Unit information: Environmental Geoscience Field Skills in 2021/22

Unit name	Environmental Geoscience Field Skills
Unit code	EASC20018
Credit points	10
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Buss
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Successful completion of the first year of an Earth Sciences programme
Co-requisites	EASC20037 Soils and the Critical Zone
School/department	School of Earth Sciences
Faculty	Faculty of Science

Description including Unit Aims

A one-week residential field class to study soil development and ecology in the context of geology, topography, climate, and land use. This unit is available only to Honours Environmental Geoscientists.

The primary aims of this field class are to:

• develop student's skills in the description and mapping of soils.
• study soil formation in the context of local geology (parent material), climate, topography and vegetation.
• investigate relationships between soils and ecology.
• learn to collect and record detailed and useful field notes.
• produce a webpage as a part of a group effort that records and integrates observations and experiences during the field class.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the field class you will be able to:

• Record legible and useful field notes.
• Describe the physical geography of a site.
• Observe and describe physical properties of soils in profile.
• Identify soil horizons and their boundaries.
• Identify diagnostic subsurface horizons.
• Perform field measurement of soil pH and texture.
• Use a Munsell soil colour chart.
• Name soil orders based upon field observations.
• Describe the vegetation of a site and perform vegetation surveys.
• Observe and describe vegetation succession in the context of land use change and time.
• Produce a webpage.
• Work effectively in a team to meet a strict deadline.

Teaching Information

The unit will be taught through a series of synchronous preparatory sessions in Bristol and through synchronous fieldwork and evening workshops. Students who either begin or continue their studies in an online mode may be required to complete fieldwork, or alternative activities in person, either during the academic year or subsequently, in order to meet the intended learning outcomes for the unit, prepare them for subsequent units or to satisfy accreditation requirements.

Assessment Information

Field notebooks and completed webpages must be submitted by 8 pm the final day of the field class. Coursework assesssment ratios are:

• independent notebooks (50%),

• group webpages (30%),

• individual participation (20%).

• Assessment will be based on faculty criteria and dept guidelines on field notebooks.

The participation mark is based upon individual student effort during the field class. This includes involvement in group activities and general willingness to follow field class guidelines that are described in detail in the course handout. A single participation mark is recorded at the end of each day by staff for each student based upon observations of their field work activities that day. General feedback about level of participation during the field class is given, in particular if the degree of effort is not considered satisfactory.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EASC20018).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.