Tropical Ecology Field Course

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Describe characteristic features of tropical forests
• Identify current conservation issues, and evaluate ways that impacts may be mitigated
• Describe the importance of tropical forests as centres of biodiversity and ecological processes
• Identify key fauna and flora that are important and/or characteristic to tropical forests
• Explain the challenges of field research in a tropical location

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Discuss the role of tropical forests in ecological, social and economic contexts
• Interact effectively in a group, being prepared to take different roles within a team: leader, contributor and communicator
• Appreciate the ethics of scientific research in tropical environments
• Demonstrate creativity and enthusiasm for field work, design of data collections and for qualitative analysis
• Communicate research results as a written paper/report

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Critically review published literature and experimental design
• Use identification keys and field guides to identify unfamiliar taxa
• Manage and analyse field data, using Excel, R and EstimateS
• Demonstrate knowledge of assessing risk in field environments and write a risk assessment for research project
• Apply ecological survey techniques and assessment methods for a range of taxa and processes

In preparation for the field course, lectures and tutorials will be held to provide: an introduction to the module, an overview of tropical ecology and conservation practices, travel health and safety, and risk assessment for fieldwork.

During the field course, the first week will introduce the flora and fauna of the region and develop skills in survey techniques and assessment methods through a series of workshops and group exercises. The second week will be devoted to independent research projects (supervised by teaching staff) carried out in small groups. These projects will allow the development of investigative and analytical skills alongside data management and analysis. Throughout field course, evening lectures will cover selected topics in tropical ecology, diversity and conservation practices. As typical with field courses the precise subject matter will depend on the experiences in the field and as such the syllabus can be tailored to interested of individual students (i.e. students with interests in ecology or interests environmental change and management).

We can expect to cover topics in:

1) Regional biogeography

2) Tropical forest diversity

3) Forest dynamics

4) Biotic interactions

5) Ecosystem processes

6) Anthropogenic impacts

7) In-situ and ex-situ conservation

8) Conservation practices

9) Protected area management

10) Risk assessment for fieldwork

11) Survey techniques

Teaching and learning methods

Prior to the field course, a series of formal lectures and workshops will introduce the module, provide an overview to tropical ecology, conservation practices, travel health and safety and risk assessment processes. Students are also expected to engage with a series of set reading material prior to departure.

During the 14/15-day field course, teaching and learning will be achieved through:

1) Talk/discussion sessions: that will provide detail and theory on topics such as regional biogeography, tropical forest diversity, forest dynamics, biotic interactions, anthropogenic impacts and conservation practices.

2) Fieldwork and field activities: the fieldwork component will be split into structured group activities based around demonstrating field techniques and practice and site orientation during the first week, and small group independent project work (supervised by teaching staff) during week two, which will put into practice material learned and develop knowledge and understanding of topics.

Research projects be presented at the end of the trip and written up as short reports/research papers.

3) Field notebook: Throughout the course students will be required to collate records of species sightings and write a reflective account of activities and experiences.

Resources & Reading list

General Resources

Biological Conservation. Journal

Nature, Science. Journal

Biotropica. Journal

Frontiers in Ecology and Environment. Journal

Journal of Tropical Ecology. Journal

Trends in Ecology and Evolution. Journal

PNAS. Journal

Tropical Conservation Science. Journal

Conservation Biology. Journal

Textbooks

Reid, F.A. (2009). Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America and Southeast Mexico. USA: Oxford University Press.

Whitmore, T. (1990). An introduction to tropical rain forests. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Kricher, J. (1999). Neotropical Companion: An Introduction to the Animals, Plants and Ecosystems of the New World Tropics. Princeton University Press.

Bridgewater, S. (2012). A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest. University of Texas Press in association with Natural History Museum, London.

Jones, L. (2003). Birds of Belize. Helm Filed Guides.

Ghazoul, J. and Sheil, D. (2010). Tropical rain forest ecology, diversity, and conservation. Oxford University Press.

Peh, K.S-H. (2015). Routledge Handbook of Forest Ecology. Routledge.

Barrett, C. B. & Cason J (2010). Overseas Research II: a practical guide. Routledge.

Osborne, P. (2012). Tropical ecosystems and ecological concepts. Cambridge University Press.

Assessment strategy

1. Field notebook/journal: 20%

2. Small group research project execution: 30%

3. Individual written project report: 50%

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External