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BI25F6: FIELD BIOLOGY (2022-2023)

Last modified: 13 Feb 2023 09:11


Course Overview

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.

Dates for 2022/2023 are Monday, 22nd May - Sunday, 28th May 2023

 

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 John Baird

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

  • One of BSc Biology or BSc Conservation Biology or BSc Zoology or BSc Marine Biology or BSc Animal Behaviour or BSc Behavioural Biology or MSci Biological Sciences or BSc Biological Sciences (Honours) or BSc Plant and Soil Sciences or BSc Ecology or BSc Environmental Science
  • Either Programme Level 2 or Programme Level 3

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

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.


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

Online Test

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 40
Assessment Weeks 46 Feedback Weeks 48

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Individualised written feedback; formative feedback during course

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualUnderstandDescribe the adaptations and ecological roles of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution.
ProceduralApplyTo describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for certain habitats.
ProceduralUnderstandUse keys to identify and classify common species in the localities visited during the field course.

Oral Presentation: Group

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks 46 Feedback Weeks 46

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Generic feedback to class, written feedback to group

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseAnalyse and present field data
ProceduralApplyInteract with others in the execution of team-based fieldwork.

Field Trip Log

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks 46 Feedback Weeks 48

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Individualised written feedback; formative feedback during course

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseAnalyse and present field data
ConceptualUnderstandDescribe the adaptations and ecological roles of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution.
ProceduralApplyTo describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for certain habitats.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Resubmission of failed element

Assessment Type Summative Weighting
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

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
ProceduralApplyTo describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for certain habitats.
ConceptualAnalyseAnalyse and present field data
ProceduralUnderstandUse keys to identify and classify common species in the localities visited during the field course.
ProceduralApplyInteract with others in the execution of team-based fieldwork.
ConceptualUnderstandDescribe the adaptations and ecological roles of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution.

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