Standard modelling procedure for Species Distribution and Ecological Niche Modelling (SDMS01)
Species Distribution and Ecological Niche Modelling is an applied R course teaching standard workflows for building, evaluating, and interpreting SDMs.
Duration: 2 Days, 5 hours a Day
Next Date: April 23-24, 2026
Format: Live Online Format
Portugal (GMT+1) local time - All sessions will be recorded and made available to ensure accessibility for attendees across different time zones.
£275Registration Fee
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5.0
from 200+ reviews
- Overview
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Course Description
How to build an ecological niche model? This introductory course covers the fundamental theory and principal methodologies used to build Ecological Niche Models (ENMs). These models, which may also be referred to as species distribution models (SDMs), habitat suitability models, or climate envelope models, represent empirical or mathematical approaches to understanding a species’ ecological niche. ENM techniques can be broadly categorised as mechanistic or correlative. They function by relating known species information (such as geographical locations or physiological data) with various types of ecogeographical variables, including environmental (e.g., climate), topographical (e.g., elevation), and human factors. The ultimate goal is to identify the conditions and factors that limit and define the species’ niche. The increasing popularity of ENMs stems from their utility in making conservation planning and management more effective and efficient. The course will focus on correlative algorithms, as they are the most used ones.
What You’ll Learn
- How to choose the best methodology depending on the aim of the study and available data.
- Get and prepare species and environmental data.
- Learn the best procedure to calculate distribution models.
- Determine variables’ correlation, apply species thinning, and determine the background or pseudo-absences.
- Calculate ensemble modelling.
- Compare models’ performance.
- Understand their results, as well as interpret and apply them correctly.
Course Format
Interactive Learning Format
Each day features a well-balanced combination of lectures and hands-on practical exercises, with dedicated time for discussing participants’ own data, time permitting.
Global Accessibility
All live sessions are recorded and made available on the same day, ensuring accessibility for participants across different time zones.
Collaborative Discussions
Open discussion sessions provide an opportunity for participants to explore specific research questions and engage with instructors and peers.
Comprehensive Course Materials
All code, datasets, and presentation slides used during the course will be shared with participants by the instructor.
Personalized Data Engagement
Participants are encouraged to bring their own data for discussion and practical application during the course.
Post-Course Support
Participants will receive continued support via email for 30 days following the course, along with on-demand access to session recordings for the same period.
Who Should Attend / Intended Audiences
This course is intended for academics and postgraduate students working on ecological spatial data projects, as well as students and researchers in biogeography, spatial ecology, or related disciplines. The first session will focus on theoretical foundations, while the following sessions will be practical. All modelling and analysis will be performed using R, the free software environment for statistical computing and graphics. Participants will learn to apply modelling algorithms such as Maxent, Bioclim, and logistic regressions, and will work with R packages like flexsdm for ENM development. A basic understanding of statistical and ecological concepts is required.
Equipment and Software requirements
A laptop or desktop computer with a functioning installation of R and RStudio is required. Both R and RStudio are free, open-source programs compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux systems.
A working webcam is recommended to support interactive elements of the course. We encourage participants to keep their cameras on during live Zoom sessions to foster a more engaging and collaborative environment.
While not essential, using a large monitor—or ideally a dual-monitor setup—can significantly enhance your learning experience by allowing you to view course materials and work in R simultaneously.
All necessary R packages will be introduced and installed during the workshop. A comprehensive list of required packages will also be shared with participants ahead of the course to allow for optional pre-installation.
Dr. Neftalí Sillero
Neftalí is a spatial ecologist specialising in the analysis and identification of biodiversity patterns at multiple scales, from individual organisms to species and populations. His work leverages Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, Ecological Niche Modelling, and Spatial Statistics to explore how space influences biodiversity dynamics.
His core research interests include species distribution modelling, biogeographical region identification, chorotype analysis, mapping road-kill hotspots, and spatial analysis of animal home ranges. Neftalí has more than a decade of experience in ecological niche modelling and has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles. He also leads large-scale biodiversity mapping initiatives in Europe.
Since 2007, he has served as Chair of the Mapping Committee of the Societas Herpetologica Europaea, where he leads the NA2RE project (New Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles of Europe).
Education & Career
- 10 years of experience in spatial ecology and ecological niche modelling
- Chair of the Mapping Committee, Societas Herpetologica Europaea (since 2007)
- Principal Investigator of the NA2RE Project – New Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles of Europe
Research Focus
Neftalí’s research investigates how spatial processes shape biodiversity patterns. He specialises in integrating environmental data, spatial analysis tools, and modelling frameworks to map and predict species distributions and ecological risk zones, such as road-kill hotspots.
Current Projects
- NA2RE – New Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles of Europe
- Spatial analysis of road mortality hotspots in European amphibians and reptiles
- Identification of biogeographical regions and species chorotypes using advanced modelling techniques
Professional Consultancy
Neftalí advises international conservation initiatives and biodiversity mapping efforts, contributing methodological expertise in GIS, remote sensing, and spatial statistics.
Teaching & Skills
- Specialist in GIS, remote sensing, niche modelling, and spatial statistics
- Experienced in teaching spatial ecology and biodiversity modelling
- Active in promoting spatial tools for conservation planning and policy
Links
Guidelines for modelling
Obtaining species and environmental data with geodata
Environmental data preparation with terra
Variables’ correlation with flexsdm/usdm
Species thinning with flexsdm
Background determination with flexsdm
Species records splitting with flexsdm
Ensemble modelling with flexsdm
Model validation with modEva
Testimonials
PRStats offers a great lineup of courses on statistical and analytical methods that are super relevant for ecologists and biologists. My lab and I have taken several of their courses—like Bayesian mixing models, time series analysis, and machine/deep learning—and we've found them very informative and directly useful for our work. I often recommend PRStats to my students and colleagues as a great way to brush up on or learn new R-based statistical skills.
Rolando O. Santos
PhD Assistant Professor, Florida International University
Courses attended
SIMM05, IMDL03, ITSA02, GEEE01 and MOVE07
Testimonials
PRStats offers a great lineup of courses on statistical and analytical methods that are super relevant for ecologists and biologists. My lab and I have taken several of their courses—like Bayesian mixing models, time series analysis, and machine/deep learning—and we've found them very informative and directly useful for our work. I often recommend PRStats to my students and colleagues as a great way to brush up on or learn new R-based statistical skills.
Rolando O. Santos
PhD Assistant Professor, Florida International University
Courses attended
SIMM05, IMDL03, ITSA02, GEEE01 and MOVE07
Testimonials
PRStats offers a great lineup of courses on statistical and analytical methods that are super relevant for ecologists and biologists. My lab and I have taken several of their courses—like Bayesian mixing models, time series analysis, and machine/deep learning—and we've found them very informative and directly useful for our work. I often recommend PRStats to my students and colleagues as a great way to brush up on or learn new R-based statistical skills.
Rolando O. Santos
PhD Assistant Professor, Florida International University
Courses attended
SIMM05, IMDL03, ITSA02, GEEE01 and MOVE07
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about the product and billing.
When will I receive instructions on how to join?
You’ll receive an email on the Friday before the course begins, with full instructions on how to join via Zoom. Please ensure you have Zoom installed in advance.
Do I need administrator rights on my computer?
I’m attending the course live — will I also get access to the session recordings?
I can’t attend every live session — can I join some sessions live and catch up on others later?
I’m in a different time zone and plan to follow the course via recordings. When will these be available?
I can’t attend live — how can I ask questions?
Will I receive a certificate?
When will I receive instructions on how to join?
You’ll receive an email on the Friday before the course begins, with full instructions on how to join via Zoom. Please ensure you have Zoom installed in advance.
Do I need administrator rights on my computer?
I’m attending the course live — will I also get access to the session recordings?
I can’t attend every live session — can I join some sessions live and catch up on others later?
I’m in a different time zone and plan to follow the course via recordings. When will these be available?
I can’t attend live — how can I ask questions?
Will I receive a certificate?
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