Evolution and Identification of Flowering plants (Open to all)

Transcription

1 Kindrogan 7 day 13 th 20 th June Fri Fri Evolution and Identification of Flowering plants (Open to all) 490 Sole Occupancy Course Overview Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, Kindrogan is within close reach of some of the most secluded parts of the UK, allowing for inspiring landscapes and rich wildlife to feature in their courses. Evolution has resulted in the emergence of groups of related organisms, characterised by common properties and distinguished by universal differences. Such characteristics and distinctions form the basis of classification and hence provide the key to identification. We shall explore the advantages of this approach in relation to flowering plants.. Kindrogan Field Studies Centre Enochdhu, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, PH10 7PG

2 Course Description Recognition of patterns of evolution is the key to understanding the hierarchical nature of classifications and hence the necessity of a 'top down' approach to identification: from family to genus, to species. In general, the properties which define a family are quite different from those used to describe genera and these in turn differ from those used to identify species. The evolutionary basis of plant classification will be described in a series of illustrated lectures. The use of keys and Floras will be demonstrated in the laboratory and diagnostic features will be examined, using hand lenses or microscopes as necessary. A series of short excursions will allow these skills to be put into practice in the field. A printed manual is provided. Further details are available on request, either from Kindrogan or via the links at 'enquiringmind.org'. Programme of the Course DAY Morning Afternoon Evening Friday 13 th Details may be subject to change, as circumstances may require. E: Excursion; L: Lecture; S: Practical Study Introduction L1: A brief history of plant classification Saturday 14 th L2: Ferns, clubmosses and horsetails S1: Ferns on the Kindrogan estate E1: The Birks of Aberfeldy S2: Fern identification in the field S3: Identification of conifers on the Kindrogan Estate Sunday 15 th L3: Major pathways of plant evolution. E2: A species-rich meadow in Strathardle S4: Floral evolution in the Ranunculaceae. L4: Entomophilous Dicotyledons. Families with superior ovaries. S5: Identification of flowering plants using dichotomous keys L5: Entomophilous Dicotyledons. Families with inferior ovaries. Monday 16 th S6: Examination of flowering material, using lenses and microscopes S7: Individual use of dichotomous keys E3: Upland plants on Ben y Vrackie L6: Entomophilous Monocotyledons. Tuesday 17 th S8: Floral structures in the Amaryllidaceae, Iridaceae, Liliaceae and Orchidaceae. L7: Anemophilous Monocotyledons. Rushes, Sedges and Grasses. S9: Comparison of floral structures in Rushes, Sedges and Grasses. S10: Indented keys. Identification of Rushes, Sedges and Grasses. L8: Difficult plant groups: polyploidy, inbreeders and apomicts

3 DAY Morning Afternoon Evening Wednesday E4: Tulach Hill S11: Identification in 18 th the field S12: Identification in the laboratory Thursday 19 th Friday 20 th E5: Kirkmichael (Geum hybrids) Depart E6: The Cairnwell Review: Discussion and feedback. About the Tutor Bob Callow graduated from London University with first class honours in Botany in He was awarded the Ph.D. degree for his thesis on the rare Somerset grass Koeleria vallesiana. He was a lecturer at Manchester University for almost thirty years ( ) and a tutor with the Open University for nine ( ). He appeared on the Channel 4 series Six experiments that changed the world. His research publications have been mainly concerned with chromosomal evolution in plants but he has taught plant ecology on numerous field courses, both in the Mediterranean and in Britain, particularly at Kindrogan. He has also led botanical holidays for the tour-company Cox and Kings. He is author, with Dr L.M. Cook, of Genetic and Evolutionary Diversity (Stanley-Thornes, 1999). What to Bring Lunch Box, vacuum flask Waterproof walking boots ** Waterproof clothing ** Plenty of spare warm clothing Hand Lens (x10 magnification) Insect Repellent Small notebook and pencil For your own and group safety, Centre staff reserve the right to refuse to take people out on excursions if they are not properly equipped. If you are unsure of the standard of equipment required, please contact us for advice. Please see above information for details of any other equipment required as suggested by your Course Tutor. Also...in addition to normal clothing for a stay away from home, visitors should bring: Rucksack to carry spare clothing and lunch if your course incurs field trips away from the centre. Towels will be provided but do bring toothpaste, soap, shower gel, hairdryer and own toiletries If you bring any electrical appliance to the Centre it may have to be checked before use. ** We have wellingtons and waterproofs available for hire at the centre.

4 Also it would be useful if you can bring with you: A standard Flora of the British Isles if you have one (Don t worry if you haven t. Floras will otherwise be provided by the Tutor): either Flora of the British Isles, A.R. Clapham, T.G. Tutin & W.F. Warburg (or D.M. Moore), Cambridge University Press or New Flora of the British Isles, C.A. Stace, Cambridge University Press. Any edition of either work will be useful for comparison. Any of the following specialist guides (if you have them). British Mosses and Liverworts, E.V. Watson, Cambridge University Press, Crucifers of Great Britain and Ireland, T.C.G. Rich, BSBI Handbook No.6, Botanical Society of the British Isles, London, Docks and Knotweeds of the British Isles, J.E. Lousley & D.H. Kent, BSBI Handbook No.3, Botanical Society of the British Isles, London, Grasses, C.E. Hubbard, Pelican, Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, Middlesex,1980. Grasses of the British Isles, T. Cope, T & A. Gray, BSBI Handbook No.13, BSBI, London, Sedges of the British Isles, A.C. Jermy, A.O. Chater & R.W. David, BSBI Handbook No.1 (2 nd ed.), Botanical Society of the British Isles, London, Sedges of the British Isles, A.C. Jermy, D.A.Simpson, M.J.Y. Foley & M.S. Porter, BSBI Handbook No.1 (3 rd ed.), Botanical Society of the British Isles, London, The Fern Guide, J. Merryweather & M. Hill, Field Studies Council,1995 [ISBN ] Umbellifers of the British Isles, T.G. Tutin, BSBI Handbook No.2, Botanical Society of the British Isles, London, Willows and Poplars of Great Britain and Ireland, R.D. Meikle, BSBI Handbook No.4, Botanical Society of the British Isles, London, Recommended Reading Wild flowers of Perthshire, P. & M. Cramb, [ISBN ] Common families of flowering plants, M. Hickey & C. King, Cambridge Univ. Press, Mountain Flowers, J. Raven & M.S. Walters, New Naturalist No.33, Collins, London, Plant taxonomy and biosystematics, C.A. Stace, Arnold, London, British flowering plants, J. Hutchinson, Gawthorn, London, 1948.

5 How to Book Booking Procedure: To book a place on this course you can either : a) Complete a booking form from the brochure and send it together with a deposit of (cheque payable to Field Studies Council Limited ) or advise debit/credit card number. b) Book online at c) Telephone to book directly with Kindrogan (card payments made over the phone) Provisional bookings should be made by telephone. Payment of the balance of the course fee will be 30 days before the beginning of the course. Cancellation after this date may leave the customer liable for the full amount a condition which is accepted when the booking is confirmed. It is highly recommended that all visitors have adequate insurance cover at all times and Field Studies Council now have an agreement in place with Zurich Insurance plc who have arranged a blanket insurance policy for all FSC course participants, the details of this will be sent to you upon booking. Course Fees & What s Included : Resident 490 Sole Occupancy or 420 Shared Accommodation. Non Resident 315 (everything except bed and breakfast) Full professional tuition, full board accommodation including cooked breakfast, packed lunch, Tea/Coffee, homemade cakes and an evening meal. Vegetarian and other dietary options are catered for. Arrival and Departure Times Resident and Non-resident visitors are requested to arrive at the centre before 7pm on the 13 th and report to reception. Evening meal will be served at 7.30pm and the course will commence after a brief welcome to Kindrogan. Tuition will end in the evening of the 19 th with departure after breakfast on the 20th If you would like to extend your visit we can offer accommodation on a Bed and Breakfast or Dinner Bed and Breakfast basis, please contact the office on to check on availability prior to your visit.

6 Your room at Kindrogan We have a limited number of en-suite rooms in the main house for single/ shared occupancy, these are subject to availability at the time of the course. We can offer twin rooms also for single / shared occupancy with shared toilets and showers in our Steading accommodation. We can also offer a single room with shared toilets and showers at a discounted rate in our Ardle accommodation. General Information Messages and Post Post is collected and delivered daily at around 12 noon. Some mobile phone networks do not provide a signal at Kindrogan (Vodaphone and O2 give the best reception), but there are two payphones which accept incoming calls. Post or messages for guests will be left at reception for collection. Wireless internet is available throughout the majority of the centre. Meals Breakfast is normally served at 8am, though some courses opt for a 7.30am breakfast. There is the usual choice of fruit juice, cereals, toast and cooked breakfast. Packed Lunch (7.30am 9am). Guests make up their own packed lunches from a large choice of sandwich fillings, fruit & biscuits. Tea, coffee and juice are provided for your flask or water bottle. Evening Meal. A three course evening meal is normally served at 6.30pm. Guests may be asked to assist with clearing their own table between courses and at the end of the meal. Please ensure that the Centre knows well in advance of any special dietary / medical requirements, (i.e. vegetarian, vegan, wheat intolerance and allergies). Hot drinks and juice are available at the tea and coffee stations. Tel: enquiries.kd@field-studies-council.org Fax:

7 Fitness and Safety Many of the courses at Kindrogan require a reasonable level of fitness. Please inform Centre staff if you are worried about the state of your health or your fitness level. Even though course tutors always carry safety and first aid equipment, they cannot lead people on excursions, especially in the mountains, if they consider their health or equipment to be unsatisfactory. If you bring any electrical appliance to the Centre it may have to be checked before use. Transport during the Course This transport is included in the total cost of your course. Many courses make use of a Centre minibus but, if it is unavailable, volunteers may be requested to use their own vehicles to transport the group on field excursions, for which they will be reimbursed at the FSC mileage rate prevailing at the time of the course.. Please note if you choose to use your own vehicle when one is supplied by us, you will not be reimbursed. How to get to Kindrogan Although once you arrive at Kindrogan you get the feeling of being remote and in the wilds, we are incredibly accessible. We can easily be accessed by road or rail. By Road We can be easily reached from Perth (South) or Inverness (North) by following the A9 to Pitlochry, then taking the A924 towards Braemar for roughly 11 miles until the Enochdhu road sign is reached. Shortly after this sign take a forest road signposted for Kindrogan on the right just before the bridge. By local agreement we request you do not use the entrance at the Straloch end of the track which your satnav aid may suggest. The Centre is about ¾ of a mile along this track. Please observe the speed limit of 20mph on this track. From Blairgowrie or the Tourist Route from Perth, follow the A93 towards Braemar. At Bridge of Cally, 6 miles after Blairgowrie, turn left towards Pitlochry. 2 miles after Kirkmichael, the Enochdhu road sign is reached. Turn left immediately after the bridge. Kindrogan is signposted and the Centre is about 3/4 of a mile along this track which has a 20 mph speed limit..

8 By Rail or Coach The nearest rail station and coach stop is Pitlochry, 11 miles away. We arrange a collection by minibus from Pitlochry train station usually arranged to meet the 18:30 train. We will return you for the 09:20 train. If you need transport to be arranged from Pitlochry, please let us know well in advance. We recommend you take out travel insurance for trains etc in case courses are cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances or low bookings. If you wish to arrange your own transport from Pitlochry there are several Taxi companies operating namely Elizabeth Yule ( ), Pitlochry Taxis ( ) and SR Taxis ( ).

9 In the area... The nearest village shop is in Kirkmichael which is about 3 miles from the centre, it has a post office, well stocked provisions and is the nearest petrol /diesel station. The Cateran Trail follows the footsteps of 16th century cattle rustlers (caterans) for 63 miles (101km). It starts from Blairgowrie and passes through Kirkmichael, Enochdhu (Kindrogan) and sections of this can easily be walked from Kindrogan, in fact you can walk part of this to Kirkmichael and back or head up into the hills towards the Spittal of Glenshee.

10 There is a Kindrogan mentioned on early maps circa 1690 and through several family ownerships the building has been added to over the years. In 1963 the house was purchased from the forestry commission by the Scottish Field Studies Association (SFSA) and became a field centre, the first in Scotland. In 2009 it was gifted to FSC since when a program of improvements have been implemented. The main house staircase was recently re-decorated and a tartan carpet laid throughout the entrance area. The main house has 15 bedrooms which are mainly dormitory style, two lounge areas, main office, dining room, a bar with local beers and whiskies, reception, shop, waterproof and wellington boot hire, drying room and a library. At the rear of the main building we have 3 classrooms and tutor s resources. The downstairs adult coffee lounge offers a relaxing atmosphere where you can sit in comfort and read the paper go online and catch up on your s! or just sit and relax with a cup of tea or coffee. The library which has over 2500 books covering Ecology Environment, local history, which includes in excess of 100 of the New Naturalist series books as well as a comprehensive range of species identification books covering Fauna and Flora. The majority of the bedrooms in the main house are en-suite and comprise of 1 single, 3 twin and a mixture of dormitory style bedrooms that can sleep up to a maximum of 8 in single / bunk bed combinations. A typical twin bedroom in the external Steading accommodation which was converted from farm buildings throughout the late 1980 s and completed in 1994, The Steading provides 3 classrooms and three bedroom complexes that can sleep a total of 55, 17 of which are single rooms in our Ardle building. There is a centrally positioned tea coffee station from where you may be able to see wildlife such as deer pine martens and wildcats. We have 6 classrooms, 5 of which have interactive whiteboards. The Rannoch and Tummel classrooms can seat 30 students, the Fearnach can seat around 40, the Brerechan is an L shaped room that can seat 70 making it ideal for large group presentations and we have a small classroom that will seat The dining room offers comfortable seating of up to 80 in a single sitting and can lend itself to be used for meet and greet occasions where we can offer a buffet or light lunch (soup and sandwiches) and drinks on arrival.