ADVANCED COURSE: STATISTICAL APPLICATIONS FOR QUANTITATIVE POPULATION ECOLOGY

Paul M. Lukacs

Statistical applications and tools in quantitative ecology are growing rapidly. In this course, we will explore the use of Bayesian statistics for estimating demographic parameters and fitting population models. In this course, students will learn about Bayesian statistics and work with applications to marked animals, unmarked animals and integrated population models.

PROGRAMME

I. Introduction to Bayesian inference
a. Theoretical Background
b. Example problems
c. Student exercise in JAGS and R

II. Applications with marked animals
a. Cormack-Jolly-Seber Models
b. Known fate models
c. Abundance models
d. Student exercise in JAGS and R

III. Deeper coverage of Bayesian Inference
a. Model fit
b. Model selection
c. Convergence
d. Student exercise in JAGS and R

IV. Applications with unmarked animals
a. Occupancy
b. Abundance
c. Student exercise in JAGS and R

V. Integrated Populations Models
a. Building block approach to modeling
b. Model development
c. Integrating scientific hypotheses
d. Student exercises in JAGS and R

COURSE INSTRUCTORS
Paul M. Lukacs - Wildlife Biology Program | University of Montana

INTENDED AUDIENCE
The course will be open to a maximum number of 20 participants.

75% of available student slots are reserved for BIODIV students. Priority will be given to:

• 1st year and other PhD students attending the BIODIV Doctoral Program;
• PhD students attending other courses;
• Other post-graduate students and researchers.

Basic requirements allowing attending students to follow the course are: basic familiarity with R (e.g. file import, handling objects, using functions, getting help), basic statistical background and a laptop computer for the data exercises. BIODIV students are encouraged to take the Introduction to R course first.

APPLICATIONS
Registration Deadline: January 5, 2018

Participation is free of charge for BIODIV students | 95 € (students) / 200 € (other participants).CIBIO-InBIO members will have an additional discount of 20%. Does not include lunch nor coffee breaks.
To apply, please send an e-mail accompanied by your short CV (max. two A4 pages) to post.graduation@cibio.up.pt Please refer your academic status (PhD student, MSc Student, Other) and the institution to which you are affiliated. BIODIV students should also mention which year of their PhD they are in. If you are interested in more than one course, you need to send a separate application for each of them. 

 Please note that new rules apply for all BIODIV students.