Fish and Wildlife Census Techniques
Course evaluation
The course evaluation is now closed
BI1302-10102 - Course evaluation report
Once the evaluation is closed, the course coordinator and student representative have 1 month to draft their comments. The comments will be published in the evaluation report.
Additional course evaluations for BI1302
Academic year 2023/2024
Fish and Wildlife Census Techniques (BI1302-10170)
2023-08-28 - 2023-10-30
Academic year 2022/2023
Fish and Wildlife Census Techniques (BI1302-10227)
2022-08-29 - 2022-10-31
Academic year 2020/2021
Fish and Wildlife Census Techniques (BI1302-10024)
2020-08-31 - 2020-11-01
Academic year 2019/2020
Fish and Wildlife Census Techniques (BI1302-10050)
2019-09-02 - 2019-10-31
Academic year 2018/2019
Fish and Wildlife Census Techniques (BI1302-10087)
2018-09-03 - 2018-11-11
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
BI1302 Fish and Wildlife Census Techniques, 15.0 Credits
Inventeringsmetoder för vilt och fiskSubjects
Forest Science Biology Biology Forest scienceEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Single module | 15.0 | 0301 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
Knowledge at basic level equivalent to 120 credits including- 60 credits Biology including 15 credits Ecology or
- 60 credits Forest Science including 15 credits Ecology or
- 60 credits Natural Resource Management including 15 credits Ecology or
- 60 credits Environmental Sciences including 15 credits Ecology
and
- English 6
Objectives
The aim of the course is for the student to learn how to plan inventories, apply the most important inventory methods for fish and wildlife, to analyze and interpret the results from these investigations, and to understand the ethical aspects of handling and marking animals.
After completing the course, the student should be able to:
Plan fish and wildlife censuses on the basis of problem formulation, method performance, labour and equipment requirements, legal constraints, and animal welfare and ethical issues.
Conduct a selection of census techniques that are of importance for the sustainable management of fish and wildlife populations.
Analyse, interpret, present and discuss data collected by various census techniques.
Relate the handling of free-living animals during surveys and sampling to the ethics and legislation of animal research.
Content
The student must do an individual project where the purpose is to plan censuses. The student chooses a species, but during a seminar all such student choices are coordinated in order to avoid overlap and to ensure a diversity of methods are covered within the course. The students are supervised during the project, but the project mainly relies on the student’s own work using the scientific literature. A number of real-life case studies will also be presented.
Teacher-supported training allows the students to plan, practice, compile and present the results from a selection of census techniques.
In order to learn the statistical calculations for the most common census techniques, the student will work with general statistical software (e.g. R, Excel), as well as method-specific software. A number of exercises will support the students learning, some of which may be compulsory and may vary from year to year.
An overview of current Swedish and European legislation and organization is presented concerning the handling of free-living animals in research. In a number of lectures, ethical issues like stress, anxiety, pain or suffering during handling, as well as organizational issues are discussed. Methods for anaesthesia of animals as well as sampling and injection methods are demonstrated and practiced. Lectures and exercises also cover how to deal with an application to an ethical committee on animal research.
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Approved written project report and and oral presentation, approved participation in compulsory excercises, approved written examination.
- If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
- The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
- If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
- For the examination of a degree project (independent project), the examiner may also allow the student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Additional information
The course is a part of the Master´s Programme in the Management of Fish and Wildlife Populations but is open to other students.Students following the Forest Science programme at SLU meet the requirements of 15 credits in Ecology by the courses given over the first two years of the programme. The requirement of 15 credits in Ecology can also be met by the course SG0251 Forest Ecology 15 credits.
SLU is environmentally certified according to ISO 14001. A large part of our courses cover knowledge and skills that contribute positively to the environment. To further strengthen this, we have specific environmental goals for the education. Students are welcome to suggest actions regarding the course’s content and implementation that lead to improvements for the environment. For more information, see webpage www.slu.se.
Responsible department
Department of Wildlife, Fish, & Environmental Studies
Further information
Grading criteria
Study guidance and grading criteria
BI1302 Fish and wildlife census techniques
|
Course occasion |
Period 1, 2021 |
|
The study guidance was revised |
2021-08-02 |
|
Examiner |
Navinder Singh |
|
Department |
Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental studies |
Objectives
After finishing the course the student should be able to:
- Plan fish and wildlife censuses on the basis of problem formulation, method performance, labour and equipment requirements, legal constraints, and animal welfare and ethical issues.
- Conduct a selection of census techniques that are of importance for fish and wildlife management.
- Analyse, interpret, present and discuss data collected by various census techniques.
- Relate the handling of free-living animals during surveys and sampling to the ethics and legislation of animal research.
Content and teaching activities
LO 1. The learning outcome is reached by an individual projectwhere the purpose is to plan censuses. The student chooses a species, but during a seminar, all such student choices are coordinated in order to avoid overlap and to ensure a diversity of methods within the course. The students are supervised during the project, but the project mainly relies on the student's own work using scientific literature. A number of real-life case studies will also be presented.
LO 2. Teacher-supported trainingallow the students to plan, practice, compile, and present the results from a selection census techniques.
LO 3. In order to learn the statistical calculations for the most common census techniques, the student will work in R, as well as method specific software. Exercises will support the students learning.
LO 4. An overview of current Swedish and European legislation and organization is presented concerning the handling of free-living animals in research. In a number of lectures, ethical issues like stress, anxiety, pain or suffering during handling, as well as organizational issues are brought up. Methods for anaesthesia of animals as well as sampling and injection methods are demonstrated and discussed.
Grading criteria
The student's achievement is evaluated according to 4 different judgment areas. The examiner decides if individual strengths and weaknesses may compensate for each other. To get a final grade, the student must pass approved (grade 3) for all four judgement areas. Approved result is not possible to re-exam in order to get a higher grade. For the student to have an idea about what grade to expect on the written report the below table explains how different aspects of the report are graded.
|
Grade |
Criteria |
|
|
|
|
|
Judgment Area – LO 1 |
Judgment Area – LO 2 |
Judgment Area – LO 3 |
Judgment Area – LO 4 |
|
5 (A) |
Beside the criteria for grade 4, the student can motivate an alternative methodincluding a discussion on data quality, resource use and costs in relation to the first option
|
|
Beside the criteria for grade 4, the student can discuss assumptions and limitations of a specific census method. |
|
|
4 (B) |
Beside the criteria for grade 3, the student can describe the statistics of the methods chosen, i.e. calculate the size and number of sampling units needed, how to estimate population size and confidence limits or population indices, and how to handle uncertainty. In addition, the student can identify a number of scientific studies where the method have been used, and discuss its use in the studies.
|
|
Beside the criteria for grade 3, the student can analyse population estimates and discuss uncertainty. |
|
|
3 (D) |
The student can plan and write a report (application) for inventories on the basis of problem formulation, method accomplishment, personnel and equipment requirements, permits needed, and animal welfare and ethical issues. Max 200 words in the summary and max 5000 words excluding title pages, table of contents, references, and appendices. |
The student can conduct a selection of census techniques that are of importance for the fish and wildlife management of today |
The student can use statistical methods to estimate population size or indices of size. |
The student can relate the handling of wild animals during surveys and sampling to animal ethics issues and legislation |
|
U (F) |
The grade criteria for approved (3) are not fulfilled. |
The grade criteria for approved (3) are not fulfilled. |
The grade criteria for approved (3) are not fulfilled. |
The grade criteria for approved (3) are not fulfilled. |
Grading Criteria
The learning outcomes are examined through, and their weightage:
- Written Project Report and oral presentation at final seminar – 45% (30 pts - Written, 15 pts - Oral).
- Participation and hand in of the assignments of compulsory exercises (biodiversity excursion – 30 pts, electrofishing-35 pts, distance assignment – 35 pts) 10%.
- Written exam – 40%.
- Participation in ethics lectures and group exercises - 5%.
Guidance to the calculation of grades:
5 -- greater than 85%
4 -- 75 to 85%
3 -- 60 to 74%
U -- Unsatisfactory, less than 60%
Compulsory activities and deadlines for assignments and examination
In order to get a higher grade than approved (4 or 5), all examining parts of the course must be finished within given time as decided by the examiner. Dates and times are specified below for each judgement area. Such time limit shall include the first ordinary re-exam or the first occasion for renewed delivery of thesis, paper or other equivalent task. Extended time limit can be given under specific circumstances.
|
Judgment Area – LO 1 |
Judgment Area – LO 2 |
Judgment Area – LO 3 |
Judgment Area – LO 4 |
|
Grade based assessments |
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Project report and oral presentation |
Participation in compulsory exercises |
Written exam |
Ethics |
|
Time schedule for delivery of assignments or compulsory exercises |
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Written report: 2021-10-25, 24 h Oral presentation: 2021-10-27
Students whose reports and presentations do not meet the criteria for approved (3), have to deliver an updated version of the report alternatively conduct a new presentation within 7 days after that the result of the examination have been given. |
Participation in the biodiversity excursion 2021-09-07
Electrofishing: one of 15-18 September, depending on weather, and hand in of assignment before 1200h 23 Sep.
Distance sampling assignment: hand in before 1200h, 2021-10-05.
|
First exam: 2021-10-22 09.00-14.00
Re-exam: The date and time for the re-exam is decided after consultation between the examiner (Navinder Singh) and the students. |
Participation in lectures and group exercises |
Note – If the above dates need to be changed for some reason, the students will be announced in advance.
Litterature list
- Ecological census techniques Författare: William J Sutherland Kommentar: Found in the Canvas