000 chemical compounds that are not involved in primary metabolism, and most of these compounds are thought to have evolved as defences against herbivores and pathogens. Some of these chemical compounds are defences against grazers, whereas others are defences against parasites. Most of the chemical compounds that make herbs so flavourful and useful in cooking probably evolved as defences against enemies.

These compounds, called allelo chemicals, are found in almost all plant species, and their great diversity suggests that chemical defence against has always been an important part of plant evolution.




From the above paragraphs it is understandable that the ecosystem that occurred in our region prior to humans taking control of the area was balanced and sustainable. The ecosystem that we have to day is a result of the impact that we as humans have had on the environment. Humans have changed and impacted on the local environment. A lot of the changes occurred because we sought to control and manipulate the environment while other changes occurred because of ignorance.

Please complete Activity 1 at the end of this session.

MMyy NNootteess …… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Concept

SO 1, SO 2, SO 6I understand this concept

Questions that I still would like to ask

The uses and impacts of animals in different vegetation types are described.

The utilisation patterns of different animals are described.

The effects of farming activities on the habitat of fauna and flora are described.

Decreases and increases of the fauna and flora are recorded.

Suitable solutions to counteract the decreases and increases from a limited range of options are selected

Correct and appropriate methods to maintain and balance the ecosystem are selected and applied.

Identified problem areas are communicated to the supervisor.

Preventative measures to avoid degradation of soil and deterioration of vegetation are selected and applied.

The roles of the ecosystem and of food chains are explained.

Importance of attitude (position relative to the sun) of plants and animals, and sun interactive cycles are explained.

The conversion of sun energy into food is explained.

The energy cycle is explained.




1. Explain how an ecosystem functions.

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2. Explain methods that could be applied to avoid the degradation of soils and the deterioration of vegetation?

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3. Describe how the different animals at your place of work might utilize the vegetation differently to another animal species’, for example a sheep is a grazer and browser while a cow tends to mainly graze.

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Read through and answer the following questions: These questions need to be answered on your own. 11

SSOO 11 AACC 11--55 SSOO 22 AACC 11--44 SSOO 66 AACC 11--33

My Name:

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Facilitator comments: Assessment:




SSeessssiioonn 22

TThhee rreellaattiioonnsshhiipp bbeettwweeeenn ssooiillss aanndd fflloorraa aanndd ffaauunnaa

After completing this session, you should be able to: SO 3: Identify the key fauna and flora types and their sustainable management. SO 4: Identify the different soil categories, the utilisation and maintenance thereof. SO 5: Monitor and implement principles of water management.

1.1 Soil Soil is a thin surface covering that overlies the bedrock of most of the land area of the Earth. It is a resource that, along with water and air, provides the basis of human existence. Soil develops when rock is broken down by weathering and material is exchanged through interaction with the environment. Organic matter becomes incorporated into the soil as the result of the activity of living organisms. Soil also contains water, minerals, and gases. The soil system is dynamic and it develops a distinct structure, often with recognizable layers or soil horizons arranged vertically through the soil profile.

Soil is essential for the development of most plants, providing physical support and nutrients. Plants are anchored in the soil by their roots. Nutrients, dissolved in soil water, are necessary for the plants’ growth. Soil contains various organic matters, including dead material from plants and animals as well as animals that choose to live in the soil. The soil is therefore a store of major nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen and plays an important role in global nutrient cycles and in regulating hydrological cycles and atmospheric systems.

Soils vary from place to place due to various conditions such as climate, rock type, topography, and the local soil-forming processes. Over time soils develop characteristics specific to their location, which relate closely to the climate and vegetation of the area. The major world biomes reflect a clear association between vegetation and soil that has developed in response to the prevailing climate. Each soil type has a distinct combination of soil horizons and associated soil properties.




People depend on the soil for agriculture, and as such it is a valuable natural resource. Soils form continuously as the result of natural processes, and can therefore be regarded as a renewable resource. However, the soil-forming processes operate very slowly and the misuse or mismanagement of the soil may lead to damage or erosion, or can disrupt the processes by which the soil forms. If this happens the resource can be degraded or even lost. Many human activities cause damage to soils. These include bad farming techniques, overgrazing, deforestation, urbanization, construction, mining, wars, contamination,

pollution, and fires. The most critical result of these is soil erosion. With growing populations, the need for productive soils is increasing. The process of soil loss can have a detrimental effect on other systems as it produces sediment that can cause siltation of river systems and reservoirs, set off flooding downstream, and contribute to pollution and damage to estuaries, wetlands, and coral reefs. Soils need to be managed carefully in order to remain in good condition.

In order to maximize the potential of soils it is important to understand soil systems and the processes that operate within them. This creates a better appreciation of the type of land use that would be sustainable and continue to be productive. The knowledge of how different soil types have developed results in the recognition of the dynamic equilibrium between soils and their environment. This makes it possible to make informed decisions about the best ways in which soils can be utilized, and how they may respond to changes in land use

Soil Management, the basis of all scientific agriculture, which involves six essential practices: proper tillage; maintenance of a proper supply of organic matter in the soil; maintenance of a proper nutrient supply; control of soil pollution; maintenance of the correct soil acidity; and control of erosion.

Below is a table that will help us to determine what type of soils we have at our place of work.




STRUCTURE SIZE (mm) APPEARANCE DESCRIPTION

SOIL HORIZON & SOIL TYPE

AGRICUL-TURAL VALUE

Crumb 1-6

Small breadcrumb like porous particles, allow free flow of water.

A - Loam High

Platy 1-10 Small plate like aggregates, hinder passage of water.

B – Silts and clays compacted into pans by ploughs

Low

Blocky 5-10

Irregularly shaped block like particles that fit closely together, but break easily.

B – clay loam Good

Prismatic 10-≥100

Column like prisms with angular caps and sides that fit together closely, sometimes break up.

B and C – heavy clays and limestone soil.

Medium

Columnar 10-≥100

Column like with rounded caps and sides, fit closely together.

B and C – alkaline and desert soil.

Medium

Soil formation are complex and varied, and do not merely consist of random assemblages of particles. A vertical section through the soil reveals layers known as horizons. Usually three main horizons, overlain by organic matter, can be identified. The extent to which each horizon has developed depends on many local factors and the time over which the soil has been forming. Not every horizon will appear in every soil; some soils may have few or very indistinct horizons while others have clear, well-defined horizons.

Soil Profiles: The process of soil formation begins with the breaking down of bedrock, which produces a layer of loose material called a regolith.

Water, gases, living organisms, and decayed organic matter (humus) are added over time. This leads to the development of a recognizable vertical structure. A section through that structure is known as a profile. This reveals the different soil horizons, at different depths, which will differ in their physical, chemical, and biological attributes. The horizons are designated by capital letters. The organic material overlying the soil is termed the “O” layer; the top layer of the soil, “A”; the middle layer, “B”; and the lowest layer, “C”. Below the soil lies the parent material, or bedrock, which is termed either the “D” or “R” layer. Further subdivisions of the soil can be made according to the detectable variations and processes.




The top layer of soil (the O-horizon) consists entirely of accumulated organic matter and contains three distinct layers of humus. The top layer (L) is composed of newly deposited organic material or litter, such as leaves and animal remains, which are easily recognizable on the surface. The layer below is known as the fermentation (F) layer, where the breakdown of the dead organic matter occurs and partly decomposing litter is found. Once totally decomposed, so that the original plant structures are not visible, the material forms the deepest layer of humus, the H horizon, which is usually very dark, and no plant and animal remains are identifiable.

In the A-horizon, the humus from above is mixed with mineral particles, so that the top of this horizon is also dark. As water passes down through the soil, it can remove, or translocate, humus, clay particles, and nutrients (bases) by a process known as eluviations (E). This often results in the A-horizon becoming paler towards the bottom.

The B-horizon is essentially a mineral horizon characterized by in situ weathering of the original parent material. Particles may be carried down into this horizon from above and accumulate. This is known as illuviation, and clay, iron, aluminium, or humus may be found. B-horizons are the most variable of soil horizons.

The C-horizon represents the weathering zone where the regolith is being produced from parent material. The D- or R-horizon is the unweathered bedrock or parent material from which the mineral portion of the soil is derived.

The Soil System Scientists widely use the system-modelling approach to look at the processes that operate in a soil. Materials and energy are gained and lost, and so the system can be seen as a series of inputs, outputs, stores, processes, and recycling. Any change in the inputs or outputs to the system has a profound effect on the way in which the processes within the soil can operate and, consequently, on the character of the resulting soil.

Inputs to the system include: water from precipitation or from further up the slope; gases from the atmosphere and from respiration of soil organisms; nutrients released from decaying and weathered rock; organic matter from decaying plants and animals; and solar energy and radiation.

Outputs include: nutrients taken up by plants; nutrients taken away by water as it passes downwards through the soil in leaching; water lost at the surface of the soil by evaporation; and soil particles lost by soil movement down-slope and erosion. Materials to be stored and recycled comprise: dead organic matter deposited in the soil by plants and animals; dead organic




matter decomposed by soil organisms; and nutrients taken up and stored by plants.

The relationship between the vegetation of an area and its soil is a very important one as the stores and recycling of materials in soils are closely linked to the vegetation. The vegetation and animals that feed on that vegetation provide the input of dead organic matter to the soil. This in turn produces the humus and also the nutrients upon which the plants depend. Therefore the development of soils is closely linked to the process of primary succession. As plant succession occurs and the ecosystem becomes more complex, the vegetation exerts an increasing influence on the soils until they reach a stage of maximum development in equilibrium with the climax vegetation. The organic content of the soil builds up over time and this stabilizes the soil and ensures sufficient nutrients to support the increasing vegetation, which in turn also becomes more stable.

Soil-Forming Processes

The properties of a soil reflect the interaction of many soil-forming processes that operate within the soil system. The processes result from an interaction of local conditions, such as climate, geology, topography, and vegetation over time. Individual soils form as the result of processes of weathering; humification and cheluviation; organic sorting; translocation; leaching, podsolization, and lessivage; gleying; ferrallitization; calcification; and salinization.

In the process of physical and chemical weathering the parent rock material is broken down to produce the mineral component of the soil (regolith).

Humification is the process of decomposition and breakdown of organic matter, which produces humus. The decomposition produces organometallic compounds (chelating agents), which increase the solubility of iron and aluminium; these can be washed down through the soil in soil water.

In the process of organic sorting the soil fauna mixes the soil as organisms move around. This helps in organizing the soil materials into structures or shapes known as peds.

Translocation is the movement of soil materials, either in small particles suspended in water or in solution. The materials can move downwards when precipitation exceeds evapotranspiration, or upwards by capillary action in hot and dry periods when evaporation is greater. The loss or depletion of soil particles (usually from the upper layers of the soil downwards) is called eluviations; their accumulation in lower layers of the soil is called illuviation. These processes occur largely due to the movement of water within the soil and lead to the development of horizons.

A downward movement of material through the soil tends to occur when precipitation exceeds evapotranspiration. The presence of water allows cation exchange to take place, whereby the bases are replaced by hydrogen ions in the soil. This can result in leaching.




In extreme cases podsolization occurs: the material accumulates in the lower layers of the soil by illuviation, and this causes drainage problems, common in podsol soils. In some cases the acidity of the soil becomes so great that clays start to break down and may then move in suspension in the soil water. This is known as lessivage.

Gleying occurs where waterlogging due to poor drainage causes the pore spaces within the soil to fill up with water, which leads to anaerobic conditions as the air, is displaced. The oxidized iron (ferric form) becomes reduced (ferrous form), and so changes colour from reddish brown to grey. If any of the soil dries out, or if incomplete water logging occurs, pockets of air may remain in the soil, which results in a mottled effect of reddish patches occurring in the grey soil.

Ferrallitization is the extreme breakdown of parent rock, which results in the formation of clays and hydrated oxides of iron and aluminium. This occurs in the humid tropics where high temperatures and high precipitation allow rapid chemical weathering. The clays can further break down to produce silica that can be lost from the soil by leaching, leaving the sesquioxides (oxides containing three atoms of oxygen and two of another element) of iron and aluminium behind in the soil. This produces a red coloured soil, due to the high content of oxides of iron, typical of both the tropical rainforest and savannah soils.

Calcification occurs in areas where there is sufficient rainfall to allow the downward translocation of calcium, which accumulates in the lower part of the soil. During the dry season some upward translocation occurs by capillary action, but the calcium that remains in the lower part of the soil usually concentrates in nodules.

Salinization occurs when evaporation exceeds rainfall and the water table in the soil is high. Extreme upward translocation of salts occurs by capillary action; the salts are deposited in solid form on the surface of the soil, collecting around the smallest rootlets of plants. A hard crust can form on the surface. This is a serious problem in desert soils. It often occurs in hot, dry areas where irrigation has been carried out, and makes the soils unsuitable for agriculture.

Soil Components: The main components of soils are water, air, organic matter, and organisms and mineral particles. Their proportions vary, both among different soils and in the layers of a single soil. Components of a single soil change over time as well. These variations arise from such processes as translocation, weathering of parent rock, decay and recycling of dead organic matter, and growth of vegetation. In a good agricultural soil mineral particles and organic matter from plants and animals take up about half the volume of the soil; air and water occupy the remainder. Air and water are located in the spaces between the mineral particles and as water content of a soil increases the volume of the air decreases. As a soil dries out by evaporation and drainage, the amount of air in the pore spaces increases.




Factors that influence soil formation many processes are involved in soil formation, but the variations in, and relationships between, several main soil-forming factors determine its properties and structure at any given location. These include: the parent material (rock type) from which the soil forms; the climatic conditions that prevail at the site during soil formation; the type and amount of living organisms (especially vegetation cover); the human influence; the topography of the land; and the length of time that the soil has been forming.

Parent Material

The parent material contributes to the overall character of the soil because the material from which the soil originates determines its mineral composition. This affects the type of soil produced, its texture, drainage characteristics (permeability), nutrient content, and colour. Different rock types can therefore develop highly differing soils. The thin, highly alkaline soils that develop on limestone rock are a good example of the role of parent material. The rock is composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which can be dissolved in rainfall in a process known as carbonation. Therefore the mineral content of the soil is very low. These soils are usually very well drained as their permeability is very high, and they cannot support a large biomass of vegetation.

Climate: determines important, including the temperature and precipitation regimes, and the length of the growing season. These affect a number of processes in the soil. The temperature and amount of water influence the rate of weathering of the parent rock and the production of the mineral component of the soil.

Precipitation and temperature affect the growth and type of vegetation. Chemical weathering tends to be higher in warm, humid climates, resulting in deep soils that are very broken down. Conversely, colder climates favour physical rather than chemical weathering. Frost shattering results in the formation of angular fragments and, consequently, soils there are often thinner than tropical soils. Leaching occurs when precipitation exceeds evaporation, and soils become more acidic, while capillary action (when water and mineral salts are drawn towards the surface) takes place when evaporation is greater, and the soils become more alkaline. The activity of soil organisms is higher in warmer, humid conditions, which increases the rate of decay of organic matter and the supply of humus.

Biotic Factors: Influence of Plants and Animals. The influx of organic matter or humus to the soil is one of the most important aspects of soil formation. Organic material comes mainly from fallen leaves and other dead material from plants as well as from animal remains. This is then decomposed by the activities of many organisms of the soil fauna. Bacteria and fungi along with decomposed organisms such as earthworms break down the dead material and mix it through the soil. Humus is ready when the decay




process is complete and no remains can be identified. Humus is very important in the soil: it is a major store of nutrients, helps to bind the soil, holds water, and affects the texture of the soil. These are important factors for agriculture because humus makes the soil more fertile and easier to work.

Soils can vary from place to place because some vegetation types decay more easily than others. Environmental conditions influence the speed at which decomposition of organisms and other biological activities take place, which is more rapid in warmer, moist climates. Therefore, regions such as the boreal forests have low humus production because the vegetation itself is slow to decompose and, because of low temperatures, biological activity is low. By contrast, in the deciduous forests of temperate zones the vegetation decomposes easily and rapidly as climatic conditions favour decomposition. Therefore humus levels are higher in these soils, which tend to have a good texture and fertility. After clearing they are suitable for agriculture.

People: Human activity affects soils in many ways. The addition of fertilizers, for example, has an effect on nutrient content. Adding lime to a soil decreases acidity (pH). Ploughing or tillage removes the natural vegetation and mixes the various layers in the soils, while drainage and irrigation affect its mineral and water content. Soils are classified into a number of broad textural groups, according to the proportions of sand, silt, and clay. The categories include: sandy clay, sandy clay loam, silt loam (a mixture of sand, silt, and clay); silty clay, silty clay loam, loamy sand; and clay loam and sandy loam. While the terms used are descriptive, the actual proportions of the different particles are normally shown on a triangular graph.

Texture determines the size and spacing of soil pores. It therefore affects the amount of water the soil can hold and the ease with which the water can move through the soil. Sand particles have the largest pore spaces, and allow water to drain through most freely. Silt particles have smaller pore spaces, causing water to move more slowly. Clays, whose particles tend to adsorb water, tend to hold more of it, and consequently clay soils have the lowest porosity.

Texture influences the nutritional and water status of the soil as well as its productivity and ease of cultivation. Sands provide few nutrients for plant growth, but they are easily penetrated by roots. As they drain easily, sandy soils cannot store water and lose large amounts of plant-nutrient minerals by leaching. Fine clays hold rich reserves of nutrients and are therefore good for plant growth. Despite being excellent reservoirs, though, they can, when wet, have a sticky texture and their drainage may be impaired; in these conditions they are unsuitable for much arable farming. Therefore the best agricultural soil is one that has a mixture of particles, such as a sandy loam (65 per cent sand, 15 per cent clay, 20 per cent silt) or a loam (40 per cent sand, 20 per cent clay, 40 per cent silt).




Soil Structure: Soil particles group or aggregate themselves into larger soil structures. These form different shapes known as peds, which strongly influence the character of the soil. The shape and alignment of the peds, along with the soil texture and number of pore spaces, determine how much air, water, plant roots, and soil organisms can be found in the given soil.

Several types of peds can be identified. Crumb consists of small individual pieces and is porous. It is the best agricultural soil, easily penetrated by roots. Granular peds comprises small pieces but is not usually porous as it normally consists of clay; consequently, drainage and aeration can be impaired. In the platy peds the vertical axis is shorter than the horizontal, with an overlapping arrangement that restricts water flow. It is the least productive soil due to poor water movement and limited root penetration. The blocky peds consists of closely fitting, square-shaped pieces; the prismatic peds contains elongated pieces with angular tops; and the columnar peds is composed of elongated pieces with rounded tops and normally provides good drainage.

Ease of cultivation, determined by soil structure, is particularly important in agriculture. Soils with a crumb structure, best suited for agriculture, are more resistant to erosion, while silts or clays often become aligned in horizontal overlapping plates that become easily compacted by farm machinery. Vital parameters such as water and air movement and ease of root penetration are therefore limited. This significantly reduces the productivity of such soils, and they are often left to grass growing rather than being ploughed for arable crops. A blocky structure develops with the addition of sand to a soil rich in clay. This is an irregular soil but the drainage and aeration are good, which, consequently, facilitates easy cultivation.

Biological Community in the sub soil is the habitat of millions of living organisms, such as insects, earthworms, bacteria, fungi, and algae that are responsible for the decomposition of organic material and for the mixing of mineral and organic components. The micro-organisms, particularly bacteria and fungi, feed on the complex organic compounds that make up living matter, and reduce them to the simpler compounds that plants can use for food.

Humus The character of humus varies with environmental conditions. The so-called mull humus forms where the pH remains fairly neutral and the amount of organic material and soil organisms is high. This is the neutral humus found typically in deciduous forest and under grassland, and is therefore common in Britain. The acidic mor humus develops where the conditions are more acidic and the vegetation becomes less productive, free of earthworms and lower in quantity. This type of humus forms in moorland and heath-land areas, and in the taiga, where the vegetation consists of acidic coniferous trees and the rainfall is high. Humus helps to hold water in the soil and, by binding the soil particles together, it prevents erosion.




Nutrients for Plant Growth: Plant nutrients are the chemical elements and compounds required for plant growth. They are obtained from the weathering material, precipitation, the atmosphere, biological activity, and decomposition. More than 16 elements are known to be essential for plant growth. Primary elements, or macronutrients, are those required in large amounts—carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. Secondary elements, or micronutrients, are needed in smaller amounts, and include calcium, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, and sulphur, as well as iron, manganese, and sodium. The functions of these nutrients in plant growth are generally well known. Nitrogen, potassium, and sulphur are necessary for the synthesis of proteins and vitamins. Calcium helps in the growth of roots and new shoots; magnesium is a component of chlorophyll; and phosphate is involved in many complex organic compounds. Plants also need minute, but significant, amounts of such elements as boron, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, silica, and zinc. These are known as trace elements. Molybdenum, for example, is used in nitrogen fixation and assimilation, boron in cell division, and zinc in enzymic reactions.

Major reserves of nutrients in the soil are held in the clay-humus complex where humus combines with clay particles. This is very important for soil fertility as the clays and humus both supply nutrients for plant growth. The humus also helps to bind the soil together and prevent soil erosion and nutrient leaching.

The surfaces of clay-humus particles are covered with negatively charged anions, which attract the positively charged minerals as cations (bases), including calcium (Ca++), magnesium (Mg++), sodium (Na+), and potassium (K+). The cations are adsorbed (become attached) to the clay-humus particles and form a layer known as the Gouy layer. The nutrients are released into the soil water by the process of cation exchange when hydrogen ions displace the nutrients. Cation exchange also takes place between soil particles and plant roots: in the presence of hydrogen ions the nutrients can be dislodged from the clay-humus particles and adsorbed by the plant roots.

There exists, under natural conditions, a balance between the amount of humus that is used up by plants or lost through other processes, and the amount added by the decay of plant and animal material, so that soil fertility is maintained. The equilibrium of natural processes can be upset, however, either by human activity, such as agriculture and deforestation, or by natural events, such as fires. If the balance is lost, a reduction in organic content of the soil usually follows until a new equilibrium is attained.





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Concept

SO 3, SO 4, SO 5 I understand this concept

Questions that I still would like to

ask

An understanding of the wise utilisation of different fauna and flora to the benefit of the farming activities and the environment are demonstrated.

Management techniques are understood and applied.

Rehabilitation methods are described.

The status of the fauna and flora on the farm is monitored, recorded and reported.

Deterioration in vegetation in relation to the soil condition / degradation is observed and explained.

Signs of soil erosion is observed and reported.

Soil erosion preventative measures are monitored and progress or the lack thereof is reported.

Vegetation species suitable to the soil type that can be used for degraded soil are identified and planted.

Appropriate application of soil conservation structures and methods are monitored.

Rotational farming practices are applied.

Maintenance needs of water sources are identified and acted upon.

Cultivars promoting the optimal use of water are identified.

Causes of water pollution are described and methods of water pollution are applied

Basic methods of water harvesting are described and appropriately applied.

An understanding of the water run-off plan is demonstrated.




1. Know and monitor the occurrence of key types of fauna and flora and their environmental requirements.

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2. Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of an ecosystem and a food chain.

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Read through and answer the following questions: These questions need to be answered on your own. 22

SSOO 33,, 44 && 55 My Name:


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SSeessssiioonn 33 UUnnddeerrssttaannddiinngg aa ttwwoo

ddiimmeennssiioonnaall mmaapp

After completing this session, you should be able to: SO 7: Understanding a two dimensional map.

A farming area should have a localized map of the immediate surrounding vicinity. This vicinity map should take into account the following contours, slopes valleys and major landforms or artificial structures.

Map Reading, process of decoding the symbols from which a map is constructed, and forming them into a meaningful mental image. Map reading leads to an interpretation and understanding of the map’s content that is governed by the purpose for which the map was created and the map scale. Conventionally, maps are classed into large, medium, and small scales, and into general purpose (including topographic) and special purpose (or thematic).

In very large-scale maps, such as a map that would cover the immediate vicinity around an existing farming area, it is possible to display the outlines of individual buildings accurately, and even such small features as telephone boxes can be shown in their correct position. Such maps are used (at scales as large as 1:1,250) by farmers for utility maintenance work.

Information such as contour lines (which show the height of the land surface in relation to mean sea level) and vegetation cover as well as pathways and other human features help farmers to plan a maintenance programme. The contours of a route can be seen in detail by taking a cross-section of a map to show the land forms horizontally.

They also show human features, some visible, such as local farm units, house and roads. Large-scale maps are particularly used by farmers and conservationists. (Detailing mountain heights, areas of steep or level ground, rivers streams, wetlands, cultivated areas and features such as power lines).

The basic type of map used to represent land areas is the topographic map. Such maps show the natural features of the area covered as well as certain artificial features, known as cultural features and farm boundaries. Because of the great variety of information included on them, topographic maps are most often used as general reference maps.




Topographic map reading which include considerable terrain and land-cover detail to aid the map reader. Such map use is often carried out in conjunction with a compass for orientation and taking bearings, and topographic maps provide the necessary information about the relationship between the grid used and the magnetic poles, to allow for adjustment of the compass reading.

Contour Lines, on a map, lines which join points of equal elevation above or below a base line, normally mean sea level, in order to show the relief of the terrain. Contours are one of several methods of showing the three-dimensional form of the land surface on a two-dimensional map. On modern topographic maps they are preferred, because they give quantitative information about relief. However, they are often combined with more qualitative methods such as layer colouring or hill shading to aid map reading.

The density of a contour pattern depends on the contour interval selected, and the steepness of the terrain: the steeper the gradient, the closer the contours will appear at any given map scale and contour interval. Thus contour maps give a graphic impression of the shape, steepness, and elevation of the terrain.

Contours may be constructed by interpolation between an array of points of known altitude, or by field survey using a levelling technique.

From the above it becomes clear that if the contours are spaced far apart this creates a gentle slope or flat area, if the contour lines are realty close together this indicates a steep cliff line and where the contour lines form a V shape this indicates a valley.

The scale of the map indicates the distance relationship of the two dimensional map with the actual area. So for example a large-scale map as in the example given is in the scale of 1: 1250. This means that if you measure across the map from one point to the next and the distance is 20 cm, then the actual physical distance will be 250 m.

All maps have an arrow which indicates magnetic north, this arrow if aligned with a compass indicating north will show the user the exact way the map must be placed to line-up with the actual physical layout of the farm.




MMyy NNootteess …… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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MMyy NNootteess …… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Concept (SO 7) I understand this concept

Questions that I still would like to ask

The significance of contours, slopes, valleys and scale are explained.

Rivers, streams, wetlands, cultivated areas and differing land uses are recognised.

The ability to orientate the map correctly according to the magnetic North Pole is demonstrated.

The boundaries of the local farm unit on the map, and main characteristics are identified.




1. Read a two dimensional map of the direct vicinity.

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Read through and answer the following questions: 33

SSOO 77 My Name:


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GGlloossssaarryy Term Description

Abiotic Abiotic factors are those non-living physical and chemical factors which affect the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce.

autotrophic (botany) of or relating to organisms (as green plants) that can make complex organic nutritive compounds from simple inorganic sources by photosynthesis

Biotic Of or relating to living organisms

ecosystem A system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment

Fauna All the animal and plant life in a particular region

Flora The complete system of vegetable species growing without cultivation in a given locality, region

Lipid Any oily organic compound insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents; essential structural component of living cells (along with proteins and carbohydrates)

Nutrient cycling

Plants need nutrients from the soil to grow, just like people need food. Soil nutrients mostly come from the breakdown of mineral-bearing rocks and from organic matter, which comes from the decomposition of plants and animals. The nutrients that plants get from the soil are stored in all plant tissues, such as leaves, stems and flowers. When these tissues fall to the ground they start to break down, and together with decomposing dead insects, dead animals and animal feces, they are eventually re-incorporated into the soil by rainfall and earthworms. There, the organic matter is further broken down and slowly transformed to become nutrients that are available to growing plants (and the cycle continues).

photosynthesis The process by which plants manufacture food. Chlorophyll in the plant’s cell enables the leaf to combine water and carbon dioxide to make sugar and starch.

Protein Kinds of organic compounds which form the most essential part of the food of living creatures

Radiant energy Energy given out or transmitted by radiation, as in the case of light and radiant heat.

starch Complex carbohydrate found chiefly in seeds, fruits, tubers, roots and stem pith of plants, notably in corn, potatoes, wheat, and rice;

Trophic levels

Trophic levels are the feeding position in a food chain such as primary producers, herbivore, primary carnivore, etc. Green plants form the first trophic level, the producers. Herbivores form the second trophic level, while carnivores form the third and even the fourth trophic levels. In this section we will discuss what is meant by food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids.




AAmm II rreeaaddyy ffoorr mmyy tteesstt?? Check your plan carefully to make sure that you prepare in good time. You have to be found competent by a qualified assessor to be declared

competent. Inform the assessor if you have any special needs or requirements before the

agreed date for the test to be completed. You might, for example, require an interpreter to translate the questions to your mother tongue, or you might need to take this test orally.

Use this worksheet to help you prepare for the test. These are examples of possible questions that might appear in the test. All the information you need was taught in the classroom and can be found in the learner guide that you received.

1. I am sure of this and understand it well 2. I am unsure of this and need to ask the Facilitator or Assessor to explain what it means

Questions 1. I am sure 2. I am unsure

1. Explain how a food chain function.

2. Describe how at your place of work animals are used in different vegetation types and the impact of this.

3. Describe the effects of farming on the flora and fauna found at your place of work.

4. Identify the key flora and fauna types and their sustainable management.

5. Identify the different soil categories, the utilization, and maintenance thereof.

6. Monitor and implement principles of water management.

7. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the energy cycle.




CChheecckklliisstt ffoorr pprraaccttiiccaall aasssseessssmmeenntt …… Use the checklist below to help you prepare for the part of the practical assessment when you are observed on the attitudes and attributes that you need to have to be found competent for this learning module.

Observations Answer Yes or No

Motivate your Answer (Give examples, reasons, etc.)

Can you identify problems and deficiencies correctly?

Are you able to work well in a team?

Do you work in an organised and systematic way while performing all tasks and tests?

Are you able to collect the correct and appropriate information and / or samples as per the instructions and procedures that you were taught?

Are you able to communicate your knowledge orally and in writing, in such a way that you show what knowledge you have gained?

Can you base your tasks and answers on scientific knowledge that you have learnt?

Are you able to show and perform the tasks required correctly?

Are you able to link the knowledge, skills and attitudes that you have learnt in this module of learning to specific duties in your job or in the community where you live?

The assessor will complete a checklist that gives details of the points that are checked and assessed by the assessor.

The assessor will write commentary and feedback on that checklist. They will discuss all commentary and feedback with you.

You will be asked to give your own feedback and to sign this document. It will be placed together with this completed guide in a file as part

of you portfolio of evidence. The assessor will give you feedback on the test and guide you if there are

areas in which you still need further development.




PPaappeerrwwoorrkk ttoo bbee ddoonnee …… Please assist the assessor by filling in this form and then sign as instructed.

Learner Information Form

Unit Standard 116263

Program Date(s)

Assessment Date(s)

Surname

First Name

Learner ID / SETA Registration Number

Job / Role Title

Home Language

Gender: Male: Female:

Race: African: Coloured: Indian/Asian: White:

Employment: Permanent: Non-permanent:

Disabled Yes: No:

Date of Birth

ID Number

Contact Telephone Numbers

Email Address

Postal Address

Signature:




TTeerrmmss && CCoonnddiittiioonnss This material was developed with public funding and for that reason this material is available at no charge from the AgriSETA website (www.agriseta.co.za). Users are free to produce and adapt this material to the maximum benefit of the learner. No user is allowed to sell this material whatsoever.

AAcckknnoowwlleeddggeemmeennttss

PPrroojjeecctt MMaannaaggeemmeenntt::

M H Chalken Consulting

IMPETUS Consulting and Skills Development

DDoonnoorrss::

Boland College

AAuutthheennttiiccaattoorr::

Ms D Naidoo

TTeecchhnniiccaall EEddiittiinngg::

Mr R H Meinhardt

OOBBEE FFoorrmmaattttiinngg::

Ms P Prinsloo

DDeessiiggnn::

Didacsa Design SA (Pty) Ltd

LLaayyoouutt::

Ms SA Bredenkamp

MS N Matloa

All qualifications and unit standards registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.

SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD:


SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE

116263 Monitor natural resource management practices

SGB NAME REGISTERING PROVIDER

SGB Primary Agriculture

FIELD SUBFIELD

Field 01 - Agriculture and Nature Conservation Primary Agriculture

ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE

NQF LEVEL CREDITS

Undefined Regular Level 3 4

REGISTRATION STATUS

REGISTRATION START DATE

REGISTRATION END DATE

SAQA DECISION NUMBER

Registered 2004-10-13 2007-10-13 SAQA 0156/04

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD

A learner achieving this unit standard will be able to explain the importance of maintaining and increasing of natural resources. Furthermore, the learner will be able to incorporate this understanding into existing farming activities by monitoring practices to conserve the environment, including natural resources, thereby ensuring optimal use of natural resources on the farm. Competent learners will be conversant with agricultural regulations and aspects of conservation so that environmentally sound agricultural practices will be applied. Learners will gain an understanding of sustainable agricultural practices as applied in the animal-, plant and mixed farming sub fields. This unit standard focuses on the application of natural resource management in primary agriculture. They will be able to participate in, undertake and plan farming practices with knowledge of their environment. This unit standard will instil a culture of maintenance and care for both the environment as well as towards farming infrastructure and operations.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

It is assumed that a learner attempting this unit standard will show competence against the following unit standards or equivalent: • NQF 2: Apply sustainable farming practices to conserve the ecological environment.

UNIT STANDARD RANGE

Whilst range statements have been defined generically to include as wide a set of alternatives as possible, all range statements should be interpreted within the specific context of application. Range statements are neither comprehensive nor necessarily appropriate to all contexts. Alternatives must however be comparable in scope and complexity. These are only as a general guide to scope and complexity of what is required.

UNIT STANDARD OUTCOME HEADER

N/A

Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria:

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1

Know and monitor the occurrence of key types of fauna and flora and their environmental requirements.

OUTCOME RANGE

Fauna and flora include all harmful and useful fauna and flora on the farm and direct vicinity.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

The uses and impacts of animals in different vegetation types are described.


The utilisation patterns of different animals are described.


The effects of farming activities on the habitat of fauna and flora are described.


Decreases and increases of the fauna and flora are recorded.


Suitable solutions to counteract the decreases and increases from a limited range of options are selected.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2

Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of an ecosystem and a food chain.

OUTCOME RANGE

"Ecosystem" includes but is not limited to energy flows, water cycle, climate, soil, fauna, flora and air. "Food chain" is limited to food chain components.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA


Correct and appropriate methods to maintain and balance the ecosystem are selected and applied.


Identified problem areas are communicated to the supervisor.


Preventative measures to avoid degradation of soil and deterioration of vegetation are selected and applied.


The roles of the ecosystem and of food chains are explained.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3

Identify the key fauna and flora types and their sustainable management.

OUTCOME RANGE

All pastures on a farm.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA


An understanding of the wise utilisation of different fauna and flora to the benefit of the farming activities and the environment are demonstrated.


Management techniques are understood and applied.


Rehabilitation methods are described.


The status of the fauna and flora on the farm is monitored, recorded and reported.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4

Identify the different soil categories, the utilisation and maintenance thereof.

OUTCOME RANGE

Soil types are limited to three types occurring on the farm or direct environment.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA


Deterioration in vegetation in relation to the soil condition / degradation is observed and explained.


Signs of soil erosion is observed and reported.


Soil erosion preventative measures are monitored and progress or the lack thereof is reported.


Vegetation species suitable to the soil type that can be used for degraded soil are identified and planted.


Appropriate application of soil conservation structures and methods are monitored.


Rotational farming practices are applied.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 5

Monitor and implement principles of water management.

OUTCOME RANGE

Water management includes but is not limited to rainwater harvesting, catchment methods, protection of wells and fountains, protecting and controlling riverbanks, etc.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA


Maintenance needs of water sources are identified and acted upon.


Cultivars promoting the optimal use of water are identified.


Causes of water pollution are described and methods of water pollution are applied.


Basic methods of water harvesting are described and appropriately applied.


An understanding of the water run-off plan is demonstrated.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 6

Demonstrate a basic understanding of the energy cycle.

OUTCOME RANGE

Limited to the components of the energy cycle.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA


Importance of attitude (position relative to the sun) of plants and animals, and sun interactive cycles are explained.


The conversion of sun energy into food is explained.


The energy cycle is explained.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 7

Read a two dimensional map of the direct vicinity.

OUTCOME RANGE

Limited to basic topography.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA


The significance of contours, slopes, valleys and scale are explained.


Rivers, streams, wetlands, cultivated areas and differing land uses are recognised.


The ability to orientate the map correctly according to the magnetic North Pole is demonstrated.


The boundaries of the local farm unit on the map, and main characteristics are identified.

UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS

The assessment of qualifying learners against this standard should meet the requirements of established assessment principles. It will be necessary to develop assessment activities and tools, which are appropriate to the contexts in which the qualifying learners are working. These activities and tools may include an appropriate combination of self-assessment and peer assessment, formative and summative assessment, portfolios and observations etc. The assessment should ensure that al the specific outcomes; critical cross-field outcomes and essential embedded knowledge are assessed. The specific outcomes must be assessed through observation of performance. Supporting evidence should be used to prove competence of specific outcomes only when they are not clearly seen in the actual performance. Essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in its own right, through oral or written evidence and cannot be assessed only by being observed. The specific outcomes and essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in relation to each other. If a qualifying learner is able to explain the essential embedded knowledge but is unable to perform the specific outcomes, they should not be assessed as competent. Similarly, if a qualifying learner is able to perform the specific outcomes but is unable to explain or justify their performance in terms of the essential embedded knowledge, then they should not be assessed as competent. Evidence of the specified critical cross-field outcomes should be found both in performance and in the essential embedded knowledge.

Performance of specific outcomes must actively affirm target groups of qualifying learners not, unfairly discriminate against them. Qualifying learners should be able to justify their performance in terms of these values. • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA. • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard or assessing this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA. • Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines in the relevant qualification and the agreed ETQA procedures.

UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE

The person is able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of: • Basic fire fighting rules. • Basic principles of natural resources management. • Acts and legislation on "conservation of Agricultural Resources". • OHS Act. • Natural Resource Conservation Act. • Components of the water cycle. • Components of ecosystems. • Components of an energy cycle. • Principles of sustainability. • Classification of fauna and flora relevant to the direct environment. • Alien species relevant to the direct environment. • Three main soil types and characteristics. • Definitions and terminology. • Prevailing climatic conditions of the area. • Sources of water. • Sources of energy (renewable and non renewable). • Basic topography and map reading. • Types of pollution. • Importance of natural resources management.

UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME

N/A

UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES

N/A

Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO):

UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING

Problem solving relates to all specific outcomes.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANIZING

Self-organisation and management relates to all specific outcomes.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING

Information evaluation relates to all specific outcomes.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING

Communication relates to all specific outcomes.

UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA

N/A

UNIT STANDARD NOTES

N/A

All qualifications and unit standards registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this mater

monitor nnatural resource mmaannagement practices

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