Lesson 1Geomorphological natural hazards: floodplain inundation, slope instability, gully erosion, and mass-movement typesThis section explores geomorphological hazards such as floods, landslides, gully erosion, and mass movements. Students link triggering factors, terrain controls, and land use to hazard mapping, risk assessment, and mitigation strategies relevant to Kiwi environments.
Floodplain zoning and inundation mappingSlope instability factors and indicatorsGully initiation and headcut migrationTypes of landslides and mass movementsRainfall thresholds and triggering eventsHazard mapping and mitigation planningLesson 2Relief and slope analysis: hillshading, slope gradient, aspect, and implications for erosion and landslidesThis section covers digital elevation models, hillshading, slope, and aspect analysis to interpret relief. Learners link terrain metrics to erosion, landslide susceptibility, drainage development, and infrastructure planning in varied geomorphic settings across Aotearoa.
Sources and quality of elevation dataHillshade visualisation and landform readingSlope gradient classes and mappingAspect patterns and microclimate effectsTopographic controls on erosion ratesSlope thresholds for landslide hazardsLesson 3River basin morphology and drainage patterns: dendritic, trellis, radial, antecedent systemsThis section examines drainage basin form, hierarchy, and planform patterns such as dendritic, trellis, and radial systems. Students relate drainage geometry to lithology, structure, relief, and long-term landscape evolution in New Zealand's diverse terrains.
Watershed boundaries and stream orderDendritic, trellis, radial, and parallel patternsStructural and lithologic controls on drainageLongitudinal profiles and knickpointsBasin shape, relief, and hydrologic responseDrainage evolution and river captureLesson 4Geological mapping and bedrock units: lithologies, stratigraphy, structural controls on topographyThis section introduces geological mapping of bedrock units, focusing on lithology, stratigraphy, and structural features. Learners interpret how folds, faults, and rock strength influence topography, drainage, and resource or hazard distribution in NZ landscapes.
Reading geological maps and legendsLithologic units and rock strength contrastsStratigraphic sequences and key contactsFaults, folds, and fracture networksStructural control on ridges and valleysLinking bedrock to resources and hazardsLesson 5Fluvial processes: channel dynamics, sediment transport, deposition, river meandering and avulsionThis section covers fluvial processes shaping channels, including flow regimes, sediment transport, and bar formation. Learners analyse meandering, braiding, avulsion, and floodplain building, linking process to channel pattern and management in NZ rivers.
Flow regimes and channel hydraulicsBedload, suspended load, and wash loadChannel patterns: straight, meandering, braidedPoint bars, levees, and overbank depositsMeander migration and cutoff formationAvulsion, anabranching, and channel managementLesson 6Climate controls on hydrology: precipitation regimes, seasonality, evapotranspiration, and drought indicesThis section explains how atmospheric circulation, moisture sources, and surface conditions control precipitation, runoff, evapotranspiration, and drought. Learners relate climate indices to hydrologic regimes and water availability in diverse New Zealand regions.
Global circulation and moisture transportPrecipitation seasonality and intensity patternsPotential and actual evapotranspirationSoil moisture balance and runoff responseDrought indices and hydrologic droughtClimate variability and change impactsLesson 7Practical datasets and sources: national geological surveys, global DEMs (SRTM, ASTER), geological map repositories, and climate datasets (CRU, CHIRPS)This section presents key open datasets for physical geography and geology, including DEMs, geological maps, and climate products. Learners evaluate resolution, accuracy, and metadata, and practice combining sources for regional landscape analysis in NZ.
Global and regional DEM productsNational geological survey map portalsOnline geological map repositoriesGridded climate datasets and indicesData resolution, accuracy, and metadataIntegrating multi-source datasets in GISLesson 8Remote sensing basics for physical features: using satellite imagery to identify landforms, river channels, and vegetation coverThis section introduces satellite sensors, resolutions, and spectral bands used to map physical features. Students learn to interpret imagery for landforms, drainage, vegetation, and surface moisture, and to recognise common processing artefacts and limitations.
Optical vs radar sensors and resolutionsSpectral signatures of water, soil, and rockIdentifying major landforms from imageryMapping river channels and floodplainsVegetation indices and canopy conditionCommon image corrections and artefactsLesson 9Surficial deposits and soils: alluvium, colluvium, weathered bedrock, soil classification and fertilityThis section examines surficial deposits and soils, including alluvium, colluvium, and weathered bedrock. Students relate parent material, texture, and structure to soil classification, fertility, drainage, and land use suitability across New Zealand landscapes.
Alluvial, colluvial, and residual materialsWeathering profiles and regolith formationSoil horizons, texture, and structureMajor soil classification systemsSoil fertility, nutrients, and limitationsSoil erosion risk and conservation needs
