Individuals & Families

Rocky Shore Invertebrates

 Centre:  Dale Fort    Tutor:  John Archer-Thomson
 Dates:  Tuesday 7 September-Friday 10 September 2010
 Sole Occupancy Room:£300     Shared Room: £270 

   Non-Res: £225

 Level:Intermediate / Improvers
  Professional Development Course.
  Course accredited by The University of Birmingham

This course will give participants practical experience in the identification of common rocky shore invertebrates. Identification will be based on characteristics that would be visible in the field with nothing more sophisticated than a hand lens. Rocky shores exhibit a strong environmental gradient and the distribution of the organisms reflects this. We will use zonation position and ecological context as identification aids, indeed the ecology of the shore is central to this course. Adaptations that enable organisms to survive in this extreme environment will form another main theme. The first field day will be spent looking at a sheltered rocky shore. Species identification will be a priority but the fieldwork will be structured to provide an ecological framework in which to view the organisms. On the second day there will be a visit to an exposed rocky shore. This will reinforce identification skills learnt from day one and introduce course participants to the different communities encountered in response to changes in exposure to wave action.

John Archer-Thomson is Assistant Head of Centre at Dale Fort. His special interests include diving, photography, ecology and natural history.

This course is part of our programme of Professional Development Courses. You can find out more in the Professional Development section of this website.

This is an accredited course which could count towards a qualification. The course is accredited by The University of Birmingham .
The FSC is continuing this highly successful programme where The University is offering its Certificate in Biological Recording and Species Identification through The School of Biosciences.
This certificate comprises 60 credits (level 1) - which are taught at FSC centres over a period of 2 years. The participants must register with The University and then enrol on their FSC course chosen from a list of pre-approved titles . To complete the Certificate, students must also attend the core module held at Preston Montford and Kindrogan. There are 57 courses on the programme - offering a wealth of choice and venue to enjoy 2 years of accredited study at your leisure. In addition to the certificate, the University is also offering a taught Masters programme, now in its third year, which is run from Preston Montford and other FSC Centres. Both qualifications are gaining increasing recognition by employers such as government agencies, environmental consultants, councils and record centres. They are strongly vocational programmes - offering participants a chance to upgrade their skills and gain a recognised qualification. Full details of both programmes and University application forms are available from: Linda Marsh The Gateway Education and Arts Centre Chester Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1NB 01743 355137 L.Marsh@bham.ac.uk Please note that it is no longer possible to enrol on the programmes whilst at an FSC Centre.
The Professional Developmment section provides more information on accredited courses.