The course is designed for biologists who wish to understand the processes by which plants, animals and microorganisms function, the interactions between living organisms and their environment and how factors such as air, soil and water affect life. Such knowledge is fundamental to our understanding of the sensitivity of living organisms to factors such as climate change and increasing human pressures, the conservation of natural communities, and effective management of both natural and managed ecosystems.
Graduates frequently proceed to higher degrees in environmentally related areas.
The School of Biosciences has long-standing interests in both managed and natural ecosystems which are of increasing importance in predicting the likely impact of global environmental change. Not only does human activity increase emissions of CO 2 and other greenhouse gases, produce ozone and sulphur dioxide pollution and cause heavy metal contamination of soils, but agriculture itself has environmental impacts. These include deforestation, erosion, contamination of watercourses and the release of pollutant gases such as methane and nitrous oxide to the air. Expertise in these and other environmentally related areas provides a strong background for the Honours research project. Field trips and visits to relevant research organisations are an integral part of the course.