Students take part in week long field trip to Slapton Ley, Devon

9 May 2019

Students from zoology, geography and countryside courses recently took part in a week long field trip to Slapton Ley in Devon. Here's what they got up to during the week.

Allow me to introduce the Slapton Ley field trip team; myself, Simon, Andy and Jonathan. Now let's go to Devon and do some ecology. pic.twitter.com/tJ2CfCmEVi

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 3 May 2019

We've arrived at the field centre and the sun is shining. What could be more glorious than Devon on a sunny Friday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/mY3zgskDcd

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 3 May 2019

Maryanne introducing us to life at @FSCSlaptonLey which will be our home for the next week pic.twitter.com/fNfuxYywdD

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 3 May 2019

Last night's trip to put in the pitfall traps @FSCSlaptonLey pic.twitter.com/imb9WAD5Vs

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 4 May 2019

Students working on their vegetation and invertebrate sampling @FSCSlaptonLey pic.twitter.com/Tk2kxhYWyD

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 4 May 2019

Time for invertebrate identification back in the lab pic.twitter.com/HNhuT92n3A

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 4 May 2019

It's freshwater invertebrate sampling day @FSCSlaptonLey and we have @simonsegar introducing us to today's practical. pic.twitter.com/jAju2Z1T5d

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 5 May 2019

An expert demo of kick sampling from @simonsegar for the @HarperAdamsUni ecology students @FSCSlaptonLey. Unfortunately it turned out there was a hole in his wellies so now we have a soggy Simon. The sacrifices we make for science, including dry feet! pic.twitter.com/E2gCgXGCFJ

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 5 May 2019

Andrew from @FSCSlaptonLey teaching us how to use point quadrats for vegetation sampling as well as how to collect data on the abiotic variables pic.twitter.com/8I00i4DRhN

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 6 May 2019

Here are a few of the plants we found when sampling for the shingle ridge succession practical; yellow horned poppy, sea campion, sea radish and thrift. pic.twitter.com/Fa9IGBZQu1

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 6 May 2019

Students from zoology, countryside and geography degrees @HarperAdamsUni working on vegetation transects to measure succession of plant communities along a shingle ridge @FSCSlaptonLey pic.twitter.com/gWw95FQHjK

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 6 May 2019

.@HarperAdamsUni students were lucky enough to get an introduction to the history and ethos of the Eden Project today from one of their long-standing staff members, Dan Ryan. pic.twitter.com/iXzyY5LOQ0

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 7 May 2019

Thanks for having us @edenproject - it was the perfect rest day activity for @HarperAdamsUni students and staff to have some time out from the rigours of the ecology and geography field course @FSCSlaptonLey. pic.twitter.com/R6EzCtb2vS

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) 7 May 2019

First day in action with #Zoology at #Slapton hope everyone’s enjoying the @Fieldtoforkfest @HarperAdamsUni @Crop_Sciences pic.twitter.com/HlOu99xDee

— Gemma Hill (@GemmaHi74883821) May 4, 2019

Day 2 - Freshwater invertebrates @HarperAdamsUni @Crop_Sciences pic.twitter.com/8Wgh6hKSSk

— Gemma Hill (@GemmaHi74883821) May 5, 2019

Last day of field work for the #Zoologists. Even tried #woodsorrel. Great morning out catching inverts @Crop_Sciences @simonsegar @HarperAdamsUni pic.twitter.com/ItO5PVksr4

— Gemma Hill (@GemmaHi74883821) May 8, 2019

On our last day we're being treated to @HarperAdamsUni student presentations on the research projects they've been carrying out @FSCSlaptonLey in Devon

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

The first group conducted research on ground beetle diversity in riparian habitats within Slapton Woods pic.twitter.com/cpihzRYQW9

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

Next the geographers are telling us about their research on pebble analysis along Slapton Sands pic.twitter.com/6s7LdgjqbD

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

This group were too speedy to photograph! They did their research on diversity of woodland plants. pic.twitter.com/aRxr5ln6l2

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

Our fourth student research project used mammal trapping to examine small mammal use of field margins and woodlands around Slapton. pic.twitter.com/umzMKi54xk

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

Group 5 presenting results on bird diversity and abundance comparing reed marsh and open water in Slapton Ley.@dr_andy_wilcox will be pleased to see an ornithology project even in his absence. pic.twitter.com/n4dRW1SYdX

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

Group 6 tested if the freshwater invertebrate communities differed in the upper and lower Ley
If you look closely you'll see that I feature on the slide, apparently thinking about ants ?????? pic.twitter.com/We0bMmeGZz

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

A research project on invertebrates associated with different tree species found some very beautiful insects. Obviously all the entomology lecturers were very happy to see these slides. pic.twitter.com/rCe38ieoMB

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

Group 8 studied edge effects on plant species richness in Slapton Woods pic.twitter.com/TSTfldivVf

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

Our penultimate group are presenting on a comparison of invertebrate diversity on oak and sycamore in Slapton Wood pic.twitter.com/Cx2zvNThIk

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

Investigating soil properties in different sites around Slapton Wood.
After a mammal project for @Wildlifehunter and then a bird project for @dr_andy_wilcox, it's nice to see a soil project for @SWLecLC pic.twitter.com/UiQvFjPYEj

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019

Our final group project presentation (I miscalculated group numbers, oops!). We've lost visual but they are still soldiering on despite technological difficulties. The group is presenting on invertebrates in Slapton Woods. pic.twitter.com/JQmxhuWtkk

— Dr Heather Campbell (@scienceheather) May 9, 2019