Field Course Ecology

Abstract

In this course, students gain first experiences with ecological field research. They learn to design their own small research project, carry it out in the field, make sense of the collected data and present their results. With close support, they learn to tackle a range of ecological questions from phenology and site adaptations to population dynamics of selected plant and animal species.

Objective

After having attended this course, the students will be able to - associate theoretical concepts taught during the first-year classes (adaptation, population dynamics, species diversity) with personal experiences made in their own research set-up; - develop hypotheses in the broader field of ecology and design ways to test them; - process and analyze simple ecological field data; - present the findings to a peer audience.

Content

Field course in Zurich and surroundings Day 1 (half day): Introduction to the field course; examples of ecological studies, possible case study subjects and field methods. Preparation of field work in small groups, development of an individual question on a specific subject, choice of potential study sites Day 2: Field work in groups supported by a tutor: E.g. assessment of plant species diversity, plant population dynamics, tree regeneration and growth forms, physiological measurements on plant stress at extreme sites, in urban and peri-urban woodlands, riparian areas, grasslands, roadsides, etc. Day 3: Data preparation and analysis based on simple tools and visualization techniques; preparation of a short presentation that will serve as the ungraded course performance assessment.

Resources