Overview

1 week field course in Siberia, Russia, focused on biodiversity and ecology of flora and fauna across Taiga. The students are expected to prepare for the field course by performing background reading and preparing presentation material. We carry out field excursions to different habitats and students experience combinations of self-guided, seminar based and guided explorations of different subtropical habitats. Students learn about the different habitats and biodiversity by a combination of personal observations, talks by BU, guides, mentors and local staff. Students observe and record flora and fauna and their context in different habitats using different media, including field notebooks, photography, video, drawings and on-line blogs. Students carry out species identification using field guides, online searching and keys. Students deliver oral presentations prior to the field course and undertake numerical exercises during their field sampling, in addition to preparing and finishing a Blog and Poster Presentation, that is handed in approximately four weeks after returning to Bangor.

Learning Outcomes

• Address research questions arising from the environmental and ecological factors governing the distribution of biodiversity in Siberian habitats and prevailing conservation challenges.

• Demonstrate identification skills and knowledge relating to flora and fauna of visited study sites.

• Demonstrate self management and lifelong learning (undertaking directed reading, time management, teamwork, presentation skills, working to a deadline).

• Describe in detail, thorough and original field observations and record and present them systematically