Practical Introduction to Species Distribution Models

Species Distribution Modelling course organized by the Research School for Ecology, Biodiversity and the Environment, University of Stockholm.

Instructor: Blas M. Benito.

Session 1

• Introduction to Species Distribution Models (SDMs)

• What is a model?

• The geographic distribution of species

• Ecological niches

• Species Distribution Models

• The modelling workflow

  • Theoretical formulation
  • Presence records
  • Environmental predictors
  • Viability analysis of the input data
  • Modelling algorithms
  • Parameters
  • Evaluation
  • Model post-processing and analysis
  • Interpretation of results

• Applications of SDMs

• Limitations of SDMs

• Getting started!

  • Required tools (computer programs)
  • Preparing presence records
  • Getting environmental predictors ready

Session 2

• Calibrating SDMs with different algorithms: theory and practice

  • GLM
  • GAM
  • Classification and regression trees
  • Artificial Neural Networks
  • Random Forest
  • Maxent

• Evaluating SDMs

• Projection of SDMs over space and time

Session 3

• Practical workshop
  • Workshop dynamics
  • Study cases
  • Formation of working teams
  • Students work on the study cases assisted by the instructor

Session 4

• Practical workshop (continued)

  • Oral presentation of results by each team and open discussion

• Dynamic Species Distribution Models

  • Theoretical principles
  • Simple example with R

• Final discussion