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300182 PP Case studies on the ecology and biodiversity of tropical vertebrates (2024W)
in a lowland rainforest in Costa Rica
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Th 12.09.2024 14:00 to Th 26.09.2024 18:00
- Deregistration possible until Tu 15.10.2024 18:00
Details
max. 6 participants
Language: German
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
The preliminary meeting for the field course will be on 1st October 2024 from 13:00 till 14:00 in the seminar room at Rennweg 14. Participation is obligatory. Fieldwork will be conducted between 9th and 22nd November 2024 at the Tropical Research Station La Gamba, Costa Rica. Appointments for the subsequent data analysis on the 16th/17th December 2024 will be made individually with the supervisor.
- N Tuesday 01.10. 13:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum (Fakultätszentrum für Biodiversität) Rennweg EG
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
The field course will be conducted at the Tropical Research Station La Gamba, which is located in the lowlands of southern Costa Rica. The course will address a wide variety of different research topics ranging from behavioral ecology to community ecology of tropical vertebrates, using birds as model organisms. Birds will be caught with mist nests in different habitats ranging from primary rainforests to differently disturbed secondary forests. In addition to species identification, the participants will be trained in how to handle caught birds and how to take various morphological measurements. Based on the collected data a variety of research aspects will be studied. The data analysis will be supervised individually in consultation with the supervisor.For those students who plan to work with bats, a valid rabies vaccination is mandatory.The costs of the course will be approximately 800 Euros excluding the costs for flight tickets.
Assessment and permitted materials
(1) The results of all research projects have to be presented in a seminar (contribution to final mark: 1/3). (2) A written report (= Bachelor thesis) has to be submitted after the end of the course (contribution to final mark: 2/3).
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
In addition to a total average grade of 4, the participation in all fieldwork days (maximum 1 day of absence possible) will be necessary for a successful completion of the course.
Examination topics
The results of the individual small research projects will be presented in form of a seminar talk (approx. 15 min.). The content and structure of the presentation will be used for the evaluation. Furthermore, the written scientific manuscript will be used for the evaluation. Particular attention will be paid on: (1) a clear development of the research questions / hypotheses in the introduction section, (2) a comprehensible description of the methodological approach, (3) a clear presentation of the results, (4) as well as the adequate discussion of these results, considering relevant literature.
Reading list
Richard Garrigues (2014): The Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide. 2nd edition. Zona Tropical Publications. Zona Tropical Publications.Additional literature will be provided at the preliminary meeting.
Association in the course directory
BOE 13, BZO 13
Last modified: Mo 26.08.2024 17:06