Last modified: 20 Jun 2025 15:06
On Utila, Honduras, students experience tropical marine ecology at one of the world’s best diving locations.
This residential course, at a well-equipped Operation Wallacea site, provides a safe, supported experience in tropical reef surveying and identifying reef organisms.
Completion of PADI open water diving or snorkelling training on site allows students to successfully and confidently engage with daily dives.
Lectures and tutorials complement the field work to ensure students gain an in-depth understanding of tropical reef ecology as well as reef restoration and conservation efforts.
By completing the assessments, students gain the capacity for detailed observation, recording, investigation, and critical reflection.
Cost and Dates TBC
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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This is a field course focussing on tropical marine biology, based at the Operation Wallacea (OpWall) field site on the island of Utila (Honduras), which is situated on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and offers access to a variety of suitably sheltered sites for snorkelling or diving. Since 2013 the entire island and its cays have been designated a protected RAMSAR site.
The Opwall Honduras Marine research site on Utila is home to a 'typical' coral reef, both in the community assemblages, and the challenges that the area faces. It is OpWall’s flagship marine research site, with research led by PhD students from several universities, supervised by Opwall’s in house marine research team. Primary focus has been the development of novel technologies to advance our understanding of coral reef ecosystems. Over the years, the research teams working here have been involved in projects including stereo video surveys of fish communities, large scale 3D reef modelling, coral and invertebrate belt transects, behavioural studies, sponge community studies, recovery ecology of long-spined sea urchin, control of invasive lionfish, behaviour and ecological role of cleaner shrimp, importance of mesophotic reefs to coral conservation. and mangrove studies.
The Bay Island College of Diving forms OpWall’s Utila base provides accommodation and classrooms for lectures and seminars as well as laboratory space to process field samples. It is the Caribbean’s first certified Eco-dive centre.
Details of the course content may be affected by the weather, but it is expected that the course will start with students completing snorkeling training or a PADI Open Water dive training course. (Students who are already certified divers will have the opportunity for two dives a day at varying dive sites while training takes place). This will be followed by an introduction to the ecology of Mesoamerican reefs and training in relevant reef survey techniques used by marine science teams that work here each year. During their twice daily dives/ snorkels with a tutor as well as a series of lectures, students will also gain field experience in the identification of corals, invertebrates, and fish. Students will also be introduced to various reef regeneration efforts.
Upon completion of the ecology and reef survey techniques training, students will be required to complete a species identification assessment. Applying the taxonomic, ecological and technical knowledge gained, students will subsequently carry out their own small mini-research projects in pairs or threes, and present their findings to their peers at the end of the field course. Students will also be required to keep a field diary for the duration of the field course. All three components will contribute to the field course assessment.
Gaining knowledge and experience in the diversity, functioning and conservation of a contrasting marine environment will significantly increase student employability.
Experiencing first hand the threats faced by coral reefs from climate change and other anthropogenic impacts, as well as the benefits and challenges of (sustainable levels of) tourism, will increase awareness of sustainability issues and allow reflection on modern day colonialism via the potential domination of the tourist economy by companies from the global north. It will also allow to investigate whether scientific research and education there are genuinely collaborative with locals.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 36 | Feedback Weeks | 36 | |
| Feedback |
Students will produce a well-illustrated, properly written-up account of their practical exercises in the form of a laboratory notebook. The notebook should be written up on a daily basis. Individual written feedback will be provided to each student. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Reflection | Evaluate | Develop biological recording skills by maintaining a field notebook to document observations, procedures, data and supporting information, and evidence reflection, assimilation and interpretation |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 35 | Feedback Weeks | 35 | |
| Feedback |
Questions will have a variable number of marks depending on the detail it is reasonable to ask for a given specimen. Feedback on species ID test and grading will be carried out at Utila. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Apply | Develop skills in identifying coral, invertebrate and fish species with sufficient proficiency to carry out basic reef surveys independently. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 36 | Feedback Weeks | 36 | |
| Feedback |
Students will spend two field days working in small groups (3-4 students) on a chosen practical project; these projects and their results will be presented to the course in a 15min presentation on the last day of the course. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Demonstrate a capacity to analyse and evaluate information through the completion of a project and presentation of that project to the group |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Resit will involve a resubmission of any failed component. Species ID test as timed MyAberdeen test after return to Aberdeen; resit of project: poster presentation, infographic or report (1000-1500 words). |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Reflection | Evaluate | Develop biological recording skills by maintaining a field notebook to document observations, procedures, data and supporting information, and evidence reflection, assimilation and interpretation |
| Conceptual | Analyse | Demonstrate a capacity to analyse and evaluate information through the completion of a project and presentation of that project to the group |
| Procedural | Apply | Develop skills in identifying coral, invertebrate and fish species with sufficient proficiency to carry out basic reef surveys independently. |
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