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BI25F8: LITTORAL AND SUBLITTORAL MARINE BIOLOGY FIELD COURSE (2022-2023)

Last modified: 20 Jun 2022 13:20


Course Overview

This is a marine biological field course to the Millport Field Centre on the Isle of Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde. The course normally includes surveying one or more rocky shores and a scientifically renowned sandy shore, sampling seabed organisms from a research vessel, and a short group project carried out over two days.

Through the various field and laboratory activities and close interaction with course staff, you will deepen your knowledge of marine environments and associated biota, and strengthen your field skills and your abilities in species identification, data collection, analysis, presentation and teamwork.

Dates for 2022-23 TBC

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 Philip Smith
  • Professor Ursula Witte

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

  • One of Biology (BI) or Ecology (EK) or Environmental Sciences (EV) or Forestry (FY) or Plant Science (PL) or Zoology (ZO)
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
  • 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 field course will be held based at 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 coastal habitat within easy reach of the field centre and the biota is correspondingly varied. Being within the enclosed waters of the Firth of Clyde the habitats are comparatively sheltered and safe.

The Field 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 you 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 research and teaching at Millport (a marine station was first established in 1885) and you will follow in the footsteps of generations of biologists in learning about coastal organisms and habitats, 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 surveying at least one rocky shore and a scientifically renowned sandy shore, sampling and examination of seabed organisms from a research vessel, and a short group project run over two days. Most activities involve follow-up work in a laboratory classroom.

You will keep a field notebook as a record of your work, and on the last evening of the course, contribute to a group presentation on your mini-project. Feedback is provided on both of these.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course you should be able to:

  • describe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for selected coastal marine habitats;
  • use keys to identify and classify common marine species in the local area of the field course;
  • describe the adaptations and ecological role of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution;
  • discuss the factors affecting the distributions of littoral and nearshore marine organisms;
  • interact with others in the execution of team-based fieldwork
  • analyse and present marine field data.

Associated Costs

DescriptionValue
Please note that there is an associated cost for this field course which will be confirmed with students as soon as possible. GBP 0.00

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 20
Assessment Weeks 42,43,44 Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Informal verbal feedback will be provided on the day, written group feedback will be provided through the VLE

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseGive an account of the main components of phyto- and zooplankton present in the local area at the time of the field course;
ProceduralAnalyseAnalyse and present marine field data
ProceduralApplyUse 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;
ProceduralApplyDescribe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for the biota of rocky shores, sandy shores and nearshore seabed;

Class Test

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks 42,43 Feedback Weeks 43,44

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Group, generic feedback provided on the day, individualised written feedback provided through the VLE following return to Aberdeen

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseGive an account of the main components of phyto- and zooplankton present in the local area at the time of the field course;
ConceptualEvaluateDiscuss the factors affecting zonation of littoral organisms;
ConceptualUnderstandDescribe the adaptations and ecological role of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution;
ProceduralApplyUse 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;
ProceduralApplyDescribe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for the biota of rocky shores, sandy shores and nearshore seabed;

Class Test

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 50
Assessment Weeks 42 Feedback Weeks 43

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Written feedback will be provided through the VLE.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseGive an account of the main components of phyto- and zooplankton present in the local area at the time of the field course;
ConceptualEvaluateDiscuss the factors affecting zonation of littoral organisms;
ConceptualUnderstandDescribe the adaptations and ecological role of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution;
ProceduralAnalyseAnalyse and present marine field data
ProceduralApplyDescribe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for the biota of rocky shores, sandy shores and nearshore seabed;

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralApplyProduce accurate, annotated drawings of marine organisms;
ProceduralApplyDescribe and safely execute appropriate sampling methods for the biota of rocky shores, sandy shores and nearshore seabed;
ConceptualUnderstandDescribe the adaptations and ecological role of representative species and understand the main factors influencing their distribution;
ConceptualAnalyseGive an account of the main components of phyto- and zooplankton present in the local area at the time of the field course;
ProceduralAnalyseAnalyse and present marine field data
ProceduralApplyUse 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;
ReflectionCreateInteract with others in the execution of team-based fieldwork
ConceptualEvaluateDiscuss the factors affecting zonation of littoral organisms;

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