Pluridisciplinary scientific field trip [SBIOB003]
Learning outcomes
- Learn to observe and recognise organisms and natural phenomena in the field.
- Integrate different scientific disciplines around a theme.
- Learning to communicate field observations in a scientific manner; developing scientific and naturalist photography skills.
- Learn to work in groups and in interdisciplinary teams.
Objectives
The main aim is to introduce budding scientists and/or naturalists to the observation of nature and natural phenomena in the field, and to the scientific interpretation of their observations. By integrating the various disciplines, they will develop a holistic view of the world around them. Communicating these observations and interpretations is an important objective of the course.
Content
This multidisciplinary scientific field course takes place at the beginning of July for 9 days (including travel) in a region that changes every year (often in France's mid-range mountains). The activities are essentially based on observations that effectively and harmoniously integrate disciplines such as geology, botany, entomology and ornithology, supplemented (depending on the year) by elements of animal photography, marine biology, chiropterology, herpetology, cartography, ecology, geography, astronomy and applied physics. The course is a useful addition to the theoretical syllabus offered during the bachelor's degree course, presenting aspects that are usually only briefly covered, such as the identification of biotopes, plants, animals and rocks, ethnobotany, landscape interpretation, economic geology, pharmacognosy, etc. The richness of this course lies in its multidisciplinary and integrative aspects, involving specialists from different disciplines. What's more, the course is open to a range of science graduates: biology, geology, geography, mathematics, physics, pharmacy, veterinary medicine and chemistry. This provides a rich diversity of skills and personal experience.
Previous placements (and future):
2007 Dévoluy (Haute-Savoie)
2008 Cantal - Auvergne
2009 Briançonnais (Hautes-Alpes)
2010 Beaufortin (Savoie)
2011 Dévoluy (Haute-Savoie)
2012 Jura
2013 Briançonnais (Hautes-Alpes)
2014 Hérault
2015 Vosges
2016 Dévoluy (Haute-Savoie)
2017 Western Pyrenees and Basque Country
2018 Var (South of France)
2019 Slovenia/Croatia
2021 Western Pyrenees and Basque Country
2022 Provence
2023 Bavaria
2024 Western Pyrenees
Teaching methods
The scientific approach is essentially based on a methodology of observation combined with personal initiative on the part of the student, who must observe, record (possibly with photographic support) and propose explanations/interpretations for the observations, all within the framework of a specific theme. This is established in consultation between the supervisor and the students, for each day and for each subject. Students are also required to pass on information during short presentations at the end of the day, under the guidance of the supervisory team. The team also offers presentations that explain the different contexts of the stay, as well as didactic subjects that provide an opportunity to explain certain scientific elements observed during the course (climatic phenomena, optical phenomena in relation to the living world, plant toxicity, etc.).
Preparatory sessions for the course are offered at the end of Q2. These consist of one or two lunchtimes devoted to a theoretical introduction to the main disciplines and/or recorded video clips.
A website dedicated to the course can be found at the following address: www.stage-scientifique-ete.be
A compulsory registration form is available.
Evaluations
Students may be assessed on the basis of the quality of their participation in the course, their presentation work in the evening and their answers to questions. Students will therefore be given a mark for their group, modulated by continuous personal assessment. The assessment criteria will take into account the relevance of the observations, the student's responsiveness to an observation topic proposed by the supervisor, as well as the student's overall commitment and ability to integrate several disciplines.
As this is a continuous assessment during the fieldwork, it is not possible to organise a second session.
Recommended readings
A website dedicated to the course can be found at the following address: www.stage-scientifique-ete.be
A compulsory registration form is available.
Geography:
- Le relief de la France, Coupes et croquis - Y. Battiau-Queney, Masson, Géographie collection, 1993.
- Geography of mountain environments - D. Berlawev, Fr. Orban - CEFOGE
Geology:
- Geology of France. (2 volumes) - J. Debelmas (Ed. Doin)
Botany :
- Flora Gallica. Tison J.M. & de Foucault B.. Société botanique de France & Biotope éditions
- Flora of continental Mediterranean France. Tison J.M., Jauzein ph. & Michaud H. Naturalia Publications.
- Ferns and allied plants of France and Western Europe. Preli R. Éditions Belin
- Atlas des plantes rares ou protégées des Hautes-Alpes. Chas & al. Naturalia Publications
- Perspective pour une géobiologie des montagnes. Ozenda. PPUR
- Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of France. Fournier P.V., Éditions Omnibus
- Flore forestière française (3 tomes) - Rameau, Mansion & Dumé, éd. IDF
- Fleurs de Montagne - Grey-Wilson and Blamey, published by Delachaux & Niestlé
- Flora of Switzerland - A. Binz & E. Thommen, ed. F. Rouge, Lausanne
Ornithology :
- Birds of Europe (Petterson, Ed. Delachaux & Niestlé)
- The ornithological guide (Svensson, Muyllarney & Zetterstöm, Ed Delachaux et Niestlé, 2010)
Entomology:
- Insects in their environment (P. Leraut; Bordas ecoguide)
- Insects of France and Western Europe (Chinery, Ed. Flammarion)
- Insects and other small animals in the mountains (Parcs Nationaux de France - Ed. Glénat)
Zoology
- La faune de la France illustrée (12 vol.) (Remy Perrier, Ed. Delagrave)
Photography :
- Conservation Photography Handbook. How to save the world one photo at a time. (Boyd Norton, Ed. Sierra Club, 2016)
Language of instruction
French / FrançaisLocation for course
NAMUROrganizer
Faculté des sciencesRue de Bruxelles, 61
5000 NAMUR
