ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Identify the farm agro ecosystem functions at a systems level

1.1 Identify and map energy flows through a farm agro ecosystem.

1.2 Identify and map nutrient cycles through different parts of a farm ecosystem.

1.3 Identify disturbance points in the farm ecosystem succession.

1.4 Develop a model of the farm ecosystem.

1.5 Identify areas of complexity and simplicity within the farm ecosystem.

1.6 Identify interactions between elements of farm ecosystem.

1.7 Assess health of existing farm ecosystems.

2. Develop plans to enhance farm agro ecosystem

2.1 Identify areas within the agro ecosystem that require enhancement.

2.2 Identify methods that encourage niche development, increase complexity in the farm agro ecosystem and improve interactions between different components of farm agro ecosystem.

2.3 Document the implementation plan.

3. Manage farm agro ecosystems

3.1 Identify and monitor appropriate parts of the ecosystem.

3.2 Set up monitoring system.

3.3 Comply with requirements for monitoring determined by organic standards and legislative.

3.4 Review measured ecosystem and farm production performance with expected performance and adjust plan in response to differences.

Required skills include:

Ability to:

identify ecosystem elements and map energy water and nutrient flows through ecosystems

perform ecosystem monitoring

plan using ecosystem process knowledge

apply ecosystem processes to farm production system

use literacy skills to interpret, analyse and extract information from a range sources such as professional literature, legal documents, discussions and workshops and to converse and liaise with industry contacts, colleagues and family regarding the ecosystem function

use interpersonal techniques to identify, build and use network and support groups

use numeracy skills to estimate and monitor ecosystem processes

use problem-solving skills to enhance farm agro ecosystem.

Required knowledge includes:

Knowledge of:

advantages of ecological agriculture

ecosystem processes, energy flows, nutrient cycles, biological succession, predator/prey relationships, ecological niche

relationships between ecosystems and agricultural production

application of ecosystem processes to a production system.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

A person who demonstrates competency in this Unit must be able to provide evidence that they can manage an Agro-ecology production system

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this Unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this Unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

identify the farm agro ecosystem functions at a systems level

assess the health of existing farm ecosystems

develop plans to enhance farm agro ecosystem

manage and monitor the development of a farm ecosystem

review ecosystem and farm production performance.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

Method of assessment

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the AHC10 Training Package and can be assessed holistically with other Units.

Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of required knowledge.

Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills.

Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access, interpret and apply the required knowledge.

Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process.

Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances.

Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other Units of Competency.

The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate.

Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English.

Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment.

Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role.

Guidance information for assessment

To ensure consistency of performance, competency should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

The range statement relates to the Unit of Competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Energy flows may include:

primary production of the system

imported energy

energy moving to and from production parts of the farm agro system

movement to entropy.

Nutrient cycles may include:

existing nutrients

imported nutrients

movement to and from production parts of the farm agro ecosystem.

Disturbance points

These are points in the ecosystem succession where the ecosystem processes are disturbed and move the system back to the start of the succession. These points may include:

cultivation

heavy or crash grazing

herbicides

fire

slashing

invasion.

Interactions between elements may include:

predator – prey relationships

movement of energy, nutrients water between elements

symbiotic relationships

neutral relationships

one way relationships.

Health of existing farm ecosystems could be measured by:

biodiversity

identifying indicators

niche development.

Methods that encourage niche development may include:

increasing diversity of abiotic elements within a system

increasing biodiversity

increasing energy and nutrient flow through system

poly-cultures

multiple animal/plant relationships

succession as a management tool.

Appropriate parts of the ecosystem may include:

biological diversity

plant succession

water cycle processes

nutrient cycles

energy capture and use

soil health.