INTRODUCTION TO NETWORK ECOLOGY
From February 27, 2023, until March 3, 2023 - CIBIO-InBIO, Vairão, Portugal
(Face-to-face at CIBIO’s facilities)
All organisms on Earth are connected to each other by ecological interactions, forming a complex web of life, the so-called ‘entangled bank’ coined by Charles Darwin. Network Theory brings concepts and tools that help to understand such complexity and to answer timely questions on ecology and conservation. This course aims to assist students to apply the science of Network Ecology to their research. It combines theoretical and practical classes with learning oriented by personal and group projects.
PROGRAMME:
DAY 1
Morning
Introduction to the course, instructions and students
Theory class 1: History and Graph Theory
Afternoon
Hands-on class 1: Drawing networks
Theory class 2: Network structure (metrics at the network/community level)
DAY 2
Morning
Hands-on class 2: Analyses at the network level
Afternoon
Theory class 3: Network structure (metrics at the node/species level)
Hands-on class 3: Analyses at the node level
DAY 3
Morning
Theory class 4: Biological bases and applicability
Afternoon
Talk 1: Trophic cascades (invited speaker)
DAY 4
Morning
Theory class 5: Metanetworks and species-habitat networks
Afternoon
Theory class 6: Multilayer networks
Hands-on 4: Preparation of the students' final projects/time for questions
DAY 5
Morning
Student projects – presentation and evaluation
Hours: 32 total
NOTES
Admission requirements
1. Basic knowledge on R software (e.g., install packages, run scripts)
2. Read the suggested literature
3. Hold a laptop to run the analyses
4. Install the R software and/or R Studio on your computer
-> Site to download R: http://cran.r project.org/
-> Site to download RStudio: http://www.rstudio.com/
Students evaluation
Students will be evaluated based on an individual, or small groups, presentation on the last day of the course, and on their participation as the audience. This will be carried on as a round-table, in which each student will present the results of the analyses of their own data, or from online databases. Presentations should follow the given structure:
(1) define the problem;
(2) elaborate a question and a hypothesis;
(3) choose which metric (s) and/or network properties are more appropriate to answer your question;
(4) present and discuss the results;
(5) elaborate a conclusion and/or applicability.
Presentation should follow the format of a "Science ou Elevator Pitch”, i.e., about five minutes to sell the message to the public. The format to give the message is free, so students should use their creativity. The audience is expected to be active, asking pertinent questions regarding the use, choice and applicability of the network theory/metrics to answer each students’ question.
Find here information about: Online databases/ Online courses and tutorials/ Books that are part of the course literature
SCHEDULE
9:45am to 17:45pm, lunch between 13:00-14:00
COURSE INSTRUCTORS
Ana Filipa Palmeirim (coordinator) | BIOPOLIS/ CIBIO |APPLECOL & LACOS21
Carine Emer | Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden/Juruá Institute
Sérgio Timóteo | Centre for Functional Ecology - University of Coimbra
Luis P. da Silva | | BIOPOLIS/ CIBIO |APPLECOL
INTENDED AUDIENCE
The course will be open to a maximum number of 20 participants.
SELECTION CRITERIA
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.
REGISTRATION
Please note the rules apply for all BIODIV students
APPLICATIONS DATES
Registration deadline: January 3, 2023
TO APPLY FILL THE FORM
After apply, you will receive in your email a copy of the form confirming the submission of your application. Do not forget to check your SPAM folder. If you do not receive the email contact post.graduation@cibio.up.pt
Applicants will be inform of their acceptance by email until January 13, 2023