Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/M006298/1
Taxonomic skills and field techniques for freshwater ecology and quality
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Dr A Jungblut, The Natural History Museum, Life Sciences
- Grant held at:
- The Natural History Museum, Life Sciences
- Science Area:
- Freshwater
- Overall Classification:
- Freshwater
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- Invertebrates
- Animal organisms
- Climate & Climate Change
- Systematics & Taxonomy
- Microbiology
- Microalgae
- Water Quality
- Abstract:
- Taxonomy, freshwater ecology and quality and fieldwork techniques have been identified as high priority training areas that are fundamental for NERC's priorities and investment including TAXONOMY AND SYSTEMATICS, and BIODIVERSITY & ECOSYSTEM SERVICE SUSTAINABILITY. The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report on the state of taxonomy and systematics highlighted concerns about the health of the discipline in the UK and its ability to support the needs of its user communities. This knowledge is, however, needed for cutting-edge and integrated research, monitoring and management of biodiversity, conservation, food security, flood water damage, water quality and the impact of climate change on terrestrial and aquatic habitats in the UK. Therefore our NHM course is aimed at NERC-funded postgraduate students and early career researchers to equip them with specialist skills linked to strategic priorities and skill gaps identified by NERC by providing: 1) Introduction to taxonomy and identification of freshwater macroinvertebrates, freshwater algae, cyanobacteria, ciliates, and lichens; 2) Practical training in the use of keys and existing handbooks to identify different freshwater groups; 3) Awareness of the diversity of freshwater habitats and the need to adopt appropriate sampling techniques according to research question and habitat characteristics; 4) Hands-on training in sampling techniques, recording protocols for species lists, community assessment, monitoring; 5) Overview of appropriate data analysis methods, quantitative methodologies and the importance of matching sampling design and strategy to the research question; 6) Understanding of integrating taxonomic data and physical and chemical properties of freshwater aquatic habitats; 7) Knowledge in preservation of different aquatic freshwater groups for voucher specimens and long-term storage. Our NHM's advance training short course on TAXONOMIC SKILLS AND FIELD TECHNIQUES FOR FRESHWATER ECOLOGY AND QUALITY is therefore unique because of the extensive taxonomic expertise in freshwater biology (aquatic invertebrates, algae, lichens and protists) and biodiversity research of the NHM researchers who will teach the course, NHM facilities and use of Natural History Museum world leading reference type specimen collection as part of the course. The NHM group of experts have extensive experience in postgraduate training through MSc and MRes programs, are regularly involved in consulting work and NHM education programs for school students of all ages, and for the general public via its citizen sciences programs at the Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity which will ensure high quality of teaching. Therefore, only this combination of research expertise, facilities and collections as offered by our course will allow to fill knowledge gaps in freshwater taxonomy and field techniques for NERC's freshwater sciences and ecology research programmes. Our course offer will have an impact on NERC priorities and investments in TAXONOMY AND SYSTEMATICS, and BIODIVERSITY & ECOSYSTEM SERVICE SUSTAINABILITY (BESS) by delivering i. Field identification skills - for a range of organisms - using existing handbooks, floras and keys to identify species; iii. Taxon-based training: particularly freshwater taxonomy by teaching the principles of taxonomic identification of a range of organisms from freshwater environmental samples. Our course will impact skill development in training priority FIELDWORK by delivering ii. Field techniques in environmental sciences, particularly; monitoring, sampling, collection and recording protocols and methodologies. Our training will contextualise axonomic assessment and therefore fits with priority FRESHWATER SCIENCES: i. Understanding and integrating physical, chemical, biological freshwater sciences, and ii. Evaluating and interpreting indicators of the state of freshwater ecosystems.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/M006298/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Doctoral Training
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Advanced Training
This training grant award has a total value of £22,291
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Other Costs |
|---|
| £22,291 |
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