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BI25FA: FIELD SKILLS IN ECOLOGY AND ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR (2024-2025)

Last modified: 30 Jul 2024 10:46


Course Overview

This is a residential field course designed to provide you with training in field identification skills, ecological sampling techniques and an understanding of behaviour sampling and measurement. The course is held at the Kelvinside Academy John Duff Lodge, Corgarff, Strathdon, Scotland. Group based project work encourages development of skills in team working, data collection, analysis and presentation.


Dates for 2024-2025 are Friday 16th to Thursday 22nd May 2025.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 2
Term Second Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Vasilis Louca
  • Cath Dennis

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
  • One of BSc Biology or BSc Conservation Biology or BSc Zoology or BSc Marine Biology or BSc Animal Behaviour or BSc Biological Sciences (Honours) or BSc Ecology
  • Either Programme Level 2 or Programme Level 3

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

Yes

One or more of these courses have a limited number of places. Priority access will be given to students for whom this course is compulsory. Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more details on this process.


Course Description

The first two days of the course involve training in invertebrate collection from freshwater and terrestrial habitats and identification of animals that are collected. There will also be a session on measuring behaviour using birds as the model group.
Following initial training students will choose an area of study and carry out a semi-independent project as part of a small group. This will include data collection, appropriate analysis and then reporting to the other course members on their findings.


By the end of the course students should have
• become familiar with a wide range of ecological techniques
• experience of catching and handling animals in a variety of habitats
• become familiar with techniques used to study animal behaviour
• experience of planning and carrying out ecological projects and reporting results

Taught topics covered include:
(note that these may vary slightly between years)
Terrestrial invertebrate sampling: butterfly nets, beating trays & pooters, sweep nets
Freshwater invertebrate sampling: kick sampling, hand sampling, assessing water flow rate
Behaviour sampling via observation of local species of birds
Small mammal trapping: use of Longworth traps
Bird identification: visual and via songs/calls
Bat identification: use of bat detectors
Use of camera traps

 

 

Associated Costs

DescriptionValue
Associated cost.120.0000

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Oral Presentation: Group

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback

There is frequent feedback during the course and also specific feedback provided on the report/presentation.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Field Trip Log

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 20
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Report: Individual

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 50
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

There is frequent feedback during the course and also specific feedback provided on the report/presentation.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

A number of formative assessments and fun activities, such as video diaries, will be carried out.

Assessment Type Formative Weighting
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralCreateto plan and implement a field based project that involves appropriate methods of data collection and analyse, demonstrating competence in the identification of organisms

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