Sustainable Climate Systems – Bachelor of Science

Students will apply disciplinary literacies developed in prior courses to examine recent efforts in climate science research. Scientific literature will be examined to identify contemporary approaches and methods in use to observe, interpret and mitigate the effects of climate change. Students will further develop their digital literacies, critical thinking skills and scaffold their disciplinary knowledges to wicked problem solving in the context of sustainable climate systems.

Prerequisites: 246100, and at least two 200 level science courses offered in schedule B within the Bachelor of Science being: • 1172xx • 1192xx • 1202xx • 1212xx • 1222xx • 1232xx • 1512xx • 1592xx • 1602xx • 1612xx • 1622xx • 1752xx • 1892xx • 1942xx • 1962xx • 1992xx • 2032xx • 2142xx • 2332xx • 2342xx • 2832xx • 2842xx • 2972xx

A practical course focusing on ‘hands-on’ skills to develop proficiency with important tools, techniques and technologies used to monitor the environment and capture data to explore the dynamics of Earth systems. Analysis, interpretation, and application of field data to real world environmental management scenarios forms an important part of the course.

Determining the structure of matter and how much of it is present is the focus of analytical chemistry. In this course we introduce the chemical and physical principles that underpin modern analytical chemistry methods and illustrate how analytical chemistry plays a key role in fields such as forensic and environmental science. You will obtain hands-on experience with modern analytical instrumentation in the laboratory and use skills in handling chemicals and data analysis to solve problems in analytical chemistry. We develop skills in error analysis and scientific writing.

Prerequisites: One of 123101 or 123102 or 123104 or 123105 or 123171 or 123172 Restrictions: 123204, 123206

Biology, psychology, and other sciences require statistical methods for analysing and visualising data. This course is designed to be accessible to students from any discipline, first building a deeper understanding of fundamental statistical concepts, then teaching a range of practical approaches for exploring statistical relationships, testing hypotheses, evaluating models, and presenting conclusions.

Prerequisites: 1611xx or 297101 Restrictions: 161220

Developing understanding of the important drivers underpinning New Zealand’s livestock and companion animal industries and how these can be altered to achieve the desired outcomes. Knowledge will be gained on the major animal welfare and environmental issues facing New Zealand agriculture and how these might be mitigated against.

Prerequisites: One of 117152, 117153, 117155, 194101, 199101, or 199103

An exploration of scientific principles underpinning animal husbandry practices. Emphasis will be on examining biological systems in relevant animals, how they are purposely or inadvertently manipulated, and the impact of these manipulations on production, welfare, and the environment.

Prerequisites: One of 117152, 117153, 117155, 194101, 199101 or 199103

Application of decision tools for farm systems analysis at the tactical level. Analytical frameworks to assist decision-making in finance, human resources, production and marketing.

Prerequisites: 119180 or 117155

This course examines developmental and physiological responses that enable plants to cope with a changing environment and that occur daily, seasonally and over longer timescales; e.g. global climate change. Major topics include plant responses to light, carbon dioxide levels, mineral nutrition and abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought and pests. Emphasis is on mechanisms by which changes in the environment are perceived, signalling processes that are induced, and cellular and developmental changes that help the plant cope with the changed environment.

Prerequisites: 120101

Plants as sources of food and beverage, medicine, fibres and dyes, with emphasis on their origin, domestication and the role of plant breeding to improve plants for human use. The physiological effects of active plant compounds on the body. The cultural and geographic origins of commercially important plants.

A practical course focusing on ‘hands-on’ skills to develop proficiency with important tools, techniques and technologies used to monitor the environment and capture data to explore the dynamics of Earth systems. Analysis, interpretation, and application of field data to real world environmental management scenarios forms an important part of the course.

How river catchments work and how they are affected by human activity. The environmental effects of land and water management practices, including land use, irrigation, drainage and nutrient loss, on river channels, flows and water quality, framed within an understanding of catchment geomorphology and hydrological processes.

Prerequisites: (189151 OR 145111) AND (233105 OR 117153 OR 199103) Restrictions: 145222

Molecular processes are inherently random and yet we can meaningfully predict the yield or the rate of a chemical reaction. In this course we discover that this apparent paradox is explained by the idea that although single molecules behave randomly, large numbers of molecules and atoms do behave in a predictable manner. We develop the principles of thermodynamics and kinetics from this idea and apply these principles to physical, chemical, biochemical and industrial processes. The lab course focuses on broadly applicable skills in measurement, analysing and presenting physical chemistry data, understanding sources of uncertainty in physical measurements and written communication skills.

Prerequisites: One of (123102, 123105, 124104 or 123172) and one of (160101, 160102, 160105, 160132 or 160133)

The world is built up from molecules. Viewing systems - from the human body to the newest satellite - as composites of molecules is a powerful approach to understanding the world. In this course we will deconstruct seemingly complex systems into their simpler molecular components. We will understand their structures and develop ways they can be synthesized from the ground up. This is a lab course focussed on making molecules which will build synthetic skills.

Prerequisites: One of (123101 or 123104 or 123171) AND one of (123102 or 123105 or 123172) Restrictions: 123202, 123203

Determining the structure of matter and how much of it is present is the focus of analytical chemistry. In this course we introduce the chemical and physical principles that underpin modern analytical chemistry methods and illustrate how analytical chemistry plays a key role in fields such as forensic and environmental science. You will obtain hands-on experience with modern analytical instrumentation in the laboratory and use skills in handling chemicals and data analysis to solve problems in analytical chemistry. We develop skills in error analysis and scientific writing.

Prerequisites: One of 123101 or 123102 or 123104 or 123105 or 123171 or 123172 Restrictions: 123204, 123206

The chemistry of materials under-pins all chemical processing industries. This course facilitates a fundamental understanding of aqueous solutions, organic, inorganic and polymer chemistry relevant to material science, including soft materials such as gels and colloids. The laboratory training develops skills in a range of synthesis, separation and analysis techniques relevant to materials chemistry.

Prerequisites: (123101, 123104 or 123171) and (123102, 123105 or 123172)

An introduction to the analysis and implementation of algorithms and data structures including linear data structures, trees, graphs, hash tables, searching algorithms, sorting algorithms, optimization problems and complexity analysis. The course includes a significant practical component covering the implementation and application of important data structures and algorithms.

Prerequisites: 159102 Restrictions: 159271

An intermediate level course in the analytical and numerical study of ordinary differential equations, with an emphasis on their applications to the real world. Exact solution methods for ordinary differential equations. Systems of differential equations, matrix methods, phase plane techniques. Applications of differential equations. Numerical methods for differential equations.

Prerequisites: 160101 or 160112 or 160133 or 228172

Vector spaces, linear transformation, matrix representation, inner product spaces, isometries, least squares, generalised inverse, eigen theory, quadratic forms, norms, numerical methods.

Prerequisites: 160102, 160112, 160133 or 228172

Biology, psychology, and other sciences require statistical methods for analysing and visualising data. This course is designed to be accessible to students from any discipline, first building a deeper understanding of fundamental statistical concepts, then teaching a range of practical approaches for exploring statistical relationships, testing hypotheses, evaluating models, and presenting conclusions.

Prerequisites: 1611xx or 297101 Restrictions: 161220

Structure and metabolism of bacteria and their relation to the environment. Bacterial genetics. Eukaryote microbes - structure, physiology and genetics. Life cycle of viruses. Practical training in the manipulation of micro-organisms.

Prerequisites: 162101 or 123104

This course examines the influence of soil factors on plant nutrient cycling in agricultural production systems. The composition, properties and uses of fertilisers to improve soil fertility and the associated environmental issues arising from soil water relationships and interactions with plant nutrients. Methods for measuring nutrient levels in soils will also be covered.

Prerequisites: 189151

An introduction to the biodiversity of New Zealand in a world context. This course considers the origins and relationships of New Zealand biota, species’ distributions, adaptive features, behaviours and ecology, along with a consideration of characteristic New Zealand ecosystems. Practicals include compulsory field work.

Prerequisites: One of 196101, 199103, or 120101 Restrictions: 199206

Terrestrial ecology and the application to conservation biology, including evolutionary ecology, population biology, species interactions, community, ecosystem and landscape ecology. New Zealand and overseas case studies are considered throughout the course. An analytical approach is taken in the field trips and laboratory work including the use of statistics to test ecological hypotheses and to identify patterns in plant and animal distributions. There is one compulsory weekend field trip.

Prerequisites: 1611xx and one of (196101 or 199101 or 199103 or 120101 or 121103) Restrictions: 196206

Understanding the processes and patterns of evolution is central to developing insight into questions of how and why in biology. This course introduces students to the core concepts in evolution, including the geological, biological, phylogenetic and rational evidence for evolution by common descent. Core concepts - including the origins of genetic and phenotypic variation, and micro and macro-evolutionary processes and patterns - will be reinforced and explored in the lab via computer-based simulations and real evolution experiments with digital organisms. Students will be introduced to current theories of human evolution and topics of special interest including the evolution of cooperation and conflict; game theory; the origin of sex; and microbial experimental evolution. Theory will be illustrated, where appropriate, with examples from New Zealand’s native species.

Prerequisites: 162101 and (123103 or 123104) Restrictions: 196207

An exploration of the diversity and origins of fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, and other chordate animals. Form, function and evolutionary drivers of body systems in vertebrate animals are examined, especially in practical work. Evidence for evolution is emphasised in comparative anatomy laboratories. Applications of vertebrate zoology knowledge for wildlife conservation and natural history research are highlighted.

Prerequisites: 196101 and (199101 or 199103)

This fundamental course for the biological sciences explores the genetic principles and evolutionary processes important for understanding the relationships among genetic diversity, phenotype variation, and biological evolution. Topics include sources of molecular genetic variation, the genetic basis of traits with simple and complex patterns of inheritance, evolutionary mechanisms and patterns, and molecular evolution.

Prerequisites: 162101 Restrictions: 203202 and 203212

This course explores the materials that make up planet Earth, and the processes integral to their genesis and distribution. The course covers the principles of stratigraphy and sedimentation, the processes and products of tectonics, and how mineralogy is key to understanding processes operating on Earth.

Prerequisites: 233105 or 189151

Introduction to handling and analysis of digital geospatial data. Operation of GIS software, including collection, processing and understanding of data, production of maps and geospatial projection systems. Integration of spatial statistical software with GIS. Introduction to appropriate spatial statistics techniques including kernel smoothing, kriging, point processes and spatially correlated areal data.

Prerequisites: 161111 or 161122 or 297101 Restrictions: 233251, 233301

This course will explore common Te Ao Māori values associated with Māori environmental management and provide practical experiences with assessing and monitoring our unique environments from a Māori and Iwi perspective. Students will be provided with opportunities to understand the holistic nature of Māori cultural concepts and engage with cutting edge Pūtaiao experiences.

An industry focused course in microbiology with particular reference to the importance of microorganisms and their application in selected industries. This programme of study examines the growth and control of industrially important microorganisms, the role of microbes in the production of food products, their application in both waste treatment and in industrial fermentation, and the role of microbes in the health sector. A laboratory course.

Prerequisites: (123101 or 123104 or 123171) and (123102 or 123105 or 123172 or 122102) Restrictions: 162212, 162214

This course extends the concepts of the conservation and transport of heat and mass and thermodynamics in processing systems, the material and system properties that affect these processes and the sourcing or prediction of appropriate material and system data. Unit operations in food or chemical processing industries will be used to demonstrate the application of these principles. A practical course.

Prerequisites: (124104, 160102 and 228115) OR (124172 and 228172)

The husbandry of agricultural plants and the management of plant communities at the farm level. Topics include balancing pasture growth and animal demand, pasture assessment, pasture establishment, cash crops, growth and utilisation of forage crops and control of weeds and pests.

Prerequisites: 120101 or 119120 or 117155

An interdisciplinary study of the major vegetable and fruit production systems in NZ, and overseas. Different systems and subsystems will be analysed, using indicators including productivity, quality, profitability and sustainability.

Prerequisites: 119281 Restrictions: 119258

In this course, students will experience a capstone work-integrated learning opportunity to engage with external partners from industry, commercial and governmental departments in multidisciplinary teams to grapple with wicked challenges, and use their discipline knowledge, critical and creative thinking to undertake a project, with mentoring from external partners, adjunct and academic mentors, to develop advanced professional skills, preparing them for employment after their degree.

Prerequisites: 246200, and at least two 300 level science courses offered in schedule B within the Bachelor of Science being: • 1173xx • 1193xx • 1203xx • 1213xx • 1223xx • 1233xx • 1413xx • 1513xx • 1583xx • 1593xx • 1603xx • 1613xx • 1623xx • 1753xx • 1883xx • 1943xx • 1963xx • 1993xx • 2033xx • 2333xx • 2343xx • 2833xx • 2843xx • 2973xx

A consideration of technology and innovation that can be used to measure, manage and mitigate environmental risks to soil and water. Theory and practical exercises based on New Zealand case studies equip students with numerical skills necessary to monitor and evaluate environmental quality. A student-led project allows in-depth study of a New Zealand environmental issue of particular relevance to community.

Prerequisites: 121210 Restrictions: 121211

We will discuss and analyse the grand challenges and breakthroughs of modern chemistry. This discussion will lead to an understanding of how and why chemistry is central to the most pressing global challenges. Topical questions will vary from year to year. You will learn how to critically evaluate sources of scientific information and present scientific and chemical concepts using different media and to a variety of audiences.

Prerequisites: One of (123101, 123102, 123104, 123105, 123171, 123172) and one of (247111, 247112, 247113, 247114)

A practical approach to data mining with large volumes of complex data; prepare, cleanse and visualise data; supervised and unsupervised modelling; ensemble and bundling techniques; use of leading software tools.

Prerequisites: One of 161122, 297101, 161220, 161221, 161250 or 161251 Restrictions: 161223 and 161777

Exploration of animal welfare as one of the various factors that influence our use of, and interactions with, animals. Integration of legal, scientific, ethical and practical considerations for making real-world improvements in animal welfare. Emphasis on student interaction with various stakeholders to define real-world animal welfare problems and explore solutions.

Understanding animal welfare is important to optimise animals’ health and productivity, to improve their quality of life and to safeguard the reputation of New Zealand’s animal production industries. This course explores how measurements of animal behaviour and physiology can be used to understand mental experiences such as pain, breathlessness, thirst, nausea and fear and thus the welfare states of domestic animals. These concepts will be applied to enable students to construct robust strategies for practical assessment of animal welfare in various production systems.

Prerequisites: Two of 194241, 194242, 194243 or 199203 Restrictions: 194343

The impacts of breeding, nutrition, reproduction and lactation in New Zealand animal production. A modularised course requiring students to select three topics from dairy cattle production, animal, fish & insect protein production, sheep production, pig & poultry production, beef cattle production and the working dog.

Prerequisites: One of 117201, 117202 or 117254

The critical evaluation of specific aspects of breeding, nutrition, reproduction, lactation, meat/growth and health on animal production and the design and development of improved production systems, focusing on the underlying science.

Prerequisites: 117201 or 117202 or 117254

Traditional and modern methods by which plants can be modified to provide new genetic material for use in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and industry. This course links basic and applied science and focuses on how natural and induced genetic variation can be harnessed for human use. Emphasis is on the dramatic progress being made in plant breeding, QTL analysis, marker-assisted selection, tissue culture and recombinant DNA technology. The course includes discussion of environmental, ethical and regulatory issues.

Prerequisites: 203210 or 284201 Restrictions: 120304

A consideration of technology and innovation that can be used to measure, manage and mitigate environmental risks to soil and water. Theory and practical exercises based on New Zealand case studies equip students with numerical skills necessary to monitor and evaluate environmental quality. A student-led project allows in-depth study of a New Zealand environmental issue of particular relevance to community.

Prerequisites: 121210 Restrictions: 121211

The course explores gene regulation in eukaryotes from nuclear organisation to cytosolic control, with a focus on animals and humans. The molecular mechanisms of transcription within a chromatin environment will be discussed, along with the role of RNA processing and post-transcriptional regulation in gene expression, and their importance to health and disease. A lecture and problem-based tutorial course complemented by a hands-on laboratory project undertaking experimental methods used to study gene expression.

Prerequisites: 122202 or 122233 or 122231 or 203240 or 203211 or 203300 or 203310

We will discuss and analyse the grand challenges and breakthroughs of modern chemistry. This discussion will lead to an understanding of how and why chemistry is central to the most pressing global challenges. Topical questions will vary from year to year. You will learn how to critically evaluate sources of scientific information and present scientific and chemical concepts using different media and to a variety of audiences.

Prerequisites: One of (123101, 123102, 123104, 123105, 123171, 123172) and one of (247111, 247112, 247113, 247114)

This course focuses on the structure, properties and reactivity of inorganic compounds with a particular focus on transition metal complexes. The laboratory training develops expertise in a broad range of experimental techniques that relate to inorganic chemistry.

Prerequisites: 123207 and 123208 Restrictions: 123313

Knowledge of remote and proximal sensing, and precision livestock techniques to provide information to mitigate environmental impacts under intensive farm production systems. Consideration of issues of resource use, optimization of farm production and environmental performance of primary industries.

A project-based course aimed at providing the skills and knowledge to select appropriate food processing, storage and testing methods necessary to understand the growth and control of microorganisms to ensure food safety and quality. Specific components of food analysis and risk assessment will be applied to develop analytical and problem solving skills in an industry relevant scenario.

Prerequisites: One of 280201,141222, 162212 or 162214

Nutrient recommendations, nutrition and disease, New Zealand diet, functional foods, food choice, ethical and legal aspects of the food industry response in relation to nutrition claims and concerns.

Prerequisites: 123271 Restrictions: 141458

A practical approach to the physical, chemical, biochemical and functional properties of major and minor food constituents (water, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals, pigments, flavours, toxins) and food groups (dairy, meat, eggs and plants). Chemical and biochemical reactions causing deterioration in foods and some methods of control. A laboratory course.

Prerequisites: 123271 and 123201 Restrictions: 151231

An advanced study of the principles and techniques used in developing Artificial Intelligence applications. The course includes the implementation and application of a range of AI methods including state-space representation and search, knowledge representation, constraint satisfaction, game playing, logic systems and machine learning.

Prerequisites: 159201 or 159234 Restrictions: 159372

This course covers the ideas underlying statistical modelling, its implementation through computational methods, and links to practical applications. Topics include probability and random variables, models for discrete and continuous data, model selection, model fitting and goodness of fit, model inference, and introduction to stochastic processes.

Prerequisites: (160101 or 160102 or 160105) and (161250 or 161251 or 161220 or 161221)

A practical approach to data mining with large volumes of complex data; prepare, cleanse and visualise data; supervised and unsupervised modelling; ensemble and bundling techniques; use of leading software tools.

Prerequisites: One of 161122, 297101, 161220, 161221, 161250 or 161251 Restrictions: 161223 and 161777

This course examines farm physical resources, nutrient management and budgeting and contaminant loss processes in the context of Te Mana o te Wai. Students will integrate their knowledge to produce a freshwater Farm Environment Plan which identifies soil, pathogen, nutrient and greenhouse gas loss pathways on multiple land uses and justifies mitigation practices which are appropriate for the farm system and to protect freshwater.

Prerequisites: 189251 or 121213

The principles and practice of conservation and management of populations. Ecological principles are applied to the sustainable use of natural resources including conservation of threatened species and fisheries management. The practical component includes statistical analysis and modelling. There is a compulsory field trip day.

Prerequisites: 196205

This course explores the application and analysis of molecular markers to address questions within basic and applied ecology. The diversity of genetic techniques, metrics, and analyses used in molecular ecology will be demonstrated. Examples will address how molecular approaches can be applied to gain insights into ecology, demography, behaviour, biodiversity, and conservation.

Prerequisites: One of 196207, 196217, 203210 or 203212 Restrictions: 199317

The physiological mechanisms that enable invertebrate and vertebrate animals to live in changing environments.

Prerequisites: 194241 or 194242 or 199212 or 194243 Restrictions: 194345

This advanced course focuses on the practical computational skills needed to extract biological information from the genome and associated ‘omics systems, including transcriptomes, metagenomes and comparative genomics. Delivered via tutorials and hands-on activities, the course is assessed solely through practical assignments and spans topics including the dynamic nature of the genome through to sequence analysis, curation, annotation and data visualization. This introduction to computational analysis is geared towards biologists and assumes no previous knowledge or familiarity with computational methods.

Prerequisites: 162101 Restrictions: 203328 and 203341

This course will delve into an in-depth analysis of the generation and occurrence of natural hazards, their impacts, and effective risk management strategies. This course also includes the consideration of how climate change is modifying natural events. Students will explore and analyse natural hazards and climate change that impact our environment and future global risk reduction and sustainability initiatives with a focus on creating solutions that mitigate the impact of hazards on society.

This course will focus on analysing recent climate reconstructions to gain insights into our current environment and to predict future changes. Understanding these trends is crucial for effective climate adaptation in environmental management. The course will delve into the investigation and reconstruction of past environments across diverse geological time frames and settings.

Principles and applications of Earth observation, remote sensing and spectroscopy in earth and environmental sciences. Spatial mapping and image classification of imagery from a variety of Earth observation and airborne sensors and other observations that contribute to monitoring terrestrial environments. Students will learn how to access, interpret and utilise such satellite and airborne imagery.

Prerequisites: 233214 Restrictions: 233301

The application of engineering principles to operations used in the food or chemical processing industries. Operations such as evaporation, drying , membrane technologies, refrigeration and process cooling systems will be used as examples of how the underlying principles of thermodynamics, conservation and transport of heat, mass and momentum can be used to select, design and optimise industrial processes.

Prerequisites: 280271 and 280272 Restrictions: 280391

The practical application of pasture production and grazing management principles to grazing systems. An introduction to sward dynamics and the herbage factors influencing both the productivity and utilisation of grazed pastures.

Prerequisites: 283201

This course offers students modules covering different aspects of agronomy from which they need to select two. Modules: Weed control, farm forestry, seed technology and crop production. Each module runs for 6 weeks and includes laboratory or field work.

Prerequisites: 119120

Physiological and applied aspects of monitoring, predicting and manipulating crop growth and development in production horticulture in order to optimize yield, quality and timeliness. Prediction of crop growth and development in response to changes in the environment and the associated decisions made by growers.

Prerequisites: 284201

The role of crop architecture and the modification of the aerial environment for optimising yield and pre-harvest product quality, as well as the factors affecting quality and shelf life of horticultural commodities through the handling chain.

Prerequisites: 120217 or 284201