This unit is designed for students who are interested in botany and ecology and want to extend their skills and knowledge in a subject area more formally known as plant community ecology. This unit introduces ecological concepts that relate to the description and dynamics of plant communities. This extends to definitions and classification of communities, community description in space and time, disturbance, and succession. Practical work includes methods of sampling and analysis of data, vegetation mapping, and modelling vegetation dynamics. A four-day field excursion will provide the basis of a major project. ECOL511 is based on ECOL311 with additional assessment tasks requiring a greater depth of understanding of the material.