A-Level Biology and Practical Skills at Nettlecombe Court (Residential Small Group Course)

Day 1

Morning

Arrive 12.30pm

Students will be greeted by their tutor, with a welcome talk followed by a brief tour of the Centre. Allocation of wellies and waterproofs.

Afternoon

• An introduction and investigation into grassland ecology.
• Investigation into the ground cover of plants in mown and grazed areas
• Data analysis  (before dinner, time dependent)
• Simpson’s Diversity index
  *Fieldwork/data analysis can count towards the following practicals:
• - PAG 3 (Sampling techniques)
• -  Required Practical 12 - Investigation into the effect of a named environmental factor on the distribution of a given species
• - Core practical 10 - ecology of a habitat
• - Core practical 16 – Investigate the effect of one abiotic factor on distribution of one species
• - Specified Practical Work TG12: Investigation into biodiversity in a habitat (Mown and grazed investigation)

Day 2

Morning / Afternoon

Check mammal traps

ENERGY, ECOSYSTEMS & ADAPTATIONS: (Freshwater – Embercombe)

• Introduction to freshwater ecology, sampling, freshwater invertebrate adaptations, trophic levels and freshwater food chains.
• Investigation into the effect of microhabitat on invertebrate abundance and distribution
• Fieldwork may include: Kick sampling/stone washing to sample freshwater invertebrates, taking abiotic measurements. Comparison between microhabitats vs distance downstream.
• Animal movement practical: Investigation into the effect of an environmental variable on the movement of an animal. Invertebrates will be introduced to different abiotic factors such as light and sediment availability.
• Students will follow written instructions to design a simple choice chamber experiment, considering the safe and ethical use of organisms, formulating hypotheses and drawing conclusions from their results. Chi-squared may be used for further analysis.

*This practical can count towards the following practicals:

• -PAG 11 - Investigation into the behavioral responses of a freshwater invertebrate species to different abiotic factors such as light and sediment availability.
• - Required Practical 10- Investigation into the effect of an environmental variable on the movement of an animal. Invertebrates will be introduced to different abiotic factors such as light and sediment availability.

Evening

Data analysis (including data presentation and/or statistics where appropriate), drawing conclusions and evaluation of the investigation.

This can include one of the following:

• Chi-square (Goodness of Fit)
• Spearmans Rank

Day 3

Morning

BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT AND SAMPLING (Rocky shore)

• Introduction to marine ecosystems, species identification, adaptations and zonation in a rocky shore ecosystem.
• Investigation into zonation on a rocky shore
• Fieldwork may include:   species identification, transect sampling and use of abundance scales and cross-staffs, shell height measurements of limpets on parts of the lower and upper shore.
• Data analysis  (on return to centre, time dependent)
• Standard deviation and T-test.

*Fieldwork/data analysis can count towards the following practicals:

• - PAG 3 (Sampling techniques)
• - Required Practical 12 - Investigation into the effect of a named environmental factor on the distribution of a given species
• - Core practical 10 - ecology of a habitat

Afternoon

MINI INVESTIGATION PLANNING

Students work individually or in small groups to plan and research their own ecological investigation to be carried out in the grounds. Students have the opportunity to plan their own mini ecological investigation in small groups to be conducted the following morning in the grounds of Nettlecombe Court.

Small group investigations allow use of field sampling techniques, mathematical and analytical skills learnt earlier in the course to answer an ecological question.

Field site(s): Nettlecombe Estate (no transport req)

*This session can count towards the following practicals:

- PAG 3 (Sampling techniques) and PAG 12 (Research skills)

- Required Practical 12 - Investigation into the effect of a named environmental factor on the distribution of a given species

- Core practical 10 - Ecology of a habitat

- Core practical 16 – Investigate the effect of one abiotic factor on distribution of one species

Evening

MINI INVESTIGATION PLANNING (CONTINUED)

Students continue to work to plan and research their own ecological investigation to be carried out in the grounds.

Day 4

Morning

MINI INVESTIGATION FIELDWORK

Students work individually or in small groups to plan their own ecological investigation which involves doing some research on their chosen species and methods, formulating an aim, planning methodology, sampling strategies ,risk assessing, data collection and in some cases students will move on to data presentation and analysis.

Field site(s): Nettlecombe Estate (no transport req.)

*This session can count towards the following practicals:

• - PAG 3 (Sampling techniques)
• - Required Practical 12 - Investigation into the effect of a named environmental factor on the distribution of a given species
• - Core practical 10 - Ecology of a habitat
• -Core practical 16 – Investigate the effect of one abiotic factor on distribution of one species

Course ends at midday

Sessions marked with a * can count towards practicals that meet the practical endorsement requirements.

 

• 
  Expert Tuition
• 
  Free Wi-Fi
• 
  Full Board Accommodation
• 
  Hot and Cold Drinks
• 
  In Course Transport
• 
  Picnic Lunch