Gwybodaeth Modiwlau
Module Identifier
BR23820
Module Title
Tropical Zoology Field Course
Academic Year
2025/2026
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Exclusive (Any Acad Year)
Exclusive (Any Acad Year)
Reading List
Other Staff
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Biodiversity Portfolio Students undertake work in the field and then will present their research findings (aimed at different audiences, using different approaches). The portfolio will include biodiversity measuring, BOLD database and field note-book. The majority of the work for this assessment is undertaken during the residential Field Course. 2500 Words | 75% |
| Semester Assessment | Group project (media presentation) Students will work in groups to generate data and present their analysis and findings in a format accessible to non-specialists. 10 Minutes | 25% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Indivdually project (media presentation) Students resitting this element of the module will have access to the data collected by the group, and will then present their analysis and findings (indivudally) in a format accessible to non-specialists. 10 Minutes | 25% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Biodiversity Portfolio Students undertake work in the field and then will present their research findings (aimed at different audiences, using different approaches). The portfolio will include biodiversity measuring, BOLD database and field note-book. . 2500 Words | 75% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Execute safe and efficient zoological field sampling in a tropical environment.
Identify tropical invertebrate and vertebrate fauna
Evaluate and compare diversity of UK and tropical fauna using appropriate measures of diversity.
Perform DNA barcoding of fauna sampled in the field, conduct phylogenetic analyses and report these in a scientific format.
Use appropriate statistical approaches to appropriately analyse data collected and evaluate these data in the context of testable hypotheses and against the background of published literature.
Use a variety of media to effectively communicate research outcomes.
Brief description
The course is an intensive residential excursion to a tropical field center offering opportunities to experience extraordinarily diverse invertebrate and vertebrate fauna. Students will learn species identification, surveying and monitoring (for example, video/trip camera survey, pitfall trapping, transect sampling, DNA Barcoding etc) skills in rain forest environments. Students will learn good experimental design through the scientific process and execution of field sampling, surveying techniques and data collection in a hyper-diverse tropical system. Students will be expected to design hypotheses for testing through analysis of collected data and present their findings in a scientific format, including video presentation.
Content
A major component of this module is an intensive 9-day field course in a research field centre. A series of lecture practical sessions will be run in Aberystwyth, designed to prepare students for the overseas element and to analyse samples on returning to the UK.
AU based work (5x1h lectures and 2x3h practical) will cover the following:
Health and safety briefs, field centre information and travel arrangements.
Background teaching on representative tropical fauna
Sampling skills practice in the UK, for example quantitative invertebrate species collection, transect sampling and camera trap setting.
DNA barcoding and phylogenetic analysis.
For the tropical field element (approximately 9 days practical plus 4 days travel), students will be given orientation and safety briefs and introduced to the diverse fauna native to the area. This will be followed by group work where students will apply skills learned in the UK to measure tropical forest faunal diversity. They will use these data to compare diversity and community assemblages in different tropical habitats. In addition, students will conduct a research project of their choosing and design and use video and written submissions to present their findings. Students will be taught to record fauna for qualitative and quantitative analysis using camera traps, interception traps, pitfall traps and manual capture, visual and audio observations etc. Finally, students will make contributions to the international Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) using specimens collected in the field.
The overseas element will encompass the following:
Collection, tissue sampling and identification of tropical invertebrate fauna and preparation for Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) database submission.
Measurement and analysis of faunal diversity in tropical environments.
Vertebrate surveying, tracking and recording skills (amphibian, birds and reptiles).
Design and execution of research work in a tropical environment.
AU based work (5x1h lectures and 2x3h practical) will cover the following:
Health and safety briefs, field centre information and travel arrangements.
Background teaching on representative tropical fauna
Sampling skills practice in the UK, for example quantitative invertebrate species collection, transect sampling and camera trap setting.
DNA barcoding and phylogenetic analysis.
For the tropical field element (approximately 9 days practical plus 4 days travel), students will be given orientation and safety briefs and introduced to the diverse fauna native to the area. This will be followed by group work where students will apply skills learned in the UK to measure tropical forest faunal diversity. They will use these data to compare diversity and community assemblages in different tropical habitats. In addition, students will conduct a research project of their choosing and design and use video and written submissions to present their findings. Students will be taught to record fauna for qualitative and quantitative analysis using camera traps, interception traps, pitfall traps and manual capture, visual and audio observations etc. Finally, students will make contributions to the international Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) using specimens collected in the field.
The overseas element will encompass the following:
Collection, tissue sampling and identification of tropical invertebrate fauna and preparation for Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) database submission.
Measurement and analysis of faunal diversity in tropical environments.
Vertebrate surveying, tracking and recording skills (amphibian, birds and reptiles).
Design and execution of research work in a tropical environment.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | Collection and scrutiny of data in terms of quality and quantity. They will be expected to analyse their data using statistics and interpret their results for assignment preparation. The written report and note-book will be the principal assignments demonstrating procurement of these attributes. |
| Communication | Students will be expected to listen effectively in the pre-course lectures, practical demonstrations and will be encouraged to question and contribute to discussions. They will work in small groups during course which will require the verbal exchange of ideas and sharing of data and resources. The students will communicate their scientific outcomes via scientific reports, video or audio media and/or web-based wikis. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Outside the formal contact hours, students will be expected to research materials, manage time and meet deadlines. The course will provide an opportunity for students to explore their own learning styles and preferences, and identify their needs and barriers to learning. This will be enhanced via student-led teaching/peer assessment on the course. Students will be able to review and monitor their progress and plan for improvement of personal performance through self-awareness and reflection. Feedback and feed-forward will be given where appropriate. |
| Information Technology | Students will be required to access online databases such as ISI Web of Knowledge and NCBI-Pubmed to find primary literature. They will also be expected to be competent in the use of word processing programs, spreadsheets and statistical software for assignment preparation. DNA barcoding work will introduce the students to nucleotide sequence alignment, database searching and phylogenetic analysis. These attributes will be demonstrated in all submitted assignments. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Students will gain experience in field techniques relevant to zoology but also to other biological disciplines e.g. they will also gain experience in techniques used by research scientists, consultancy organizations, NGOs etc. They will gain confidence in their ability to foresee, evaluate and mitigate for problems through an awareness of their personal skills and objectively assess the quality of proposed solutions. Effective leadership and peer-mentoring will be encouraged and facilitated. Feedback and feed-forward will be given where appropriate. The written report will demonstrate students have grasped relevant techniques and the public engagement material will contextualize application of these skills. |
| Problem solving | Students will be encouraged to critically analyse information gathered/provided and to preempt problems that may arise. In addition students will be expected to offer solutions to problems, employ these and evaluate the outcomes. |
| Research skills | The course will necessitate students to use key principles of the scientific method. They will use all available resources, including literature, in the design of fieldwork, data analysis and report writing. In delivering their study outcomes students will produce scientifically robust reports that include critical evaluation of the data/information gathered. This course is primarily practical and students will learn techniques relevant to field zoologists. All assignments will evaluate the acquisition of these attributes. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students will learn a range of skills and techniques regularly used by professional field zoologist/ecologists. All assignments will draw on these attributes. |
| Team work | Students will work effectively in small groups and will be expected to contribute to the planning and organisation of the practical exercises, delegation of tasks through persuasion and negotiation, and the execution of techniques relevant to the course. Development of effective leadership and peer mentoring will be encouraged. Students will need to demonstrate cooperation with other group members for assignment preparation and delivery. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5