Structural Equation Models (SEM) and Quantile Regressions applied to biodiversity-related sciences

This course aims to provide students with basic notions of structural equation models (SEM), a multivariate technique used to solve complex questions in biodiversity-related sciences, and quantile regression models, an alternative technique to traditional regression methods. The algebraic part of the models will not be emphasized, but their ecological applications. At the end of the course, the participant will be able to (i) formulate hypotheses and conceptual models based on complex relationships between ecological variables, (ii) apply the learnt statistical techniques, (iii) interpret and discuss the results obtained. It is required basic notion of R (R program http://www.r-project.org/).