BI2UKFC: UK Biodiversity Field Course

Module code: BI2UKFC

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Summer (vacation) semester

Module convenor: Dr Chris Foster, email: c.w.foster@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Mr Simon Boulter, email: simon.boulter@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE BI1FE2 OR TAKE BI1EC2 (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This one-week residential field course will provide an immersive introduction to essential biodiversity field skills, in an inspirational setting at the heart of a National Nature Reserve. The course aims to enhance your appreciation for British wildlife as well as offer experience of survey techniques that are vital for careers in ecology, zoology and wildlife conservation. You will learn to survey, identify and study birds, mammals, invertebrates and plants in a fantastic range of habitats from coastal vegetation to ancient woodland. There may also be opportunities to look for protected species such as bats, dormice, badgers and otters.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Identify a range of species or species groups including birds, mammals, invertebrates and plants, recognise and describe some key habitats for British wildlife.  
2. Safely and correctly perform censuses of animal populations and communities in different habitats to examine abundance, habitat use, community composition and life history traits.  
3. Design, undertake and analyse the results of a field survey that aims to address a specific ecological or zoological question. 
4. Effectively communicate scientific results to a peer audience. 

Module content

The field course will be divided into two parts. Part 1 will consist of a series of field and lab exercises introducing survey methods, taxonomic groups and habitats. Part 2 will involve participating in a research project devised and supervised in collaboration between groups of students and staff. This may provide the opportunity to contribute to long-term datasets developed over consecutive field courses. During the course there will be further opportunities for ad-hoc field visits to look for particular species of interest, depending on the weather.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Students will receive instruction on identification and survey methods in the field and also through seminars at the field centre. Students will (practically) engage in field identification, survey work and lab work (e.g., identifying or measuring specimens collected in the field). Students will engage in discussion with peers and staff during the seminars and field sessions. They will be required to work in groups to develop research projects, with input and feedback from teaching staff.

Study hours

At least 47 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Informal formative feedback on practical skills during the field course .

Reassessment

Additional costs