NQF Level:
2
US No:
116263
Learner Guide
Primary Agriculture
M o ni t o r N a t u r a l
Re s our ce
M a na g e m e nt
Pr a c t i c e s
My name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Commodity: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Date: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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
2
Unit Standard No: 116263
Before we start…
Dear Learner - This Learner Guide contains all the information to acquire all the
knowledge and skills leading to the unit standard:
Title:
US No:
Monitor Natural Resource Management Practices
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
National Certificate in Animal Production
49048
3
120
National Certificate in Plant Production
49052
3
120
Are you enrolled in a:
Please mark the learning program you
are enrolled in:
Learnership?
Your facilitator should explain the above
concepts to you.
Short Course?
Y
Mark
N
Skills Program?
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.
What is assessment all about?
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.
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Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
3
How to use the activity sheets…
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.
Enjoy this learning experience!
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
4
How to use this guide …
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:
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 shown
in 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.
My Notes …
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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Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
5
What are we going to learn?
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
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
6
What will I be able to do?
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.
Learning Outcomes
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.
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Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
7
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.
What do I need to know?
NQF 2: Apply sustainable farming practices to conserve the ecological environment.
My Notes …
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Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
Session
1
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
8
U n d e r s t a n d i n g f l or a a n d
f a u n a of t h e w or k pl a c e
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 lifesupporting 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.
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Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
9
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.
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Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
10
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.
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
11
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.
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
12
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.
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Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
13
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.
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
14
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.
My Notes …
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Concept
I understand
this concept
SO 1, SO 2, SO 6
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.
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Questions that I still
would like to ask
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
1
NQF Level 3
Read through and answer
the following questions:
These questions need to be
answered on your own.
15
My Name:
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My Workplace:
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My ID Number:
SO 1 AC 1-5
SO 2 AC 1-4
SO 6 AC 1-3
1.
Unit Standard No: 116263
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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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Facilitator comments:
Assessment:
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
Session
2
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
16
T h e r e l a t i on s h i p b e t w e e n
s oi l s a n d f l or a a n d f a u n a
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.
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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.
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STRUCTURE
SIZE (mm)
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APPEARANCE
DESCRIPTION
Unit Standard No: 116263
SOIL
HORIZON &
SOIL TYPE
18
AGRICULTURAL 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.
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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 Ahorizon 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
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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.
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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.
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Factors that influence soil formation many processes are involved in soil
formation, but the variations in, and relationships between, several main soilforming 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
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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).
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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 socalled 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 heathland 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.
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Unit Standard No: 116263
26
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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Please complete
Activity 2 at the
end of this
session.
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
27
My Notes …
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..........................................
................
Concept
I understand
this concept
SO 3, SO 4, SO 5
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.
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still would like to
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2
NQF Level 3
Read through and answer
the following questions:
These questions need to be
answered on your own.
28
My Name:
..................
My Workplace:
..................
My ID Number:
SO 3, 4 & 5
1.
Unit Standard No: 116263
...................
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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Facilitator comments:
Assessment:
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Session
3
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
29
U nde r s t a ndi ng a t w o
d i m e n s i on a l m a p
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.
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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.
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
Version: 01
NQF Level 3
Version Date: July 2006
Unit Standard No: 116263
31
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
Version: 01
NQF Level 3
Version Date: July 2006
Unit Standard No: 116263
32
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
33
My Notes …
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Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
Please complete
Activity 3 at the
end of this
session.
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
34
My Notes …
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................
Concept (SO 7)
I understand
this concept
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.
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Questions that I still would
like to ask
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
3
NQF Level 3
Read through and answer
the following questions:
35
My Name:
..................
My Workplace:
..................
My ID Number:
SO 7
1.
Unit Standard No: 116263
...................
Read a two dimensional map of the direct vicinity.
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Facilitator comments:
Assessment:
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
36
Glossary
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 reincorporated 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.
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
37
Am I ready for my test?
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.
2.
I am sure of this and understand it well
I am unsure of this and need to ask the Facilitator or Assessor to explain what it means
Questions
1. I am sure
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.
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
2. I am unsure
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
38
Checklist for practical assessment …
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.
Answer
Yes or No
Observations
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.
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
39
Paperwork to be done …
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:
Employment:
Permanent:
Non-permanent:
Disabled
Yes:
No:
Coloured:
Indian/Asian:
Date of Birth
ID Number
Contact Telephone
Numbers
Email Address
Signature:
Postal Address
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
White:
Monitor natural resource management practices
Primary Agriculture
NQF Level 3
Unit Standard No: 116263
40
Terms & Conditions
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.
Acknowledgements
Project Management:
M H Chalken Consulting
IMPETUS Consulting and Skills Development
Donors:
Boland College
Authenticator:
Ms D Naidoo
Technical Editing:
Mr R H Meinhardt
OBE Formatting:
Ms P Prinsloo
Design:
Didacsa Design SA (Pty) Ltd
Layout:
Ms SA Bredenkamp
MS N Matloa
Version: 01
Version Date: July 2006
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:
Monitor natural resource management practices
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.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
The utilisation patterns of different animals are described.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
The effects of farming activities on the habitat of fauna and flora are described.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4
Decreases and increases of the fauna and flora are recorded.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5
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
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
Correct and appropriate methods to maintain and balance the ecosystem are selected and
applied.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
Identified problem areas are communicated to the supervisor.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
Preventative measures to avoid degradation of soil and deterioration of vegetation are
selected and applied.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4
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
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
An understanding of the wise utilisation of different fauna and flora to the benefit of the
farming activities and the environment are demonstrated.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
Management techniques are understood and applied.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
Rehabilitation methods are described.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4
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
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
Deterioration in vegetation in relation to the soil condition / degradation is observed and
explained.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
Signs of soil erosion is observed and reported.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
Soil erosion preventative measures are monitored and progress or the lack thereof is
reported.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4
Vegetation species suitable to the soil type that can be used for degraded soil are identified
and planted.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5
Appropriate application of soil conservation structures and methods are monitored.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6
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
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
Maintenance needs of water sources are identified and acted upon.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
Cultivars promoting the optimal use of water are identified.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
Causes of water pollution are described and methods of water pollution are applied.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4
Basic methods of water harvesting are described and appropriately applied.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5
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
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
Importance of attitude (position relative to the sun) of plants and animals, and sun
interactive cycles are explained.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
The conversion of sun energy into food is explained.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
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
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
The significance of contours, slopes, valleys and scale are explained.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
Rivers, streams, wetlands, cultivated areas and differing land uses are recognised.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
The ability to orientate the map correctly according to the magnetic North Pole is
demonstrated.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4
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