BIOL305-10SU1 (C) Summer Jan 2010 start

Practical Taxonomy for Field Biologists

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 25 January 2010
End Date: Sunday, 7 February 2010
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 31 January 2010
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 7 February 2010

Description

A residential field course focussing on identification of organisms, particularly plants, in practical (field) conditions.

Actual Dates for 2010 are 29 January until 5 February (dates above are the 2 week window during which the 8 day course is held).

Practical Taxonomy for Field Biologists is a residential, intensive, short summer course designed to meet the need for training in the collection, preparation, and identification of botanical specimens. It will be valuable for students who intend to seek employment in areas such as field ecology, conservation, biodiversity, and taxonomy or biosystematics. It will also be of interest to members of the workforce who need to acquire or upgrade taxonomic skills, e.g., from Crown Research Institutes, Department of Conservation, Local and Regional Councils, Botanic Gardens, horticulture, and teaching.

The course is open to students with Biol 215 Plant Diversity or others with suitable work experience, subject to approval of the Head of School.

Learning Outcomes

  • To enable participants to
  • become familiar with the common plants of the Cass and surrounding areas quickly
  • to identify and name plants correctly and accurately
  • maximise usefulness and minimise environmental impact when collecting specimens
  • prepare high quality voucher specimens of plants
  • use scientific names to access detailed information
  • appreciate patterns of variation within populations
  • appreciate unique and unusual aspects of the New Zealand flora.

Prerequisites

BIOL215 or subject to approval by the Head of the School of Biological Sciences

Timetable Note

Dates for 2010: 29 January–5 February.

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Julie Barcelona

Lab Technician

Reijel Gardiner

Dr Barcelona will be out of the country from 17 Oct 2009 to 18 Jan 2010 with limited internet access, during this time please contact the School of Biological Sciences Office in the first instance, phone +64 3 364 2500 or email biology@canterbury.ac.nz.

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Field Reference Collection 25%
Voucher Specimen Preparation 25%
Written and Practical 50%

Notes

Specific content
• Preparation of a reference collection which is designed primarily for reference in the field and also as a means to access more detailed information about the plants.
• Understanding the process of using identification keys. How to increase the probability of getting a correct identification and how to check for correctness. Participants will be able to work at different levels according to experience.
• Construction of identification/taxonomic keys. Participants will jointly collect specimens and field data, construct and test the key, then proceed to individual key construction.
• Using taxonomic references. Workshop. Includes how to read and interpret descriptions in Floras, use online resources to identify unknown plants, determine correct nomenclature and taxonomic ranks (e.g. in what family does a genus belong?) by accessing reliable taxonomic websites.
• Collection of biological specimens: collecting for maximum value and in accordance with regulations and ethical considerations. Discussion and practical exercise.
• Preparation of voucher specimens: why these are necessary and how to safeguard them. Demonstration, discussion, and assessed practical exercise.
• Scientific names: how to find the correct name for an organism, understanding name changes, using names to access information. Lecture and discussion on the rules of botanical nomenclature as prescribed in the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN).
• Distinguishing different patterns of variation in populations. Field and lab discussion.
• Observation and discussion in the field of notable features of the New Zealand biota including examples of adaptive radiation, convergent evolution, adaptations to novel habitats, extreme structural modifications, species mosaics, hybridisation.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $650.00

International fee $3,000.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Minimum enrolments

This course will not be offered if fewer than 10 people apply to enrol.

Limited Entry Course

Maximum enrolment is 25

For further information see School of Biological Sciences .

All BIOL305 Occurrences

  • BIOL305-10SU1 (C) Summer Jan 2010 start
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