BSc Zoology with a Modern Language / Course details

This field course takes you to Italy for fourteen days in which you'll study at the Field Station Baita Torino located in the Italian Carnic Alps. The course offers a challenging framework to explore the biological dynamics within different alpine ecosystems, including mountain scrubland, wet forests, dolines, high pastures, meadows, scree, and moraines. The two-week residential format provides a unique opportunity for you to immerse yourself in exciting research. You’ll learn a variety of sampling methods to measure habitat variables, and to study and identify organisms found in the different forest and mountain areas (i.e. plants, animal, fungi, and lichens).

You will be taught how to quantify ecological characteristics and how to use taxonomic keys for identification, with particular focus on comparing and contrasting the different habitats studied. You are also encouraged to formulate working hypotheses based on ecological observation, beginning the transition from being relatively passive consumers of scientific information to becoming active and competent researchers of new facts. By the end of the course, you will have acquired a degree of self-sufficiency and independence in your understanding of how to plan and carry out a scientific investigation.

To see photos of the field course visit: Field Courses: Alpine Biodiversity and Forest Ecology – Italy

BIOL10692 is a pre-requisite of the Y2 field courses Any students who have not taken this unit in Year 1 must complete it in semester 2 of Year 2.

If you select a field course RSM unit and have not previously completed the BIOL10692: Introduction to Statistics for Field Course unit (zero credits) in Year 1, this unit will be added to your record as a mandatory co-requisite, to be completed in semester 2 of Year 2.

The unit aims to provide training in research techniques for studying biodiversity and investigating ecological problems in a mosaic of mountain habitats such as meadows, high pastures and forests. The unit focuses on observational methods, experimental design, quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques, statistical analysis and interpretation of the results and delivery of the findings.

Students will be able:

• to use a wide range of sampling methods
• to quantify habitat characteristics
• to identify organisms
• to assess biodiversity
• to assess community structure
• to gain knowledge of the species and ecology of European mountain forest habitat
• to introduce student to land and forest management and conservation
• to identify fundamental biological questions
• to recognize accurate research approaches and to use correct analytical techniques
• to use problem solving, innovation and creativity
• to monitor and self-correct progress throughout the development of the project
• to give ethical consideration of field base investigation including animal handling and welfare
• to appraise critically their findings
• to use experimental and quantitative approaches to the investigation of natural environments.
• to use sampling techniques
• to use identification keys
• to record professionally data in lab book
• to communicate scientific findings (both written and oral)
• to manage experimental plan
• to develop leadership
• to analyse and critical evaluate literature
• to develop team working and group skills
• to understand ethical values concerning wildlife

This is a 14 day course (July 2014) held in the Field Station Baita Torino located on the Pura Mountain pass in the Italian Carnic Alps. The two-week residential format provides a unique opportunity for students to immerse themselves in research. Besides providing a basic knowledge on how to identify organisms and quantify habitat variables, this course offers a challenging framework to explore the biological dynamics within different ecosystems. Students are also encouraged to formulate working hypotheses based on ecological observation, beginning the transition from being relatively passive consumers of scientific information to become active and competent investigators of new facts. By the end of the course, students will have acquired a degree of self-sufficiency and independence in their understanding of how to plan and carry out a scientific investigation.

Part 1: Biodiversity survey of different ecosystem. The first few days of the course, students will use a variety of sampling methods to measure habitat variables, and to study and identify organisms found in the different forest and mountain areas (i.e. plants, animal, fungi, lichens etc.). The students will be taught how to quantify ecological characteristics and how to use taxonomic keys for identification, and particular focus will be given on comparing and contrasting the different habitats studied. Students will be tested on their acquired knowledge of the local biodiversity and different alpine ecosystems through a test. These few days will also help the student to gather ideas for their individual research project.

Part 2: In small tutorial groups, together with demonstrators, each student designs and plans their individual project focusing on testing a hypothesis they have identified. This part includes training in experimental design, choice of statistical methods, and the use of lab books for recording data. Each student will produce a detailed experimental plan including the rationale and significance of the study, hypothesis/expectations based on pilot preliminary data, methodology to be used and the schedule for data collections including a contingency plan.

Part 3: Data collection takes place over several days. Data are explored, analysed and interpreted. Initial data analyses and conclusions are presented and discussed in small tutorial groups. Follow up hypothesis are identified and if time allows a further round of data collection is carried out. Data are then written up in a concise scientific report, to develop the student’s ability to summaries effectively their finding.

Part 4: The project is presented to the rest of the students in a final one day workshop. Students will be trained to convey efficiently their hypothesis and the key findings to their peers, within the given time frame (12 min). Students chair the sessions and participate in the marking of the oral presentations.

Field Course RSMs will require a financial contribution to be made early in the first semester of your second year. In cases of financial hardship, you should contact the Senior Advisor as soon as possible. RSM units may NOT be changed, once registered, without the written permission of the RSM Coordinator concerned and the Faculty Senior Advisor.

Other	10%	Course contribution mark: assesses students intellectual and practical contribution to their own project and to the projects of their collaborators. The format is composite oral. That is, it is not assessed in a single sitting, but rather cumulatively over the twice-daily tutorial meetings and other during project-related activities.
Test	10%	Multiple choice biodiversity quiz
Report	55%	Two products. One 4-5 page research proposal (25%) and one 6-7 page project report (30%).
Portfolio	5%	Lab notebook.
Oral assessment/presentation	20%	One 7-minute presentation with supporting slides, plus ~3 minute question and answer period.

 

Feedback provided on daily basis through tutorials and one-to-one discussions.

Background material is provided during the course.