During this activity, participants will be invited to explore the urban fauna of Brussels, based on examples of familiar animals observed in the city’s streets, houses, parks, gardens and lakes. This exploration will introduce them to the concepts of classification and phylogenetic relationships.
The activity will begin with the recognition of animals that participants have probably already come across in Brussels, such as birds, mammals, amphibians and arthropods. Participants will be asked to compare these animals, highlighting their similarities and differences. This comparison will make it possible to classify them into coherent groups, thus revealing their family relationships.
What is phylogeny?
Phylogeny is the study of the evolution of species and their relationships. In this workshop, it is used to construct a phylogenetic tree.
Participants will build one by illustrating the relationships between the different species observed. The aim of this activity is to raise participants’ awareness of the biological diversity present in the urban environment and to introduce them to the basic principles of the scientific classification of living things.
Workshop lasts 30 min (max 10people) and takes place from 10:30-13:00 and 14:00-17:00