Welcome

Do you want to learn how to tell periwinkles from topshells and sort bladderwrack from furbelows? Do you want to discover how to survey biodiversity on rocky shores and beaches? Well now you can with our new Marine Biodiversity Citizen Science online course designed for the beginner or improver.

From the comfort of your own armchair, using a laptop, tablet or smart phone, you can now learn how to become a Marine Biodiversity Citizen Scientist through our six-part online course covering:

  • Biodiversity and Citizen Science
  • Life on the Seashore and Seaweeds
  • Rocky Shore Molluscs
  • Other Rocky Shore Invertebrates
  • A Tale of Two Halves – the Bivalves
  • Coastal Fish and Explore Your Shore! Surveys


Complete the course at your own pace and test your growing knowledge with the end of module quizzes. Then put what you have learned into action by completing our six end-of-module Missions! Successfully complete the course and missions to receive a course completion certificate and be well placed to continue developing your skills in Marine Biodiversity recording.

Course curriculum

    1. Why is it important to protect Biodiversity (our Natural World)? Let's find out from some of the world's top biodiversity experts...

    2. Test your knowledge

    3. Mapping Ireland’s Biodiversity

    4. Test your knowledge

    5. What is Citizen Science ?

    6. Test your knowledge

    7. Introducing Ireland's Citizen Science Portal

    8. Test your knowledge

    9. Safety on the shore

    10. Test your knowledge

    11. Mission 1

    1. The tides drive the pace of life on the seashore

    2. Test your knowledge

    3. Life on the intertidal

    4. Seaweed zones

    5. Survival on the Seashore

    6. Test your knowledge

    7. An Introduction to Seaweeds & Seagrass

    8. Test your knowledge

    9. Green Seaweeds

    10. Test your knowledge

    11. Brown Seaweeds

    12. Test your knowledge

    13. Red Seaweeds

    14. Test your knowledge

    15. Mission 2

    1. Periwinkles & Topshells

    2. Test your knowledge

    3. Limpets and Chitons

    4. Test your knowledge

    5. Whelk species you are likely to encounter on the shore

    6. The Whelks that launched World Exploration!

    7. Test your knowledge

    8. Sea Hares & Nudibranchs

    9. Common Grey Sea Slug

    10. Intertidal Sea Hares

    11. Test your knowledge

    12. Curled Octopus & the Cephalopods

    13. Test your knowledge

    14. Mission 3

    1. Sea Anemones

    2. Test your knowledge

    3. Marine Worms

    4. Lugworms

    5. Test your knowledge

    6. Crabs & Shrimps

    7. Test your knowledge

    8. Starfish, Sea Urchins & Sea Cucumbers

    9. Test your knowledge

    10. Other Intertidal Invertebrates

    11. Test your knowledge

    12. Alien Invaders!

    13. Test your knowledge

    14. Mission 4

    1. An introduction to Bivalves

    2. Test your knowledge

    3. Mussels & Oysters

    4. Test your knowledge

    5. Scallops & Cockles

    6. Test your knowledge

    7. Carpet Shells & Razor Shells

    8. Test your knowledge

    9. Wide Shells

    10. Test your knowledge

    11. Roundy Shells

    12. Test your knowledge

    13. Mission 5

    1. Intertidal Fish!

    2. Test your knowledge

    3. Coastal Fish

    4. Test your knowledge

    5. Effort Related Surveys

    6. Test your knowledge

    7. The Great Rocky Shore Bioblitz

    8. Test your knowledge

    9. The Big Beach Biodiversity Survey

    10. Test your knowledge

    11. Adopt-a-Rockpool

    12. Test your knowledge

    13. Final mission

About this course

  • Free
  • 80 lessons
  • 2.5 hours of video content