BB533: Field Course in Terrestrial Zoology (5 ECTS)

STADS: 04013001

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the spring semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: levitis@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
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Comment:
Max 24 studerende

Felttur til Svanninge fra fredag uge 20 kl. 08.00 til onsdag kl. 20.00 i uge 21.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
Curriculum from BB525, Zoology and Evolution, or similar course, assumed to be known.

Course introduction
Many jobs for biologists require the ability to identify and study terrestrial animals, and many biology students interest is sustained and reinforced through exercising these skills. This course will get students out in nature, where they will learn the basic methods for finding, identifying and studying Denmark's terrestrial animals. . Students will be introduced to a variety of taxa, with focus on insects and vertebrates and the most common methods biologists employ to study these animals in their natural habitats. Students will also be introduced to proper safe practices for conducting terrestrial field-work.

Qualifications
By the end of this course, students will be competent to perform basic zoological terrestrial field-work, document their activities, observations and specimens and organize these documents in a format useable by others. They will then be competent to find out and document what vertebrates and insects are present in a Danish terrestrial nature area. They will furthermore have the concepts and skills necessary to extend this competence to other taxa and other geographic areas.

Expected learning outcome
Students will learn how to see, observe and think about terrestrial animals. Successful students will be able to use guides and keys to identify animals they observe in the field, collect and produce a properly documented pinned collection of insects, and keep a proper field notebook documenting all activities in the field. Students should be able to identify the most common Danish birds and frogs visually and by ear, identify and record animal tracks, and employ other common methods for finding and identifying Danish tetrapods. The methods taught in this course should ultimately be building blocks for asking and answering scientific questions.

Subject overview

• Keeping a biological field notebook
• Using keys and guides to identify animals
• Insect collecting, pinning, identification and labeling (with focus on beetles)
• Birding, by eye and ear, including behavioral observation
• Finding and identifying reptiles and amphibians
• Recording frog calls and use of these recordings
• Methods for studying terrestrial mammals
• Mark-recapture to document animal (beetle) movements

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
Active course participation and acceptable field notebook. Pass/fail, internal evaluation by teacher.

Assessment and marking:
Project assignment. Danish 7-mark scale, internal evaluation (5 ECTS).

Reexamination in the same exam period or immediately thereafter.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 5 hours
Skills training phase: 40 hours, hereof:
 - Excursion: 40 hours

Educational activities Study phase: 20 hours

Field trip to Svanninge Bjerge for six days.

Language
This course is taught in English.

Remarks
The course will consist of an introductory meeting on campus, a six-days intensive field trip to Svanninge Bjerge, and a concluding meeting on campus.

Note that students will be required to provide some of their own equipment including binoculars and field guides.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.