This course will provide students with a grounding in the identification of key taxonomic groups (for example, fungi, mosses, macroalgae, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals) and their functional morphology. These skills will be further developed through practical experience of the monitoring of populations and species assemblages, as well as the analysis, presentation, and reporting of field collected data. Attainment will be assessed through a portfolio report of field observations and a number of practical skills assessments, distributed across the two semesters. 

3 to 5 hours per week including lectures, labs, workshops and field observations.

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1. Two practical skills assessments to determine students' ability to identify key taxa. Worth 40% of the final grade [ILO's 1, 2, and 3].

2. A "portfolio of independent exploration", for which students will be requested to undertake independent observations in a habitat of their choice. For their portfolio, students should report on the apparent biodiversity of their sites, conduct biological drawings and identify a minimum of 20 species, provide an overview of their taxonomy, key adaptations and other notable morphological characteristics, and analyse and present data in an appropriate manner, for example using R or GIS. Worth 60% of the final grade [ILO's 3, 4, 5 and 6].

The aims of the course are to enable students to:

1. develop their knowledge of the tree of life, major taxonomic groups and their evolutionary history,

2. identify and describe functional morphological features in key taxonomic groups and their adaptation to the environment,

3. develop skills is scientific illustration and notation,

4. confidently and accurately identify key taxonomic groups and species,

5. devise and undertake suitable monitoring programmes,

6. develop specific graduate attributes in areas such as investigation, independent work, critical analysis, statistical analysis, data presentation, teamwork, communication, reflection, confidence.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. describe the development and distinguishing structural features of key plant divisions and animal phyla,

2. identify and describe the key morphological traits and explain their function,

3. accurately record, describe, and report the characteristics of taxa,

4. confidently and independently identify key taxonomic groups and species,

5. identify suitable monitoring and management methods for the conservation of key habitats and species, and in response to common drivers of biodiversity loss,

6. demonstrate transferable independent investigative skills and reporting skills.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.