Physical Geography Fieldwork: Scottish Highlands (U03306)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : GEO-4-HIGHLAND

The overall aims are:

To assess Holocene landscape development in Scotland, in order to understand the relative importance of paraglacial response, natural post glacial development of soils and ecology, climate change and human impacts in shaping the modern environment;

A discussion of marginality, sensitivity and the susceptibility of both human and natural systems to cultural change and/or environmental perturbations;

An evaluation of palaeoenvironmental indicators and chronology.

The course includes three fieldtrips, and there will be lectures, tutorials, student-lead seminars and related laboratory analysis. Assessment will be in the form of a field note book and a research report. The impacts of glaciation and the legacy of deglaciation will be addressed during the first field day based around Loch Skeen in the Borders. Themes of post glacial ecological change and cultural development will also be introduced. Student projects will be developed during four day course based at Braemar and working in both the Dee Valley and the Cairngorms. The final field day will return to the Borders, and focus on human impacts and prehistoric settlement.

Entry Requirements

? This course is not available to visting students.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Geography, (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
19/09/2007	09:00	10:50	Room 3.18, Old Infirmary (Geography)	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Wednesday	09:00	10:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the field course the student should have:
- Developed an understanding of:
Landscape development
The spatial dimensions of environmental change in archaeological, ecological and geomorphological contexts.
The quality of the past environmental record.
The potential spatial variation of dating control in archaeological, ecological and geomorphological contexts.
The ways in which short term environmental perturbations might be caused by extreme events and could affect both environment and society
- Evaluated chronology and methods of environmental reconstruction
- Developed mapping skills, using morphological, archaeological and stratigraphic data
- Appreciated the multidisciplinary nature of environmental reconstruction
- Experienced group working and oral communication to the class as a whole