Little is known about reptiles and amphibians in urban areas, this became increasingly apparent when I tried to consult the available literature for extra information. The task I was set was to carry out reptile and pond surveys and also to questionnaire the public in an effort to build sufficient data about the suitability of habitat patches in the suburban areas of Woodley and Earley. All of this was done with, and may not have been done near so well without, the volunteered assistance of James Howsam, recent graduate of Zoology at the University of Reading.

Through the first four weeks I also attended the meetings of Mark’s research group. Here I cooperated with Stephanie Falk, a visiting student whose work my efforts were also in support of. The meetings allowed me to receive guidance on my project and feedback on my work. When it came to the end of the fieldwork we could all agree based on the reports of findings that I provided that it was time to wrap it up as the season had reached its end for that side of summer.

What followed the field work was perhaps an even more exciting opportunity. When the results came back we found that certain features of the habitats such as their size and diversity of structures were crucial for their suitability to reptiles and amphibians. I am currently in the process of completing this paper which will be submitted to a journal for taught students. The chance to do this has turned the UROP from an exercise that would have introduced me to fieldwork and some features of research into a potentially life changing experience. If I am successful and get my work published then this could mean great things for my future.

Best things about the UROP:

• Seeing a side of urban green spaces that is very rarely visible
• Taking charge of your workload
• Opportunities to see behind the scenes of research
• Chances to see extra presentations and other events within the school to enhance your learning

Things that took some getting used to:

• Early starts for the morning survey

Evan Roderick, UROP in Biological Sciences