We need to decrease greenhouse gas emissions from Aotearoa and this course will focus on the emissions from land, the processes that control emissions, and conclude by determining possible mitigation strategies.

The exchange of water, energy, and trace gases between the atmosphere and terrestrial biosphere also underpin the productivity of the land for both agricultural and native ecosystems. These exchanges are also key for controlling greenhouse gas emissions and sustaining global carbon stocks in soil and biomass.

This course will examine the processes and controlling factors of these exchanges at different scales, major methodologies used for their quantification, and possible approaches for mitigating emisisons while maintaining agricultural production.

This paper will comprise a series of lectures supported by provided readings (generally weekly). Students will also make oral presentations of peer-reviewed literature either provided in class or that they have found. Lectures slots are 2 hours but are generally complete within 1.5 h providing an opportunity for follow up questions in the remainder of each lecture slot.

Learning will be re-enforced through a laboratory or data analysis experiment that will require individual student reports. The one day laboratory work will occur during the mid-semester break.

There is no final exam but the final assessment will require students to draw knowledge learnt throughout the course to provide a written assignment exploring potential strategies for reducing emissions of CO2, N2O or CH4 from land.