UCL RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS, EVOLUTION AND ENVIRONMENT

'An iterative approach to understanding species' ranges’

Abstract:

Ecologists rely on knowledge of species’ ranges to understand macroecological patterns, biodiversity, niches, behavior, or simply where to find the organism they’re looking for. Often, range maps are  treated as tools for subsequent analysis, however the quality and construction of these maps profoundly effects any emergent biological predictions. In this talk, I discuss a spectrum of methods for building and interpreting range maps – ranging from exploratory correlations to process-based predictions – to emphasize the linkage between biological questions, available data and appropriate methods. My goal is to define a framework for ecologists to structure data collection and make modeling decisions congruent with the biological insights they seek.