Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 8 x 1 Hour Lectures |
| Lecture | 3 x 2 Hour Lectures |
| Field Trip | 1 x 4 Hour Field Trip |
| Field Trip | 2 x 8 Hour Field Trips |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Report - Evaluation of investigation (up to 2,500 words) | 10% |
| Semester Assessment | Report - management recommendations (up to 2,000 words) | 15% |
| Semester Assessment | Examination - Umea course | 75% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Students must take elements of assessment that are equivalent to those that led to failure of the module | 100% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Identify key issues in designing and implementing an environmental investigation within a contextual setting related to managing problems.
2. Develop and apply "best practice" solutions to assess environmental management problems within realistic constraints.
3. Evaluate data arising from an investigation in terms of its reliability and fitness for purpose.
4. Integrate information arising from an investigation to develop practical solutions to the restoration or conservation problems identified.
5. Communicate findings and levels of confidence in these outcomes.
6. Analyse different biogeochemical processes in the Arctic and Subarctic environment.
7. Investigate the coupling between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and transport of nutrients and greenhouse gases in the Arctic and Subarctic environment.
8. Assess climate change impacts on Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems.
Brief description
Skills developed in this supervised exercise will then be further developed in a field based module in Arctic Geoecology delivered by Umea University Sweden.
Aims
The module aims to develop skills in identifying research requirements, then designing and implementing investigations to address these requirements within realistic time and resource constraints.
Content
Skills developed during the investigation and reporting exercise at Aberystwyth will be further developed during the course at Umea. The course examines global environmental changes and their consequences for biogeochemical processes in arctic and subarctic ecosystems. Particular focus is given to linkages between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, transport of nutrients and greenhouse gases and effects of climate change on biological and geochemical processes. The course is given by researchers at Climate Impacts Research Centre in Abisko, Lapland. Skills developed during the course include fieldworking methods and scientific reporting. The course is split between a lecture and field excursion component covering biogeochemical processes in Arctic and Subarctic environments and an extended project investigating abiotic/biotic processes in a selected arctic-subarctic ecosystem.
Due to seasonal constraints and in order to integrate with teaching at Umea, the course will be delivered in two cycles between weeks 2 and 6 in semester 1 at Aberystwyth and between weeks 7 and 15 (approx.) of semester 2 at Umea.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | In generating report findings from primary data |
| Communication | In producing assignment reports |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | In developing research and reporting skills |
| Information Technology | In using data handling and spatial information software |
| Personal Development and Career planning | In acquiring team working and workplace skills during investigations |
| Problem solving | In identifying the scope of the initial investigation and subsequent project |
| Research skills | In developing the research context for report assignments |
| Subject Specific Skills | Field work and laboratory skills. Problem identification in an environmental management context |
| Team work | In organizing and undertaking practical investigations |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7