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Objectives:

This hands-on course, limited to a small number of participants, aims at those who are looking for basic macroecology theory and statistics training and wish to get familiar with some of the potential uses of multiple advanced methods. This course will incorporate theoretical and practical classes, where the participants will acquire experience in different software packages and how to use the plethora of options available for large spatial and temporal scale analyses.

Participants have to be present at 85% of the contact hours (this means that they can miss one half-day) and actively participate in all activities.  

This course can give credits to PhD programmes at CIÊNCIAS or of programmes with partnership from CIÊNCIAS and other institutions with 6h-7h of contact hours per ECT, as a function of specific requirements. For these students additionally to the exercises done during the week the delivery of a written report done after the course is mandatory. For programmes with less hours of contact per ECT (6h/ECT, getting 6 ECTs from the course) students need to do an additional assignment (summary report). If needed 1 or 2 additional hours of contact may be added. Such report(s) are also advised for other students requesting creditation of the course in their institutions.

Directed to: PhD or advanced MSc students, postdoc or junior researchers 

Minimal formation of students: BSc in Biology/Ecology or related areas, basic+ knowledge of R language

General plan

Day 1, morning - T01: Introduction to Macroecology 

09.00-10.00 - Introduction to macroecology
10.00-11.00 - Fundamental patterns in macroecology
11.00-11.30 - Coffee break 
11.30-13.00 - Scaling in ecology
13.00-14.00 - Lunch 

Day 1, afternoon - P01: Data in macroecology 

14.00-15.00 - Distribution databases
15.00-16.00 - Data acquisition and cleaning (part 1)
16.00-16.30 - Coffee break
16.30-18.00 - Data acquisition and cleaning (part 2) 

Day 2, morning - T02: Tools and methods in macroecology 

09.00-10.00 - Basics of taxonomic diversity
10.00-11.00 - Spatial statistics
11.00-11.30 - Coffee break
11.30-13.00 - Null models
13.00-14.00 - Lunch 

Day 2, afternoon - P02: Statistical methods in practice 

14.00-15.00 - Case study integration for spatial analysis
15.00-16.00 - Spatial data analysis (part 1) 
16.00-16.30 - Coffee break 
16.30-18.00 - Spatial data analysis (part 2)

Day 3, morning - T03: Concepts and applications in phylogenetic diversity (PD) 

09.00-10.00 - Diversification rates and community assembly
10.00-11.00 - Understanding phylogenetic signal in ecological data
11.00-11.30 - Coffee break 
11.30-13.00 - Phylogenetic diversity metrics 
13.00-14.00 - Lunch 

Day 3, afternoon - P03: Phylogenetic diversity in practice 

14.00-15.00 - Building trees for community ecology 
15.00-16.00 - Phylogenetic data analysis (part 1) 
16.00-16.30 - Coffee break 
16.30-18.00 - Phylogenetic data analysis (part 2) 

Day 4, morning - T04: Concepts and applications in functional diversity (FD) 

09.00-10.00 - Definition of functional traits 
10.00-11.00 - Community assembly through functional traits 
11.00-11.30 - Coffee break 
11.30-13.00 - Functional diversity metrics 
13.00-14.00 - Lunch 

Day 4, afternoon - P04: Functional diversity in practice 

14.00-15.00 - Trait databases 
15.00-16.00 - Functional data analysis (part 1) 
16.00-16.30 - Coffee break 
16.30-18.30 - Functional data analysis (part 2) 

Day 5, morning - T05: Concepts and applications in global conservation 

09.00-10.00 - Species conservation prioritization 
10.00-11.00 - The macroecology of invasive species 
11.00-11.30 - Coffee break 
11.30-13.00 - Ecosystem services at global scales 
13.00-14.00 - Lunch 

Day 5, afternoon - P05: Conservation in practice 

14.00-15.00 - Threat databases 
15.00-16.00 - Conservation analysis (part 1) 
16.00-16.30 - Coffee break 
16.30-18.30 - Conservation analysis (part 2) 

Fees

Free for 1st year PhD students in Doctoral programmes at CIÊNCIAS (e.g. Biologia), Biodiversity, Genetics and Evolution (BIODIV UL; UP) and Biology and Ecology of Global Changes (BEAG UL, UA), when the course counts credits for their formation, in which case the delivery of a final report done after the course is mandatory; the course is also free for more advanced PhD students of the BIODIV programme (ULisboa or UPorto); 60 € for more advanced PhD students of CE3C; 100 € for PhD students of the PEERS network not from CE3C (CFE); 150 € for CIÊNCIAS Master students and unemployed; 200 € for BTI, BI and other PhD students with scholarship; 300 € for Professional and postdocs.  

When the maximum number of students is reached, 10 vacancies will be available for non-paying 1st year PhD students mentioned above, being, by order of preference students from: 1) CE3C; 2) BIODIV (not from CE3C); 3) CIÊNCIAS (not from CE3C); 4) BEAG (not from CE3C or CIÊNCIAS). 

How to Apply

Candidates should fill in the APPLICATION FORM, which will be available in this section when the call opens. 

This form is strictly confidential and will only be used for the purposes of this application.   

When filling the form mind to:  

  • FILL ALL THE MANDATORY FIELDS 
  • UPLOAD CV AND MOTIVATION LETTER, both mandatory. 

For any doubts please contact the coordinator of the CE3C courses Inês Fragata (irfragata@ ciencias.ulisboa.pt) and the teacher Pedro Cardoso (pmcardoso@ciencias.ulisboa.pt)