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Field Experience Subjects

King Kalgan River
Source: Dr B. Robson

SQB226 Research Methods (Four day field trip in the Grampians)

This unit is designed to help students learn the skills required to design and implement experiments, analyse research data, work as an effective part of a team, and learn how to manage a team.

Students in teams of five design an experiment that they will conduct whilst on a a four day field trip to the Grampians. While on the trip, each team will conduct their experiment with the help of other 'students' (in this case, staff members). This not only exposes all the students to different projects, but also teaches the students to manage team situations. The ability to manage teams is critical when our students move into professional employment.

Some of the projects our students have conducted are:

• Activity patterns of eastern grey kangaroos
• The influence of walking tracks on plant communities
• Diurnal and nocturnal influences on stream invertebrate communities
• Understanding observer bias when conducting rapid vegetation assessment
• The impact of animal tracks on soil invertebrates
• The influence of vegetation structure on woodland bird communities
• The influence of ground cover vegetation and leaf litter on invertebrate diversity

SQP345 Freshwater Science Fieldwork

This third year unit integrates the knowledge and methods gained throughout the Bachelor of Environmental Science (Freshwater Biology and Management) degree to undertake a fieldwork project and produce a technical report of professional standard. This gives students a 'real world' experience and an example of their work that they can show prospective employers. Where possible, this project will be undertaken in collaboration with an external body, such as a catchment management authority, that will be able to use the information provided in the technical report.

Some examples of projects include:

• Biodiversity and water quality of coastal wetlands managed by Alcoa at Portland
• Physical, chemical and biological study of Lake Purrumbete (Camperdown)
• Evaluation of river health in subcatchments of the Hopkins River
• Biodiversity and water quality of floodplain wetlands on the Gellibrand River

Working in small groups, students plan their data collection and then go into the field. They analyse water quality samples in the laboratories and identify plants and animals. In the field, they record features such as depth, salinity and flow speeds and make observations of larger animals, such as water birds and fish. They also collate information from the scientific literature and other publications and integrate it with their own findings to provide a comprehensive technical report to the collaborating industry. Usually, the students are providing baseline data that can be used to assess the results of future management actions taken by the industry body.

In this unit, third year students have the opportunity to show professional skills and knowledge gained from their degree to produce an exemplar for future employers. They also have the chance to tackle a real world need for environmental information and to get out into the field in self-directed groups. They also have a lot of fun!

For enquires, please email:les-enquiries@deakin.edu.au