Workshops
Workshops will take place on Wednesday, 3rd of May and are limited in participants. Please check the Program for more details on the beginning and end of the workshops.
1. Physiological species distribution modelling using the TTR-SDM - an introduction
By Prof. Dr. Steven Higgins and Dr. Timo Conradi
Room: S1, SWO building
Process-based species distribution models are appealing, not least because they make ecologically plausible extrapolations into novel data ranges. However, process-based models are more challenging to fit than correlative models and are not widely available as software, which limits their broader application by species distribution modelers. This workshop demonstrates the use of the TTR-SDM, a physiological species distribution model for plants. We further discuss the key conceptual differences between correlative and process-based SDMs and provide workshop participants with the necessary skills to apply the TTR-SDM in their own research. Participants should already be familiar with R and need to bring a computer with an up to date installation of R.
2. Addressing macro-ecological questions with paleontological data
By Gregor Mathes, Franka Gaiser and Prof. Dr. Manuel Steinbauer
Room: conference room, SWO building
Paleontological data gain in quality and relevance for addressing research questions in biogeography and macroecology. Fossils or pollen occurrences allow tracing biodiversity dynamics over thousands to millions of years and thus allow enhanced understanding of macro-ecological patterns and processes operating on longer time scales. This workshop introduces various databases for paleontological and paleo-ecological data, demonstrate their accessibility, discuss underlying biases that need to be considered when analyzing fossil data, and provide examples where fossils have facilitated the understanding of recent ecosystems. Participants should be familiar with R and need to bring a computer with an up to date installation of R.