Objectives: Provide students with basic knowledge of R programming, allowing them to manipulate and visualize data with R.

More information available here.

Objectives: This course will teach how to apply the SWAT eco-hydrological model to assess the impacts of climate and associated changes on water-soil-plant interactions, and consequences to water resources, soil erosion and nutrient cycles.

More information available here.

Objectives: This course aims at: 1) exploring how scientists can use social media as tools to enhance the communication of their research and the dialogue with society, and 2) discussing the differences that exist in the work of scientists and journalists in terms of the methods and deadlines they meet and exploring how scientists and journalists can better articulate to reach a common goal - contribute to a more informed society.

Objectives: Citizen science can be part of the larger process of engaging people in new forms of interaction in scientific research, challenging scientists and citizens whilst enlarging scientific knowledge and providing learning opportunities for all parties involved. These diverse interactions require innovative forms of multiway science communication.

Speaker: Adriel Rodrigues (External collaborator PSE).

Objectives: The goal of this course is to provide to the participants with current and practical knowledge on urban ecology, including ecological and social aspects. It aims at providing an integrated approach on urban socio-ecological systems.

Objectives: Symbiosis is a key strategy for life on Earth. Nevertheless, although many research groups have long been committed to the study of symbiosis, its definition and functioning are not fully understood, and its ecological role and relevance are still underestimated.

Objectives: Lack of fertile land to feed the exponentially growing population, insufficient water availability and quality, changes in the flow of nutrients through the bio-geo-cycles (especially N and P) and climate and land use changes are impacting ecosystems and their capacity to deliver goods and services for humans. It is striking that all these issues interact around one common resource - SOIL and its biodiversity.

Objectives: The objective of this course is to introduce participants to the details of communication and writing scientific publications. The main emphasis is on the most common form, the “primary scientific paper”, but other forms will be covered. Matters related to oral presentations, poster preparation and proposal writing will also be discussed. Thus participants will become familiar with the forms of presenting new findings to various scientific forums.

Objectives: Under the general framework of Global Change Ecology, the goal of this course is to provide the participants with the most recent and practical knowledge on the use of Functional Diversity. This includes the selection of functional traits and calculation of Functional Diversity Indexes. Examples of the application of this knowledge will be given regarding Ecological Indicators and Ecosystem Services.

The specific objectives are: