Last modified: 05 Aug 2021 13:04
During day trips from Aberdeen, you will learn and practice a variety of techniques for sampling and identifying organisms in the field.
We will take opportunities to interact with scientists from NGOs and research institutes, who will give instruction on techniques and provide overviews on the remits and opportunities within their organisations.
Group based project work provides skills in team working, data collection, analysis and presentation.
You will develop skills in biological recording by maintaining a detailed record of the field activities in a field notebook.
By visiting and working in a variety of environments you will become familiar with common species, the ecological characteristics of local habitats and have opportunities to apply your classroom learning to the field.
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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This non-residential field course includes training in the identification of organisms (mostly animals) and the methods needed to assess their population densities as well as behaviour.
Within the course, there’s a strong emphasis on sampling and identification of freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates, small mammals as well as birds. The course also includes group work, in which students choose an area of study and carry out a semi-independent project, including the collection of data, appropriate analysis and then reporting to the other course members on their findings.
In the course of the field work, students will be helped to appreciate the ecological interactions between the organisms and their habitat, as well as general ecological features of the environment are also studied.
| Description | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated cost £100 per student; specific costs will include vehicle hire, fuel, field notebooks, teaching assistants, consumables, minor field equipment (e.g., kick nets, core samplers, vials, …) | 100.0000 |
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 46 | Feedback Weeks | 48 | |
| Feedback |
Individualised written feedback; formative feedback during course |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Describe the adaptations and ecological roles of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution. |
| Procedural | Apply | To describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for certain habitats. |
| Procedural | Understand | Use keys to identify and classify common species in the localities visited during the field course. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 46 | Feedback Weeks | 46 | |
| Feedback |
Generic feedback to class, written feedback to group |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Analyse and present field data |
| Procedural | Apply | Interact with others in the execution of team-based fieldwork. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 46 | Feedback Weeks | 48 | |
| Feedback |
Individualised written feedback; formative feedback during course |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Analyse and present field data |
| Conceptual | Understand | Describe the adaptations and ecological roles of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution. |
| Procedural | Apply | To describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for certain habitats. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Describe the adaptations and ecological roles of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution. |
| Procedural | Understand | Use keys to identify and classify common species in the localities visited during the field course. |
| Conceptual | Analyse | Analyse and present field data |
| Procedural | Apply | To describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for certain habitats. |
| Procedural | Apply | Interact with others in the execution of team-based fieldwork. |
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