Active bird protection - methods in fields

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OB2_W02

OB2_W09

OB2_W12

OB2_U01

OB2_U09

OB2_K04

OB2_U13

OB2_K07

basic knowledge of zoology, ecology and protection of animals, passive knowledge of the English language

The subject introduces the term - active protection of the species, presents ways of planning such a form of protection, and presents potential sources of funding. It presents the use of various methods in the field to actively protect animals on the example of colonial bird species, nesting on the Vistula islands. Shows the effectiveness of different techniques depending on the species and the type of threat. It teaches methods that may be useful for protecting species and habitats. The subject demonstrates the ethical and legal aspects of working with animals in the field; shows the hazards associated with a fieldwork and safety practices

At the turn of May and June (depending on the advancement of the breeding season, and the water level) a week-long trip in the area to the Institute of Biological Sciences UKSW Field Station in Wróble near Maciejowice (the island on the MiddleVistula River). There are 1-2 organizational meetings before the trip

1. The organization of classes. What is it an active protection of species? Why do we protect in Poland ground-nesting bird species?

2. Methods of field work – ethical and legal issues

3. Methods of field work – safety in the field

4. How do we plan active measures for species protection

5. Examples of active measures of protection for different species

6. Methods of financing of active conservation - where to get funds

7. Active protection of gulls and terns at the middle Vistula river - environmental hazards, population threats and human disturbances

8. Active protection of gulls and terns at the middle Vistula river – methods to reduce the number and activity of American mink and fox

9. Active protection of gulls and terns at the middle Vistula river – neutralization of predatory mammals as a form of protection of breeding sites

10. Active protection of gulls and terns at the middle Vistula river – why use incubators and wooden dummy eggs

11. Active protection of gulls and terns at the middle Vistula river – increasing genetic diversity in colonies

12. Active protection of gulls and terns at the middle Vistula river - how to improve nesting habitat - controlled grazing and selective logging undergrowth on the islands

13. Active protection of gulls and terns at the middle Vistula river - methods for neutralizing massive blackflies outbreaks

14. Active protection of gulls and terns at the middle Vistula river – what is the current assessment of environmental effects of conservation activities

15. Summary of the course

Literature:

1. Williams D.R., Pople R.G., Showler D.A., Dicks L.V., Child M.F., zu Ermgassen E.K.H.J., Sutherland W.J. 2013. Bird Conservation: Global evidence for the effects of interventions. Exeter, Pelagic Publishing.

2. Perrins C.M., Lebreton J.D., Hirons G.J.M. 1991. Bird Population Studies. Relevance to Conservation and management. Oxford University Press.

3. W. J. Sutherland, I. Newton, R. Green. 2004. Bird Ecology and Conservation: A Handbook of Techniques. Oxford UP

Additional literature:

Articles in English concerning active species protection, including methods, the effectiveness of different activities

a) Learning outcomes

1. Knowledge:

EK1 – the student knows different methods used for active protection, especially those regarding breeding waterbirds; identifies and analyses real and potential threats for animals that will be actively protected,

EK2 – the student understands and explains relationships among ecology, animal behaviour and an active species and habitat protection; can explain the importance of active conservation measures for species status and long-term planning strategies; knows ethical rules and policies concerning legal and active nature conservation in Poland;

EK3 – the students recognizes the basic terms in a foreign language in the field of ecology, behavior and conservation of species and habitats

2.Skills:

EK 4 – the student conducts and describe simple research tasks both individually and in a team; is able to specify environmental risks; puts correct hypotheses concerning causes of observed phenomena; can select and apply known methods of active protection to protect the chosen species

EK 5 – the Student uses specialized terminology in the field of ecology, animal behaviour and the nature conservation; uses literature, the Internet, and other source of information in a critical way

EK 6 - the student is able to prepare a simple report on the basis of collected data; uses a computer to analyse and present results

EK7 – the student is able to prepare speeches using various means of verbal and visual communication; interprets scientific text; can work in a team, has the ability to critically and creatively evaluate and verify presentations;

3.Competences:

EK 8 – the student improves his/her professional skills in a fieldwork; takes care of the reliability and credibility of his/her work; retains the criticism and caution in relation to sources; creatively looks for literature for the given topic;

EK 9 – the student through a fieldwork as well as the preparation of multimedia presentations and discussion sees the weaknesses and strengths of their skills, attitudes and actions; is responsible; treats protected animals in an ethical manner; complies with the rules of the course, also concerning the safety at work in the field

b) ECTS

Student activity hours of student work

Participation in lecture (auditory part) 5

Preparation for field work 10

Participation in the field work 30

Studying literature for the lecture 15

Studying literature for the field part 10

Preparation of a presentation 25

Preparation of a report 25

Total of 120 hours [120/30 = 4]

Number of ECTS 4

Assessment criteria

Knowledge (EK 1-3)

Grade 2:

EK 1 – the student does not know methods used for active protection of species and habitats; student does not analyse real and potential threats for animals that will be actively protected

EK 2 – the student does not understand or be able to explain the relationship between ecology, the behavior of animals, and the possibilities and forms of active protection of species and habitats; cannot explain the importance of active protection for changes of the species status in the context of conservation planning; student does not know ethical principles and regulations concerning legal and active nature protection in Poland

EK 3 - the students does not recognize the basic terms in English in the field of ecology, behavior and conservation of species and habitats

Grade 3:

EK 1 – The student knows some methods of active species and habitats protection; cannot cite examples of their use; has difficulty with identifying and analyzing the real and potential threats to the animals that will be protected

EK2 – The student knows that there is a relationship between ecology, animal behaviour and the possibilities and methods of conservation, but cannot give any examples; cannot explain the importance and determinants of active conservation measures for species status in the context of conservation planning; knows only some ethical principles and regulations concerning the legal and active conservation of nature in Poland

EK 3 – The student recognizes some basic terms in a foreign language in the field of ecology, behavior and conservation of species, but not always use them properly

Grade 4:

EK 1- The student knows most methods of active protection for selected groups of animals and can cite examples of their use; usually has no difficulty in identifying and analyzing real and potential threats to the animals that will be protected

EK 2 – The student knows that there is a relationship between ecology, animal behaviour and the possibilities and conditions of conservation methods; can explain the importance of protective measures for the changes of the species status in the context of the conservation strategy planning but cannot give examples from the literature; knows the ethical principles and most regulations concerning the legal and active nature protection in Poland

EK 3 – The student well recognizes basic terms in a foreign language in the field of ecology, behavior and species protection

Grade 5:

EK 1 - The student knows the methods of active protective measures for selected groups of animals very well; he can give many examples; identifies and analyzes the real and potential threats to animals that are subject to active protection

EK 2 - Student perfectly understands and explains the relationship between ecology, animal behavior and the possibilities and conditions of active protection methods; can explain the importance of protective measures for the change of species status in the context of the conservation strategy planning and give examples from the literature on such relationships; is very familiar with ethical principles and regulations concerning legal and active nature protection in Poland

EK 3 - The student is very familiar with the basic terms in a foreign language in the field of ecology, behavior and conservation of species and uses them in preparing presentations

Skills (EK 4-7)

Grade 2:

EK 4 - The student cannot perform and describe simple research tasks individually (or in a team); student cannot recognize the environmental hazards, cannot set the correct hypothesis about the causes of the observed phenomena; cannot choose and apply appropriate active protection measures to protect the selected species.

EK 5 – The student does not use specialized terminology in the field of ecology, animal behaviour and nature conservation, usually uses only an common vocabulary; uncritically uses the literature, the Internet and other information sources on a given topic

EK 6 – The student is unable to make a simple report on the basis of collected data; cannot use the computer to prepare the analyzes and present the obtained results

EK 7 – The student is unable to prepare an oral speech using various means of verbal communication, uses unproven sources, the text of presented article is incorrectly translated; The student cannot properly interpret the text, is unable to work in a team, does not have the ability to critically and creatively evaluate and verify presentations.

Grade 3:

EK 4 – The student can correctly perform simple research tasks individually and in a team, but has problems with a proper description of them; has difficultis in assessing real environmental hazards and consequently with putting correct hypotheses about the causes of the observed phenomena; in most situations cannot choose and apply appropriate active protection methods to protect the selected species

EK 5 – The student is trying to use specialized terminology in the field of ecology, animal behaviour and nature conservation, but abuses colloquial vocabulary; often uncritically uses the literature, the Internet and other information sources on a given subject

EK 6 – The student correctly produces simple reports on the basis of the collected data, but cannot draw the correct conclusions, and the graphic page of the report leaves much to be desired; The student has difficulties with using the computer to the extent necessary to prepare the analyses and the presentation of the results

EK 7 – The student correctly prepares oral speech using various means of verbal and visual communication, however, he has difficulties with translating English scientific texts and selecting material that is important for the presentation of the material; has difficulties with the correct interpretation of the text, has no skills for the critical and creative assessment and verification of presentations; does not always work well in a team

Grade 4:

EK 4 – The student performs and describes simple research tasks well, both individually and in a team; is able to identify environmental hazards, usually poses correct hypotheses about the causes of the observed phenomena, but is not always able to select and apply the techniques to actively protect the selected species.

EK 5 – The student is good in using the specialized terminology in the field of ecology, animal behaviour and nature conservation; sometimes makes mistakes; A student sometimes uses the literature, the Internet, and other information sources uncritically

EK 6 – The student prepares simple reports on the basis of collected data; poses the right conclusions, but the graphical side of the report is poor; does not fully use the computer to prepare analyzes and present the results

EK 7 – The student prepares oral speeches using various means of verbal and visual communication, but the presentation contains errors or does not use all the important information from the presented articles; usually does not have difficulties with the correct interpretation of the text, but is not always able to make a creative assessment and verification of the presentations.

Grade 5:

EK 4 - The student excellently performs and describes simple research tasks, both individually and collectively; defines environmental hazards without any problems and puts correct hypotheses about the causes of the observed phenomena; is always able to select and apply the active protection techniques to protect the selected species.

EK 5 – The student perfectly uses specialized terminology in the field of ecology, animal behaviour and nature conservation; always uses the literature, the Internet and other information sources in a critical way

EK 6 – The student prepares simple reports on the basis of collected data; creatively interprets the results and draws correct conclusions, taking full advantage of the graphical elements (tables and figures) to present the results

EK 7 – The student prepares a consistent and well-planned oral presentation using various means of verbal and visual communication; the presentation contains all relevant information contained in the presented articles, and the articles are translated without errors; does not have any difficulties with the correct interpretation of the scientific text, and can also make creative evaluations of the presentations presented by others.

Competences (EK 8-9)

Grade 8

EK 8 - The student does not care about the reliability of the fieldwork and the credibility of the results, is uncritical with respect to the information obtained from the literature and the Internet, does not participate in the discussion.

EK 9 - Student while working in the field and also during preparation of a multimedia presentation does not recognize the weaknesses and strengths of his/her skills, attitudes and actions; is hardly responsible, does not treat protected animals in an ethical manner; does not comply with the rules of the course also these concerning the safety at work in the field

Grade 3

EK 8 - The student takes care of the fieldwork reliability and reliability of the results only to a very small degree, is often uncritical in relation to the information obtained from the literature and the Internet; usually does not participate in the discussion.

EK 9 – The student while working in the field and also preparing multimedia presentations does not pay attention and does not verify weaknesses of his/her skills, attitudes and actions; ethical approach to the protected species is not a priority for the student; regularly does not apply to the rules of the course also regarding the safety in the field

Grade 4:

EK 8 - The student is trying to constantly improve his/her professional skills in the fieldwork; takes care of the reliability and credibility of his/her work; usually maintains criticism over information obtained from the literature and the internet, but is not always creative in finding literature for a given subject.

EK 9 – The student through a fieldwork, a preparation of the multimedia presentation and a discussion usually sees the strengths and weaknesses of his/her skills, attitudes and actions; is responsible, treats protected animals in an ethical manner; usually applies to the rules of the course also these regarding safety in the field

Grade 5:

EK 8 - The student actively improves his/her professional skills in fieldwork; is honest and reliable in his/her work; always retains criticism in relation to the information obtained from the literature and the Internet; creatively looks for the literature

EK 9 - The student through a fieldwork, a preparation of the multimedia presentation and discussion sees the strengths and weaknesses of his/her skills, attitudes and actions; is responsible; always treats protected animals in an ethical manner; complies with all the rules of the course, also concerning the safety at work in the field

Methods of assessment:

Assessment of the report describing field observations. The evaluation will assess the ability to work individually in the field and a presentation of results (the ability to describe the methodology and the course of observation, the conclusions of the observation)

Assessment of the multimedia presentation of the article related to the topic. The evaluation will assess (a) the ability to work in a group, (b) form, content and way of presentation and (c) the ability to find suitable material for presentation

Evaluation of activity in the classroom (participation in the discussion)

The final grade is the arithmetic average of the report evaluation and the presentation evaluation. Significant activity both in the field and in the auditory part increases the report scores. Absence from a field trip means failure of the course.

Further detailed assessment criteria will be given to participants during the course.