Our newest cohort of IDCORE researchers have just completed their 1st year taught programme – culminating, or celebrated, with the two-week residential stay in Oban, and teaching by the fabulous Scottish Association for Marine Science (SMAS).
SAMS: ‘Working for healthy oceans since 1884’. The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) is Scotland’s largest and oldest independent marine science organisation, delivering marine science for a productive and sustainably managed marine environment through innovative research, education and engagement with society.
The IDCORE SAMS module focuses on the impact of marine energy on the marine environment, and by the end of the 2 weeks, students can
- Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the marine environment, including marine biodiversity, the various types of marine habitats, and the ways in which both are influenced by environmental characteristics such as temperature, salinity, seabed substrate, wave exposure, currents, time of year etc.
- Describe ways in which offshore renewable energy developments may impact marine species and habitats, both positively and negatively, across a range of spatial and temporal scales.
- Using appropriate methodologies, create a plan to assess species presence/habitat condition, sufficient to allow regulators to evaluate the extent and severity of impacts.
- Be aware of options for preventing, mitigating, minimising, or offsetting potential negative impacts from offshore renewable energy on marine species and habitats.
Our students always really enjoy this module and find the marine biology aspect thoroughly engaging. There’s also lots of fun on the sea!
