Plant Biodiversity and Habitat Assessment Methods

Topics covered

• Rationale for surveying vegetation: Why survey vegetation? The wider context
• Choosing a vegetation survey technique: Approaches to surveying vegetation; how to plan a field project
• Structural methods of vegetation description
• Floristic methods of vegetation sampling
• Overview of quadrats and plotless sampling: Introduction to quadrats; what size? Species-area curves; qualitative or presence/absence data; plotless sampling where quadrats are inappropriate
• Quantitative or abundance measures; subjective measures; objective measures
• Vegetation monitoring permanent quadrats and vegetation mapping: methods of monitoring vegetation; setting up permanent quadrats; vegetation mapping
• Sampling strategy or protocol: stratified, random and systematic sampling; transects and grids; how many samples?
• Recording and storing data; diversity indices
• Case study: Virtual model of Magdalen College Meadow: the meadow habitat; the meadow flora; management; the virtual meadow; aims of the practical

Teaching methods

Your course tutor will guide you through a series of key topics via reading materials, online activities, and discussion forums. Discussion forums are the primary space where students are able to interact with one another and their tutor to discuss questions, solve problems and share ideas just as they would expect to do in a face-to-face classroom setting.

Level and demands

The course is designed for Master’s-level students, and you are likely to be studying alongside students on our Postgraduate Certificate in Ecological Survey Techniques.

You can expect

• to engage with and contribute to the course around ten to 15 hours per week (depending on whether it is taken for credit or not)
• your course tutor will engage online for no less than six hours per week (usually distributed across each week and will focus on particular topics and activities)
• topics to be covered following a suggested calendar of activity (so that activities, discussion and reading are completed within the course week duration, and at an even pace)
• the course can be taken with or without Masters-level credit. Credit enables students to demonstrate their academic achievement and can count towards further postgraduate study

You can choose to study for academic credit or simply for the learning experience.

Accredited study

Students taking the course for credit submit an assignment of up to 2000 words or equivalent.

We offer Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS) points for the course. By contributing to all the forums and successfully completing the assessment you will obtain 10 CATS-equivalent points (FHEQ level 7) which may count towards a Masters-level qualification. You will also receive a University of Oxford Certificate of Attendance.

For information on CATS points and credit transfer, including conversion to US academic credits and European academic credits (ECTS), please visit our CATS Points FAQ page.

Non-accredited study

Students taking the course not for credit do not submit an assignment.

By actively participating in at least one online course forum post per week, to the satisfaction of the course tutor, and successfully completing the course, you will receive a University of Oxford Certificate of Attendance.

Certificate of Attendance

You may receive a Certificate of Attendance whether you opt for accredited or non-accredited study (provided that you have met the requirements stated above).

Application/registration processing will close 4-6 weeks before the start of the course. Please contact est@conted.ox.ac.uk with any related questions.

Apply to take the course not for academic credit

If you do not wish to take this course for academic credit you will need to register using the ‘Book now’ button under course details.

Apply to take the course for academic credit

If you are applying to take this course for academic credit you will need to click on the link below and complete the online application form and include a copy of your CV as an attachment.

You will also need to complete the reference section of the application form, and input the email address of your referee. Upon successfully submitting the application an email will be sent to your referee asking them to provide a reference in support your application for the course.

Please only complete this form if you wish to take the course for academic credit.

Online application form

Selection criteria

All candidates will need to:

1. Hold a minimum qualification equivalent to a first Honours Degree (BA, BSc, etc). Non-graduates may be considered if they are able to demonstrate considerable experience in a relevant field. If in doubt, please email est@conted.ox.ac.uk;
2. Offer some first-hand knowledge and/or experience of field work or conservation issues;
3. Satisfy the minimum required English language criteria set by the University, being either a native English speaker, or able to offer test results as specified. Applicants with borderline scores may be accepted on condition that they attend a language course and gain an acceptable score;
4. Demonstrate an ability to be able to commit the necessary time to study;
5. Have good access to a computer and a fast/reliable internet connection;
6. Demonstrate an ability to work alongside fellow students and tutors as part of an online community and independently.