[MARMAM] EcologicalNicheModellingUsingR_ NeftaliSillero_UK_16-20October

[Oliver Hooker]

Ecological niche modelling using R (ENMR02)

Delivered by Dr. Neftali Sillero

http://www.prstatistics.com/course/ecological-niche-modelling-using-r-enmr02/

This course will run from 12th – 16th March 2018 at SCENE field 
station, Loch Lomond national park, Scotland


The course will cover the base theory of ecological niche modelling and 
its main methodologies. By the end of this 5-day practical course, 
attendees will have the capacity to perform ecological niche models and 
understand their results, as well as to choose and apply the correct 
methodology depending on the aim of their type of study and data making 
this course highly relevant to people studying the distribution of 
marine mammals.


Ecological niche, species distribution, habitat distribution, or 
climatic envelope models are different names for similar mechanistic or 
correlative models, empirical or mathematical approaches to the 
ecological niche of a species, where different types of ecogeographical 
variables (environmental, topographical, human) are related with a 
species physiological data or geographical locations, in order to 
identify the factors limiting and defining the species' niche. ENMs have 
become popular due to the need for efficiency in the design and 
implementation of conservation management.


The course will be mainly practical, with some theoretical lectures. All 
modelling processes and calculations will be performed with R, the free 
software environment for statistical computing and graphics 
(http://www.r-project.org/). Attendees will learn to use modelling 
algorithms like Maxent, Bioclim, Domain, and logistic regressions, and R 
packages for computing ENMs like Dismo and Biomod2. Also, students will 
learn to compare different ecological niche models using the Ecospat 
package.


Course content is as follows

Monday 12th
Elementary concepts on Ecological Niche Modelling
Module 1: Introduction to ENM theory. Definition of ecological niche 
model; introduction to species ecological niche theory, types of 
ecological niches, types of ENM, diagram BAM, ENMs as approximations to 
species’ niches.
Module 2: Problems and limitations on ENM. Assumptions and 
uncertainties, equilibrium concept, niche conservatism, autocorrelation 
and intensity, sample size, correlation of environmental variables, size 
and form of study area, thresholds, model validation, model projections.
Module 3: Methods on ENM. Mechanistic and correlative models. Overlap 
Analysis, Biomod, Domain, Habitat, Distance of Mahalanobis, ENFA, GARP, 
Maxent, Logistic regression, Generalised Linear Models, Generalised 
Additive Models, Generalised Boosted Regression Models, Random Forest, 
Support Vector Machines, Artificial Neural Network.
Module 4: Conceptual and practice steps to calculate ENM. How to make an 
ENM step-by-step.
Module 5: Applications of ENM. Ecological niche identification, 
Identification of contact zones, Integration with genetical data, 
Species expansions, Species invasions, Dispersion hypotheses, Species 
conservation status, Prediction of future conservation problems, 
Projection to future and past climate change scenarios, Modelling past 
species, Modelling species richness, Road-kills, Diseases, Windmills, 
Location of protected areas.


Tuesday 13th
Prepare environmental variables and run ecological niche models with 
dismo package.
Module 6: Preparing variables. Choosing environmental data sources, 
Downloading variables, Clipping variables, Aggregating variables, 
Checking pixel size, Checking raster limits, Checking NoData, 
Correlating variables.

Module 7: Dismo practice. How to run an ENM using the R package dismo.

Wednesday 14th
Run ecological niche models with Biomod2 package and Maxent.
Module 8: Biomod2 practice. How to run an ENM using the R package 
Biomod2.
Module 9: Maxent practice. How to run an ENM using the R packages dismo 
and Biomod2 as well as Maxent software.


Thursday 15th
Compare ecological niche models with ecospat.
Module 10: Ecospat practice. Compare statistically two different 
ecological niche models using the R package Ecospat.
Module 11: Students’ talks. Attendees will have the opportunity to 
present their own data and analyse which is the best way to successfully 
obtain an ENM.


Friday 26th
Run ecological niche models with your own data.
Module 12: Final practical. In this practical, the students will run ENM 
with their own data or with a new dataset, applying all the methods 
showed during the previous days.


Please email any inquiries to oliverhoo...@prstatistics.com or visit our 
website www.prstatistics.com


Please feel free to distribute this material anywhere you feel is 
suitable


Our other courses

--
1.  January 29th – February 2nd 2018
INTRODUCTION TO BAYESIAN HIERARCHICAL MODELLING (IBHM02)
SCENE, 

[MARMAM] Research expedition opportunity on R/V Song of the Whale from the Falkland Islands to Portugal, spring 2018

[Anna Moscrop]

Dear Marmam subscribers,

 

Marine Conservation Research are offering an exciting opportunity for
participants to join the Song of the Whale team on a marine research
expedition, sailing on R/V Song of the Whale from the Falkland Islands via
Uruguay, Brazil and the Azores to Portugal, departing in early March 2018.
This is an 8-9 week voyage.

 

The team will be undertaking visual and passive acoustic surveys for
cetaceans, to contribute to ongoing conservation focused research on the
presence and distribution of various species, as well as marine plastics
trawls and other studies which are part of ongoing marine conservation
projects being undertaken by the SOTW team and collaborators.

 

Participants who joined the team for the trip south to the Falklands at the
end of last year had a fantastic trip, combining exciting offshore sailing,
port stops in remote locations, with a wide range of cetacean sightings and
detections, from southern right whale, sperm and humpbacks, to rough toothed
and southern right whale dolphins. It was described as 'the trip of a life
time'.  To read the teams blogs from the last voyage, see
http://www.marineconservationresearch.co.uk/expeditions/uk-to-falkland-blogs
-201718/

 

For further information about the forthcoming expedition, see
http://www.marineconservationresearch.co.uk/expeditions/falkland-islands-to-
portugal-via-the-azores-expedition-spring-2018/

 

Several berths are still available for people interested in joining the team
for this voyage; Please contact  
mcri...@mcr-team.org for further details.

 

Thanks and best wishes,

 

Anna

 

Anna Moscrop

Song of the Whale team

Marine Conservation Research International 

t. +44 1376 573071 

m. +44 7801 613 539 

e. amosc...@mcr-team.org

www.marineconservationresearch.org

 

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[MARMAM] Marine Mammals Research Association Expedition from Montenegro to Turkey

[aylin akkaya]

 

Marine Mammals Research Association Expedition from Montenegro to Turkey, May 
2018

We are looking for two experienced researcher on board to join our expedition 
between Montenegro and Turkey, starting on the 30th April 2018 for a month, 
with the Sailing Boat: Chance Discovery. The expedition aims to explore areas 
where there is little known on cetaceans and collect data on spatial and 
behavioural distribution as well as conduct acoustic recordings of species.
The expedition will be conducted in four legs:
Leg 1 Montenegro to Corfu. Departs 30.04.18
Leg 2 Corfu to Sounion, Athens via the Corinth Canal. Departs 08.05.18
Leg 3 Athens to Crete. Departs 16.05.18
Leg 4 Crete to fethiye. Departs 24.05.18
The researcher must have previous experience on boat surveys, cetacean 
identification, behavioural and acoustic data collection as well as public 
speech and will be responsible on spatial, behavioural and acoustic data 
collection as well as guiding the guests whenever sighting took place.
As Marine Mammals Research Association is a non-profit organisation with 
limited financial resources, the researcher has to cover his/her flights to and 
from start and end location, travel insurance (Mandatory, please provide 
proof), food on board (5 euro) and necessary visas.
The researcher should bring his/her passport with any necessary visas for the 
countries that will be visited, sleeping bag, towel, binoculars, laptop and 
camera.
To apply send us your CV and cover letter to: i...@dmad.org.tr or  
akkayaayl...@gmail.com before February 30th 2018.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ON BOARD SOON
Dr. Aylin Akkaya BasScientific DirectorDeniz Memelileri Araştırma Derneği 
(DMAD)Marine Mammals Research Association+90 5337739867skype: 
aylin.akkaya3i...@dmad.org.trwww.dmad.org.tr




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[MARMAM] Moreton Bay Dolphin Research Project Eco-volunteer Opportunities

[info]

Dear Marmammers,

Dolphin Research Australia Inc. is a marine research, education and
conservation charity.  We are pleased to announce that we have eco-volunteer
opportunities available for participants to join our Moreton Bay Dolphin
Research Expeditions in 2018. We have one or two week eco-volunteer
expeditions available between May and June 2018. The project offers a unique
learning experience for those passionate about dolphins and the marine
environment who want to contribute to increasing knowledge, awareness and
improving conservation efforts while supporting the research efforts. 

The research project focuses on Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins and
Australian humpback dolphins and aims to assess and monitor the abundance
and health of these populations in the Moreton Bay Marine Park and South
East Queensland region.  Participants have the opportunity to join the
research team and have a hands-on and participatory experience working from
small research vessels whilst being based at the University of Queensland
Moreton Bay Research Station on the beautiful North Stradbroke Island
located near Brisbane, Australia.  Participants will assist in collecting
data on the behaviour, acoustics and habitat use of coastal dolphins.  

No previous experience is required and all training will be provided to
participants.   Participants, however, do need to have the following;

-  An enthusiastic and positive attitude

-  Willingness to learn and work with a small team

-  General interest in dolphin biology and ecology

-  Be able to work long-hours on a small vessel (not susceptible to
chronic sea sickness)

-  Ability to communicate fluently in English (both written and
oral)

-  Good fitness level (the work requires agility to work on small
vessels and participants will be required to regularly get on and off small
boats, move around the vessel whilst underway and at times in choppy
conditions)

Please check our website www.dolphinresearchaustralia.org
  or email us directly at
i...@dolphinresearchaustralia.org for more information, prices and dates. 

Kind Regards

Liz

Elizabeth Hawkins, PhD

Executive Officer

Founding Director

Dolphin Research Australia, Inc.

PO Box 1960

Byron Bay, NSW, 2481

E-mail: i...@dolphinresearchaustralia.org
 

Ph: (02) 6676 1473

Website: www.dolphinresearchaustralia.org
 

ABN: 42095866467

 

** Dolphin Research Australia Inc. is a marine conservation, education &
research charity -find out more about us & how you can help at
 www.dolphinresearchaustralia.org
**

 

 

 

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