Biodiversity and Trampled Insects

Well, the course has started in earnest now. We have had a couple of Biodiversity lectures, one of which focused on the arguments surrounding why we should care about Biodiversity. I found that quite difficult to listen to, because most people were coming from a really anthropocentric viewpoint, really looking for the benefits to humanity of conserving as many species as possible. Although I can see the validity of doing that when trying to communicate issues to the world at large, I had hoped for something a bit more altruistic and abstract from my fellow students. The discussion ended with whether we should preserve all life, including the smallpox virus. I tend to find myself on the 'too many humans' aspect of that argument!

All in all quite a few of the lectures have been quite gloomy. It's very easy to think that you're doing something incredibly positive by leaving your job and coming to study Conservation, but the reality of the scale of the problem is just overwhelming. I'm sure I'll find a way of rationalising it, but it can be incredibly daunting, and exchanging stories with other students, they feel it too.

Our insect experiment got destroyed by some kids, so we didn't have the fun of identifying indistinguishable spider species this week. It was a shame, but on one level I was quite relieved because I wasn't entirely happy about killing them with antifreeze! I'm really enjoying being here, and just trying to absorb everything I can. The 3 of us who didn't do Science first degrees are feeling the differences a little, so I'm working uncharacteristically hard, and doing extra study is going to be essential.

Still, we've also designed websites, which I found easy, and we're learning things like how to write scientific papers and apply for grants funding. Can't wait for the field trips though...

simone.webber.googlepages.com

Many Cornish Storms

Well since I have got here, it has pretty much been non-stop stormy, so thought the previous title was kind of inappropriate.

I'm starting to settle in now. It has taken a while to get over the totally zoned out feeling that leaving London behind induced. Everything here is so quiet, there's so much space, so few people, meaning that you have more time to think and more space to just be.

Fresher's Week has just ended, which was a bit of a whirlwind of Horns and Haloes parties, Hawaiian barbecues and Seventies Nights, all of which I avoided - still sort of expurging the alcohol from 3 years in the City, and was quite appreciating the sobriety! I did try a sailing taster (very wet and windy and cold), and Capoiera, which was great but has totally killed my legs. For some reason I hadn't expected it to be very energetic, which was woefully wrong. It's amazing to watch though, and it's normally done stood in a circle, with drums beating out a rhythm and people chanting, so quite a unique atmosphere.

We haven't started our course yet, but have been given our first assignment, to write a magazine article on a recent paper of our choice. I'm eyeing up 'The Effects of Chronic Bottom-Trawling on Benthic Biomass' as a possible.

Will update more when I have actually done some work. We have some insect trapping next week for our Biodiversity module I think.