Last modified: 25 Aug 2020 15:10
This is a marine biological field course to the Millport Field Centre on the Isle of Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde. The centre, run by the Field Studies Council, is located on an island which is a ten-minute ferry crossing from the mainland terminal at Largs. The island and has a variety of types of shore and depths offshore ranging to over 100 m within a few kilometres of the field centre. The marine biota is correspondingly varied. Being within the enclosed waters of the Firth of Clyde it is comparatively sheltered and safe. The centre provides modern accommodation and classrooms for lectures/seminars and labwork to process field samples. The centre also has a small research vessel, which provides an opportunity for students to experience working at sea in the sheltered waters around the island, and to see oceanographic and navigational instruments and sublittoral sampling devices first hand. There is a long history of marine biological research and teaching at Millport (a marine station was first established in 1885) and students will follow in the footsteps of generations of marine biologists in learning about littoral (shore) and sublittoral marine organisms and the methods used to study them in the field.
Details of the course content may be affected by weather and tides, but it is expected that the course will include profiling and semi-quantitative biological survey of two rocky shores of contrasting degree of wave exposure; profiling, quantitative biological survey and basic granulometric analysis of a sandy shore; sampling and examination of sublittoral benthos from a research vessel with a beam trawl and Day grab; plankton sampling by different methods; and a short group project run over one and half days.
Please note that the information provided is subject to change due to the ongoing Covid-19 government guidelines
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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| Description | Value |
|---|---|
| School will subsidize costs as with other level 2 field courses and students will be required to make a contribution to costs, estimated at £250. Costs will include transport to the field station, room and board, rental of teaching space, boat time and equipment. | 230.0000 |
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 42 | Feedback Weeks | 43 | |
| Feedback |
Written feedback will be provided through the VLE. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Give an account of the main components of phyto- and zooplankton present in the local area at the time of the field course; |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Discuss the factors affecting zonation of littoral organisms; |
| Conceptual | Understand | Describe the adaptations and ecological role of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution; |
| Procedural | Analyse | Analyse and present marine field data |
| Procedural | Apply | Describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for the biota of rocky shores, sandy shores and nearshore seabed; |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 42,43 | Feedback Weeks | 43,44 | |
| Feedback |
Group, generic feedback provided on the day, individualised written feedback provided through the VLE following return to Aberdeen |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Give an account of the main components of phyto- and zooplankton present in the local area at the time of the field course; |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Discuss the factors affecting zonation of littoral organisms; |
| Conceptual | Understand | Describe the adaptations and ecological role of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution; |
| Procedural | Apply | Describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for the biota of rocky shores, sandy shores and nearshore seabed; |
| Procedural | Apply | Use keys to identify and classify the common species found on rocky and sandy shores and the sea bed in the local area of the field course; |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 42,43,44 | Feedback Weeks | ||
| Feedback |
Informal verbal feedback will be provided on the day, written group feedback will be provided through the VLE |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Give an account of the main components of phyto- and zooplankton present in the local area at the time of the field course; |
| Procedural | Analyse | Analyse and present marine field data |
| Procedural | Apply | Use keys to identify and classify the common species found on rocky and sandy shores and the sea bed in the local area of the field course; |
| Procedural | Apply | Describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for the biota of rocky shores, sandy shores and nearshore seabed; |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Apply | Produce accurate, annotated drawings of marine organisms; |
| Reflection | Create | Interact with others in the execution of team-based fieldwork |
| Conceptual | Understand | Describe the adaptations and ecological role of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution; |
| Procedural | Analyse | Analyse and present marine field data |
| Procedural | Apply | Describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for the biota of rocky shores, sandy shores and nearshore seabed; |
| Conceptual | Analyse | Give an account of the main components of phyto- and zooplankton present in the local area at the time of the field course; |
| Procedural | Apply | Use keys to identify and classify the common species found on rocky and sandy shores and the sea bed in the local area of the field course; |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Discuss the factors affecting zonation of littoral organisms; |
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