An exploration of terrestrial arthropods focusing on their diversity, evolution, ecology and their implications for biosecurity. Topics covered in seminars include (1) zoogeography and evolution: understanding the driving forces behind speciation, (2) ecology: investigating the critical roles of insects in ecosystems such as pollination, (3) insect biosecurity: evaluating the stages of invasion biology from dispersal, establishment, spread and impact; (4) arthropods as bioindicators; (5) arachnids of Aotearoa; (6) whanaungatanga (understanding a worldview), and (7) conservation of terrestrial arthropods.
Even though the main focus is insects, students who are interested in any terrestrial arthropod group are welcome to join this course.
This course provides an opportunity to review a wide range of entomology literature. Students will be provided a basic reading list for each seminar, but are expected to find related literature to broaden their understanding. It is very important that all students complete the assigned reading and come prepared to present their ideas and discuss the topic. Marks are allocated for participation in these discussions. The review assignment allows you to focus on a specific entomology topic that interests you, and, with individual mentoring by staff, synthesize and critique the literature in order to produce a publication quality review. Key aims of the course are to develop your critical thinking and your communication skills. These are skills highly valued by employers and will also be valuable if you continue in further postgraduate study.
For students who have not taken any entomology at undergraduate level, it is possible to successfully complete this course, but you will need to undertake some extra reading to become familiar with the basics. Recommended reading before the course for non-entomologists (or those wanting a refresher) is the textbook Gullan, P. and Cranston, P. "The Insects: An Outline of Entomology" Chapter 1 and the Taxoboxes p493-525 (any edition, but page numbers are for 5th edition - there are multiple copies in UoA library)