Students will have the opportunity to investigate secondary succession of plant communities (including seral stages, climatic climax, sub-climax and plagioclimax) across a grassland /temperate deciduous woodland ecosystem. The investigation will include the collection of biotic data using a suitable sampling strategy (along a belt transect or random sampling), using appropriate quadrats to assess the distribution of plant communities in relation to abiotic (climatic and edaphic) gradients. Interpretation of biotic and abiotic data using spreadsheets and graphical techniques, including kite diagrams and scatter graphs and carry out a Spearmans Rank Correlation Coefficient. Students will discuss the interactions of terrestrial ecosystems including climate, vegetation, soil and topography and how the ecosystem responds to changes. Consideration will be given to the effects of human impact, management and conservation strategies on the area.
Small Group or Individual Student Days are designed to bring together individual students, home schooled students, schools with small class sizes, or students that were unable to attend a residential or alternative trip. By bringing groups together we aim to keep the overall costs lower, and you do not incur our minimum daily fee. This offer is restricted to no more than 8 pupils from any one school per course, and students must be accompanied. Due to safeguarding reasons we are unable to let adult learners attend these courses.
If you have more than 8 students then please contact us and we can let you know availability.
Tutor: Field Studies Council Staff
Courses are led by experienced Field Studies Council staff.
Example Timetable
This course runs from 9.30am – 4pm. During your visit you will be welcomed and given an appropriate health and safety briefing. Your session will start with an introduction to the day, aims and objectives. Throughout the day we will undertake fieldwork, collecting data appropriate to the topic. We will break for lunch, before continuing with our fieldwork.
Depending on the day we may include some data presentation and analysis and we will end the day with a summary including drawing conclusions and limitations.
Please note that specific activities are subject to change. We go out in all weathers and seasons and will tailor the content of the day accordingly.
What's Included
-
Expert Tuition
Sorry this course has ended