Module Information

Module Identifier
BR37500
Module Title
Practical Aquatic Conservation
Academic Year
2025/2026
Co-ordinator
Dr Niall Mckeown
Semester
Semester 1 (Taught over 2 semesters)
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Contract report  3000 Words  60%
Semester Assessment Professional skills development portfolio  1500 Words  40%
Supplementary Assessment Contract report  3000 Words  60%
Supplementary Assessment Professional skills development portfolio  1500 Words  40%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge of the range of techniques used to sample shallow-water environments and their pros and cons.

Identify a range of organisms commonly found in shallow-water environments

Plan and execute research/monitoring of shallow-water environments including tender development, experimental design, execution, analysis of biological/chemical data and production of a contract report.

Brief description

The module introduces you to the field of practical aquatic conservation and allows you to put into practice techniques used to monitor, conserve and undertake research in shallow-water environments. In addition to practical skills, you will also learn and put into practice important professional skills such as tender/ contract report writing, planning, executing and analysing field-based surveys. The module will make use of DLS research vessels.

Content

The module will be delivered through lectures, seminars, field work. As an applied module the lectures will focus on the legislation that underpins aquatic conservation as well as how professional biologists tender, execute and report their findings.

During the field work students will get the opportunity to employ a range of techniques used for sampling shallow-water environments e.g. box coring, beam trawls, potting, habitat mapping, baited remote underwater video. This module will therefore make heavy use of the DLS research vessels.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number The biological/chemical data collected will be analysed quantitatively using a variety of univariate and multivariate techniques.
Communication These are target skills for this module. The course is specifically designed to encourage communication, critical thinking, and literacy in a ‘job relevant’ manner. Students will also need to demonstrate good communication during the field week as they will be working in groups to collect the data.
Improving own Learning and Performance The two tutorial sessions have been specifically incorporated to provide student-led learning and also to provide formative feedback prior to submission of the experimental design and tender assessments.
Information Technology Students will build competence and confidence with standard data handling and graphing tools as well as using the internet and other IT resources for assignments.
Personal Development and Career planning This is a central aim of the module. Students will develop a range of skills that are attractive to employers in academia, environmental agencies, consultancies and eNGO’s.
Problem solving Through all the coursework students will be challenged to identify and solve complex problems-assessed through semester assessments.
Research skills For the seminars students will have assigned reading from the primary scientific literature and applied ‘grey literature’. In particular the students will have to use a broad range of sources for the portfolio, tender and contract report assessments.
Subject Specific Skills Students will gain familiarity with a number of sampling techniques used to sample shallow-water environments.
Team work During the seminars and field week students will be working in teams to collect their data in an effective manner.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6