ESC-30110 - Module Specification
School of Geography, Geology and the Environment
Faculty of Natural Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

ESC-20108 Environmental Impact Assessment

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

There is currently a graduate skills shortage within the ecology and conservation sector. This module aims to address that shortage by providing you with the specialist ecological identification and survey expertise that are so desperately needed. The specialist knowledge you acquire will be supported by a critical understanding of different ecological survey techniques and a deep taxonomic and evolutionary understanding of plant and animal lifeforms.
As part of the module, you will also get the opportunity to complete a FISC, giving you an additional qualification to go alongside your degree. A FISC is a botany test during which your plant identification skills are assessed and graded (grades 0-7). FISC certificates are valued highly by employers in the ecology sector, and this module aims to help you obtain a FISC level of 3, enabling you to carry out Phase 1 (UKHab) habitat surveys.

This module builds on the broad field skills developed at levels four and five across the environmental science programmes by providing students with specialist ecological identification and field survey skills. Students will learn about, implement and critically evaluate ecological field survey techniques for multiple taxa, including plants, invertebrates, mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. There will be a particular focus on animals, plants and habitats protected under UK legislation. The primary aim of this module is to provide students with the opportunity to obtain specialist plant and animal identification skills. These specialist skills will be underpinned by a general taxonomic understanding of the diagnostic differences between the major plant and animal phyla.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Deploy taxonomic knowledge to distinguish between different plant and animal phyla: 1
Develop specialist identification skills of plants from a specific habitat: Develop specialist identification skills for one animal taxon: 1,2
Implement a range of standard and cutting-edge field survey techniques used within the ecology and conservation sector: 2
Critically evaluate the pros and cons of different ecology and conservation survey techniques: 2

Study hours

24 X 3-hour, weekly workshop, lab and fieldwork sessions = 72 hours
2 x 4-hour field sessions to practice plant and invertebrate identification skills (taking place during Week 0 in Semester 1 and Week 13 in Semester 2)
220 hours of independent study and completion of assignments.
Breakdown of independent study:
60 hours preparing for animal taxon-specific identification assessment (Assignment 1)
90 hours on Ecological Survey Methods Portfolio (Assignment 2)
70 hours working on the herbarium and poster and preparing for the poster session (Assignment 3)

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment