BIOL215-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Exploring Biodiversity: Principles and Methods of Systematics

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

This course takes a broad view of the ways biological diversity can be described and classified, and its origins understood. Systematics is the scientific discipline that encompasses the description, identification, nomenclature, and classification of organisms (Taxonomy) and the reconstruction of their macro-evolutionary history (Phylogenetics). Knowing the identity and evolutionary relationships of organisms is crucial to any biological study, but functional classifications are also important. This course is an introduction to the methodology and principles of systematics across all forms of biodiversity (bacteria, plants, fungi, protists, and animals), from morphological to next-generation DNA-based approaches and including functional methods.

Prerequisites

Recommended Preparation

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 12:00 - 13:00 Psychology - Sociology 252 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 10:00 - 11:00 E14 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Computer Lab A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 12:00 - 15:00 Rehua 008 Computer Lab
8 Sep - 5 Oct
02 Thursday 09:00 - 12:00 Rehua 008 Computer Lab
8 Sep - 5 Oct
Lab A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 12:00 - 15:00 West 436
28 Jul - 24 Aug
Tutorial A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 08:00 - 11:00 Ernest Rutherford 141
21 Jul - 27 Jul
6 Oct - 12 Oct

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Pieter Pelser

Lecturer

Craig Herbold

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Final Exam 35%
Lab Report 1 20%
Lab report 2 20%
Project Presentation 5%
Learn Quizzes 15%
Pre-requisite Knowledge test 5%

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,036.00

International fee $5,188.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Biological Sciences .

All BIOL215 Occurrences

  • BIOL215-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025