University Nature Reserve
Field equipment
Appropriate identification keys and guides

This module will be delivered as a non-residential five-day fieldcourse on the University Nature Reserve. The independent study time will be used to produce the group assessment, prepare and practise for the ID test.

This intensive five-day course will take place at the beginning of Semester 1 and will utilise the University Nature Reserve. You will gain experience of a number of standard ecological techniques involving the survey, sampling and identification of organisms.
Phase 1 Surveys: habitat and river corridor.
Phase 2 community and species surveys: National Vegetation Classification (NVC), terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates sampling, small mammal trapping etc.
Plant and animal, field- and lab-based species identification.

Students will be required to complete 2 pieces of summative assessments.
1 hour Species Identification Test (40%) (1)
A Practical Portfolio (2000 words) (60%) (2)

Students will be provided with formative assessment and feedback on plant species identification, invertebrate netting and pit falling trapping.

Rose, F (1991). The wild flower key. Britain Isles - North West Europe Penguin Books, London
Chinery, M (1998). Insects of Britain & Western Europe. Collins Pocket Guide, London
JNCC (1995) Handbook for phase 1 habitat survey. JNCC, Peterborough
Rodwell, J.S. (1991). British Plant Communities. Volume 1. Woodlands and Scrub. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Rodwell, J.S. (1991). British Plant Communities. Volume 3. Grasslands and montane communities. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Southwood, T.R.E & Henderson P.A (2000). Ecological Methods. Blackwell science 3rd edition, Oxford.
Sutherland, W. J. (1998). Ecological Census Techniques. A handbook. CUP, Cambridge

Other keys and guides as appropriate