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Biologists Get Back to Nature

23 September 2022

Year 13 Biologists got back to nature recently when they embarked on an exciting field trip to Bishops Wood Field study centre.

The aim of the day was to complete their required practical on ecology and to gain experience in different sampling methods. During the day, the students had to survey two types of woodland, looking for different species and the frequency of abundance. They compared a deciduous forest with a coniferous forest to see the changes that occur when the habitat changes.

The field study centre has currently just received funding for a very exciting 10 year project looking at biodiversity and how to increase the biodiversity of the area. The students compared the species found in a deciduous forest with a coniferous forest to see the changes that occur when the habitat changes. The Field study centre has currently just received funding for a very exciting 10 year project looking at biodiversity and how to increase the biodiversity of the area. The students’ data has been saved by the centre to be used in the initial phase of the project. Over the coming years, more groups will gather data to see the progress of the projects being initiated by the Field Study Centres across the country.

Following lunch, the students completed their required practical to look at the effect of light on a species of plant called Knapweed. This is affected by light levels and competition so it was interesting for the students to see the effect of multiple factors on the prevalence of a species.

Our last survey was completed on the pond system on site. The students went pond dipping and found many species of plant and animal and were able to identify species such as tadpoles of the great-crested newt and several dragonfly nymphs. The area is of special scientific interest for the great-crested newt and numbers here were looking healthy!

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and we look forward to continued trips to the centre in the future.

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