Virtual Forest is a web-based, open-access learning environment about forests designed for primary-school pupils between the ages of 10 and 13 years. It is pedagogically designed to develop an understanding of ecology, to enhance conceptual development and to give a holistic view of forest ecosystems. Various learning tools, such as concept maps,…

Field experiments are at the core of ecology, yet rarely find their way into education, probably due to a combination of technical challenges and risks associated with fieldwork. This may compromise student education and perception of the subject, making interesting, readily manageable experiments extremely important. We describe how the daily…

The ability to comprehend trophic (nutritional) relationships and food web dynamics is an essential part of environmental literacy. However, students face severe difficulties in grasping the variety of causal patterns in food webs. We propose a curriculum for comprehending trophic relations in elementary school. The curriculum allows students to…

In this paper we present a field-based practical exercise that allows students in forestry, ecology and natural resources to develop their understanding of forest stand dynamics. The exercise involves measurement of key tree growth parameters in four even-aged, single-species plantation stands of different age but occupying sites with similar soil…

An educational package based on the Messolongi wetland area and designed to develop environmental awareness amongst Greek secondary students is described. The package includes a book and a pedagogical guide for the teacher, as well as a hypermedia application/CD-ROM and worksheets for the student. The entire educational package combines recent…

Presents the results of a survey to identify and categorize the major difficulties perceived by teachers in their teaching of ecology. Difficulties included teacher training, syllabus difficulties, and teacher approach. Suggests how these difficulties might be overcome. (CW)

Describes a five year research project in plant ecology by successive teams of students. The aim was to identify environmental factors which were determining the distribution of the vegetation on a pitheap. Includes descriptions of vegetation, soil properties, and computer assisted analysis of results. (Author/CW)

Describes a sixth-form field course consisting of written materials for students and a teacher's booklet giving necessary techniques, lists of apparatus, and practical hints. The course aims to estimate energy flows in a woodland ecosystem by means of a series of practical sessions involving field/laboratory investigations and calculations.…

Discusses the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Founded in 1889, it is Europe's largest voluntary conservation organization with some 965,000 members. One of the organization's main goals is environmental education in schools and colleges and the society's junior membership. Another main thrust is its reserves in England for…

Provided is a brief description of the biology and taxonomy of British ants. Suggested are a range of exercises which could be used for class or project work in secondary biology classes. Illustrates many ecological, behavioral and physiological points regarding the species of ants found in Great Britain. (Author/CW)

A novel method to investigate the pollen diets of hoverflies is described. The method dispenses with the need for dissection skills or the use of hazardous chemicals thus making it particularly useful for school, college or undergraduate projects and for amateurs. It utilises the properties of the indigestible pollen coat, or exine, which enables…

This paper describes some simple and rapid techniques for examining the growth responses of fungal hyphae cultivated on environmental gradients. The creation of such gradients using agar-based growth media in petri dishes is explained, along with recommendations for quantitative macroscopic and microscopic measurements. The intention is to provide…

This is the first of a new regular feature on careers, designed to provide those who teach biology with some inspiration when advising their students. In this issue, two consultant ecologists explain how their career paths developed. It is a misconception that there are few jobs in ecology. Over the past 20 or 30 years ecological consultancy has…

In this paper we present a simple set-up that illustrates the mechanism of sap ascent in plants and demonstrates that it can easily draw water up to heights of a few meters. The set-up consists of a tube with the lower end submerged in water and the upper one connected to a filter supported by a standard filter-holder. The evaporation of water…