DNA-sequence data and phylogenies in biodiversity

Dates

15-18 July 2019

WHERE

 

 

 

University of Lodz, Poland

Overview

 

This course will introduce scientists interested in biodiversity to the use of DNA-sequence data to address questions that cannot be addressed by using only morphological and ecological data in their studies. After a short introduction on how to obtain DNA sequences and reliable molecular phylogenies, the focus of the questions that could be addressed will be on taxonomy, community ecology, and comparative methods.

 

 

 

TARGETED AUDIENCE & ASSUMED BACKGROUND

The course is aimed at early-career researchers (PhD students, early postdocs) in ecology interested in widening their analytical toolbox. The course is structured in a way that even an inexperienced and naïve attendee could take advantage of the possibilities offered by the inclusion of DNA sequences and molecular phylogenies in its analyses. There will be a mix of lectures and hands-on practical exercises using freely available software and online resources.

 

Most of the steps will be performed in R, but no previous knowledge on this statistical platform is required. All scripts will be carefully explained to allow all attendees understanding the rationale and usage of the statistical approaches.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Understand how to read, interpret and obtain molecular phylogenies, with a focus on the concepts and rationale behind phylogenetic methods
  • Learn tools from DNA taxonomy
  • Learn how to include phylogenies in the analyses of community ecology and in comparative analyses
  • Hand-on experience on all the steps
  • Being comfortable with using R when including molecular phylogenies in ecological analyses

 

program

Monday – Classes from 09:00 to 17:00 - “DNA and phylogenies”

 

Session 1: Introduction (morning)

 

In this session I will kick off with an introduction lecture about the rationale of including DNA sequences and molecular phylogenies in ecological studies. I will use this introduction to motivate the four days of the course. Next, I will explain some theory on molecular phylogenies and which kind of data is needed to obtain phylogenetic reconstructions. Through the morning we will start obtaining our first phylogenies to be used in the following days.

 


 

 

Session 2: Molecular phylogenies (afternoon)

 

During the afternoon, we are going through some of the available and easy methods to obtain phylogenies with distance-based (e.g. Neighbour Joining), maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods. The aim is to understand the use, potentials, and limitations of molecular phylogenies, and to be comfortable with them.

 


Instructor

 

 

Dr. Diego Fontaneto

 

Cost overview

Package 1:

Course material and refreshments

 

 

Package 2:

Course material, refreshments, lunch and accommodation

          410 € (VAT included)

      650 € (VAT included)


Please click HERE to get all the information about our packages.

Application deadline is: June15th, 2019.

 

Cancellation Policy:

 

> 30  days before the start date = 30% cancellation fee

< 30 days before the start date= No Refund.

 

Physalia-courses cannot be held responsible for any travel fees, accommodation or other expenses incurred to you as a result of the cancellation.