Biodiversity in Practice

Module code: BS3038

This module introduces students to ecological field survey techniques and species identification. These skills and associated ecological understandings are highly desirable to employers in the environment sector, including ecological consultancy, conservation and land management. The module is taught via lectures and practical workshops, covering industry-standard habitat survey and biodiversity assessment methods, with an emphasis on rare and protected species. Practical workshops centre on plant identification skills, and students get a hands-on experience with living plants at the University of Leicester Botanic Garden, as well as specimens from the University of Leicester herbarium (LTR). Training is also provided on the use of state-of-the-art data analysis software to identify bat species from sonograms, as well as invertebrate surveys and identification.