Field notes from the SCB Greek Summer School 2014

Days 1&2, 23-24 June 2014

Just arrived we went to Monodendri (1060 meters in the Epirus region). We were enjoying the spectacular landscape hiking along mountains paths for around 5 hours willing to experience the rich biodiversity of the area. In the same time we had the opportunity to socialise with other students  from many different countries and with the professors. In the morning of the second day we had our first field activity sampling butterflies and trying to identify them. In the afternoon we were introduced to R program, refreshing the basic functions and getting acquainted with the range of its powerful applications. Finally, in the end of the day we learned about bat detection techniques  using acoustic detectors, for many of us it was the first time and we were very excited. The course is giving us the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge for answering scientific questions and link different aspects of ecology, such as sampling methodology, statistical analysis, biodiversity theories, and applied conservation aspects.

Marco Ferrante, Irina Trukhanova