Module manager: Professor Peter Urwin
Email: p.e.urwin@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
This module is approved as a discovery module
This module is approved as a skills discovery module
Ensuring food security for the world’s growing population is an urgent priority. Developing nations require scientific investment to ensure they can provide for the most basic need of their people. Delivering food security in the future is set to become even more challenging as climate change is already impacting most heavily on those poorer nations. In this module we look at both crop and animal production systems. We review the evolution of farming biodiversity, the challenges we face in maximising production whilst safeguarding the environment.
To increase understanding of fundamental biology that underpins crop and animal production.
Appreciate the needs of subsistence farmers in developing nations and the challenges they face.
- Practical. Disrupting hormones and determining the effect on seed production.
- Practical. Investigating the effect of common plant compounds on pathogens.
- Practical. Determining the effects of GM on target and non-target pests.
The practical together with some lecture material will furnish students with the ability to understanding experimental design and critically evaluate data. It will develop generic skills such as presentation ability and problem-solving.
On completion of this module, student should be able to;
- Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and information relevant to sustainable food production;
- Demonstrate practical competencies relevant to and appreciation of agronomic practices;
- Use a range of techniques to initiate and undertake the analysis of data and information;
- Effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms;
- Qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment related to biology;
- Skills necessary for the exercising of personal responsibility;
- Decision making.
The practicals together with some lecture material will furnish students with the ability to understanding experimental design and critically evaluate data. It will develop generic skills such as presentation ability and problem-solving.
- Social consequence of food insecurity in the world
- Domestication of animals and plants.
- Approaches used to improve plant and animal production.
- Genetics responsible in desired phenotypes.
- Impacts on farming on the environment
- Use of animals to maximise returns from non-productive land
- Organic and intensive farming systems
- Animal welfare
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visit | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Lecture | 17 | 1 | 17 |
| Practical | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Private study hours | 77 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 23 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 100 | ||
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| In-course Assessment | As advised by the academic leading the coursework. | 40 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 40 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Online Time-Limited assessment | 2.0 Hrs 0 Mins | 60 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 60 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 4/29/2024
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team