Abstract
Estimating animal populations is crucial for understanding ecological processes and implementing effective conservation measures. However doing so is not straight-forward, given practical limitations from field measurements such as trap data. This project will tackle this issue, by combining theoretical spatial models with data synthesis from published results, to estimate true species densities. To do this we will combine mathematical analysis, computer simulations, and literature review to identify movement properties of ground arthropods.
note: beginning and end date are flexible, but overall time should be 4-6 months.
Project Description
Estimating animal populations is a critical tool for understanding ecological processes and implementing effective conservation measures. Accurate population estimates help assess trends, evaluate habitat suitability, and identify threats to biodiversity. However, traditional methods like traps or visual surveys often provide limited or biased data, such as « activity-density, » which can be influenced by animal behavior or trapping setup. This project aims to overcome these challenges by integrating spatial random-walk models with data synthesis from published studies.
Goals of the MSc project:
1) Develop and test a random-walk model to analyze how factors like animal density, activity, trap placement, and density affect capture probability.
2) Compile activity data for ground arthropods from existing studies, focusing on species common in agricultural landscapes.
3) Design a method to convert trap data into reliable density estimates, applying either general or case-specific approaches.
4) Validate the modeling framework by comparing density estimates with results from alternative methods using existing datasets.
The project will be supervised by Dr. Yuval Zelnik, a researcher at the Department of Ecology at SLU, and Prof. Giulia Vico, the head of the unit for plant ecology in the Department of Ecology at SLU. The project combines mathematical modeling, simulations, and literature analysis to refine population estimation techniques for ground arthropods.
Requirements
This project combines a theoretical approach to ecological processes, together with estimating animal behavior from results of published studies. Therefore the following skills and knowledge would be helpful:
1. Programming skills (e.g. Matlab, Python, R), and using these for simulations.
2. Proficiency in English, especially for reading scientific articles.
3. Basic knowledge of mathematical tools, such as calculus and probability theory.
4. Familiarity with animal behavior and population ecology.
Application procedure and information about the organization
Please send an email to yuval.zelnik@slu.se with your CV and cover letter explaining why you are interested in this project, and detailing how your experience and skills fit with it.
Facts:
The Department of Ecology combines research in basic ecology with applied research in nature con- servation, wildlife management, forestry and crop protection.
https://www.slu.se/en/departments/ecology/
Commentaires récents