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| Biological Sciences |
What is Animal Behaviour?
Animal Behaviour is the study of patterns of behaviour in animals, including humans, and of how the behaviour of individuals helps to determine the density and distribution of populations.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
What is Animal Physiology?
Animal physiology looks at the principles behind how animals function. How does a muscle contract? How does a bat fly? How does a butterfly smell its mate? How does a cow turn grass into milk? And why does your blood pressure rise, your hands become sweaty and your pupils dilate under certain circumstances?
Physiologists record electrical activity in nerves and muscles and the eye, measure digestive secretions and movements, determine blood pressure and respiratory rates, and assess endocrine function. These studies help our understanding of how the body regulates and co-ordinates its activities, responds to stress, and adjusts to varying environments.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
What are Antarctic Ecosystems?
There are two major ecosystems in Antarctica. Perhaps the best
known, and perhaps the most extreme in the world, is the extreme
terrestrial system with the extensive snow and glaciers and a very small
amount of bare land. The land is permanently inhabited only by
mosses, lichens, algae and microscopic animals with the largest being
insects, - springtails. The largest ice-free area in Antarctica is
the Dry Valley's near Ross Island, possibly the driest place in the world.
The second major ecosystem is the sea, one of the more productive seas
in the world because of the algae that lie under the extensive sea ice and
provide food for the krill, fish, seals and whales. The sea ice
grows by 18000000 square kilometres each winter, twice the area of the
United States. The environment under the ice is one of the most
stable in the world and changes in temperature by only a few tenths of a
degree throughout the year. Linking these two environments are the
seals and penguins that breed on ice-free coastal sites in the summer
months and transfer nutrients from the sea to the land.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
What is Biochemistry?
Biochemistry is the explanation of life in
molecular terms. Life can be considered to be a range of complex
interactions between molecules. Biochemistry is the study of
proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids which are the
fundamental molecules of life. Biochemists try to understand the
characteristics of these molecules and how they interact in living
organisms. Such studies are fundamental to all of biology.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
What is Botany?
Botany is the study of all aspects of plants. Botany encompasses the structure of plants from simple
mosses to trees. The evolution of plants, how they are organised into communities
and how they function and reproduce. It includes ecosystem level functioning, and both conservation and exploitation management. Plants are important because they effectively provide the energy supply for all communities on Earth.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
What is Cell and Molecular Biology?
Cell and Molecular Biology is the study of the machinery by which cells and
whole organisms function. It involves combining Genetics, Biochemistry and
Cell Biology in order to elucidate how the information in genes can result in
the production of proteins that can control the metabolic reactions in cells and
the growth and development of all living organisms. As well as revolutionising
fundamental biology, many findings in cell and molecular biology have important
applications in medicine, biotechnology, conservation biology and forensics.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
What are Freshwater Ecosystems?
Freshwater ecosystems are the inland waters of the world, including lakes,
rivers, streams and wetlands. The study of freshwater ecosystems includes
investigations of their physical and chemical structure, the plant, animal and
microbial populations that comprise them, and the interactions among these
components. Freshwater ecosystem studies include the conservation and
management of freshwater resources, as well as the structure and function of the
communities.
Staff involved in this area include:
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| Biological Sciences |
What is Genetics?
Genetics is literally, "the study of heredity". In the past,
geneticists studied mutation, selection and evolution in microbes, plants
and animals. These days they also indulge in "genomics" which
makes use of computers and large databases of DNA and protein information
to research both genes and gene function. Genetic variation can be
applied to the study of populations, for conservation, and to
reconstructing evolutionary relationships.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
What are Marine Ecosystems?
Marine Ecosystems examines the distribution and abundance
of marine organisms, and how these organisms carry out basic functions such as
feeding, metabolism, and reproduction in the marine environment. This knowledge
leads to understanding of the processes and factors controlling populations,
which is critical to their conservation and sustainable management.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
What is Microbiology?
Microbiology is the study of micro-organisms; how we can identify and culture
them, how they live, how some infect and cause disease in plants and animals and
how we can make use of their activities. Micro-organisms are crucial to
ecosystem functioning. Microbiologists work typically with bacteria and
fungi. Microbiology is an important component in Biotechnology.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Research Areas |
What is Science Education?
Science Education research involves the study of the teaching and learning of
science. Members of the department are currently researching in the areas
of biology education and environmental education, at tertiary, secondary and
primary education levels. They are also studying student understanding of
the nature of science, particularly with reference to evolution and cell
biology.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
What are Terrestrial Ecosystems?
Terrestrial
ecology is the study of the interactions between organisms and their
environment. For example, ecologists may document environmental changes,
such as deforestation, and observe the consequences for animals that are
adapted to forest life and can live no-where else, such as the native
long-tailed bat. Where communities have been damaged, applied ecologists
study ways to restore what was lost, such as transferring birds to new,
predator-free homes.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
Thermophiles...
Historically, the Thermophile Research Unit was set up to study the
micro-organisms that lived in hot pools and other thermal environments. It
now encompasses organisms living in all environmental extremes (heat,
cold, low and high pH, high salt etc). The aims are to study the
diversity of organisms in these environments and their molecular
adaptations to the environmental extreme. Underlying features of protein
stability, enzyme activity membrane function for example are more easily
understood by studying examples covering a broad spectrum of environmental
range. Our collections of organisms, genes and enzymes from extreme
environments is also an attractive resource to screen for activities of
use in biotechnology.
Staff involved in this area include:
| Biological Sciences |
What is Zoology?
Zoology is the study of animals - their taxonomy, structure, physiology, development,
behaviour, ecology and evolution.
Staff involved in this area include:
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