Ecological Field Assessment
6 weeks · 0 milestones
Conduct a real ecological assessment of a specific named site using a standard methodology: point count or transect survey for bird species, quadrat sampling for plant communities, pitfall or sweep net survey for invertebrates, or equivalent standardised ecological method. Calculate at minimum one ecological index (species richness, Shannon diversity index, Simpson's index, or DAFOR abundance scale). The proof is the field survey record including site name, GPS coordinates or map reference, assessment date, methodology documentation, species list with counts or abundance scores, index calculation, and a brief written interpretation of the site's ecological condition. iNaturalist transect observations with documented methodology (defined transect, consistent effort, documented conditions) are accepted for students without access to ecological field equipment. Reviewed by an ecologist who challenges the choice of ecological index and asks how the assessment methodology would need to change for a different site type or ecological question.
Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Define the ecological question, design the sampling protocol, and identify the study site or open dataset for your assessment. Accessible alternative: if physical site access is unavailable or impractical, select a defined geographic area from GBIF or iNaturalist data — the analysis of downloaded occurrence records is a full and valid route for this outcome. Real field assessment is preferred but not required.
Proof required
Submit your ecological assessment question, your sampling protocol (survey method, sampling effort, target taxa, environmental variables to record), and your study site description (coordinates, habitat type, access date) or your open dataset selection with source URL, download date, and geographic and temporal scope.
What gets checked
- Ecological question is specific enough to produce an answerable result — 'what is the plant species richness in 10 quadrats on the north slope' is answerable; 'how biodiverse is the park' is not
- Sampling protocol specifies the survey method, unit area (quadrat size, transect length), number of replicates, and recording procedure for each target taxon
- Study site description or dataset documentation includes information relevant to interpreting the results — habitat type, management history, season of survey, data collection methodology for open data