Invasions: From Patterns to Impacts and Management [CANCELLED]

With the rapid expansion of invasive alien species, accurate and timely distribution data is critical to support successful management strategies. However, it is not easy for researchers (technicians) to obtain data for all invasive alien species and territories using traditional techniques. In this context novel tecnhiques of data acquisition (e.g. UAVs, Remote Sensing) coupled with state of the art modelling techniques (e.g. static, dynamic and hybrid models) can be coupled in order to optimize surveillance efforts. Together with social media information IAS impacts can be determined and management optimized.

The skills that will be provided by this course are:

• Theoretical basis of invasion ecology; 

• Introduction to Static (Habitat distribution model) and Hybrid (Stochastic-dynamic models) modelling techniques;

• Basics of social media analytics;

• Basic procedures in R software and statistical programming; 

• General application of R modelling packages (e.g. biomod2);

• Spatial analyses of ecological and environmental data;

• Spatial analyses of ecological and environmental data;

• Species mapping using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles;

• Environmental/biophysical variables for models obtained from remote sensing data  products and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

The official language of the course will be English. The course is developed for students and researchers at early stage of their career. Atendees are not expected to have advanced experience with programming and statistics but should be interested in getting a broader view of modelling options. No previous knowledge about R is required.

Participants should preferably use their own laptops for the course and will be asked to install R software in their laptops prior to the course. The necessary instructions to perform this task will send by email one week prior to the start of the course.

A document with an extended summary of the lessons contents and bibliography will be delivered by email to the students one week prior to the start of the course.

LECTURE - Applications of satellite and UAS very-high resolution imagery for Invasive Alien Species mapping and surveying

| 14:00-17:00

| 10:00-13:00

The course will be open to a maximum number of 15 participants.

75% of available student slots are reserved for BIODIV students.

• Other post-graduate students and researchers.