AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Acquisition of fundamental knowledge for the organization and analysis of ecological data, the structuring of an experimental design in ecology, main analysis techniques.

Students will also be introduced to the use of R for the realization of graphs and statistical analyzes.

TEACHING METHODS

The subject consists of lectures and lessons applied in the computer room where students will learn to use data analysis techniques using the R.

Lectures in the classroom are delivered through multimedia presentations.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

1) The experimental design in ecology, the hypothetical deductive method

2) Parameters of a population, statistical inference, estimate of the volume of a population

UNIVERSAL ANALYSIS

1) Frequency distributions, asymmetry and kurtosis

2) The Analysis of Variance: algebraic distribution of variability, the linear model

3) Multi-factorial, hierarchical and orthogonal designs

4) BACI and beyond BACI drawings

5) Correlation and linear regression

MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS

1) Similarity coefficients and cluster analysis

2) PCA and MDS orders

3) Multivariate tests (ANOSIM, PERMANOVA)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Available (downloadable from the WEB Room) Power Point of the lessons.

Underwood A.J., 1997. Experiments in ecology. Cambridge University Press

Gambi M.C., Dappiano M., 2003. Handbook of sampling methodology and study of Mediterranean marine benthos. Marine Mediterranean Biology, vol 10 (Suppl.).

Camussi A., Möller F., Ottaviano E., Sari Gorla M., 1995. Statistical methods for biological experimentation. Zanichelli.

Zar J.H., 1999. Biostatistical Analysis. Fourth Editino. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458.

Legendre, Pierre & Louis Legendre. 1998. Numerical ecology. 2nd English edition. Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam. xv + 853 pages.

DC Schneider Quantitative Ecology, 2nd edn, 2009. London: Academic Press. 432 pp.

A.F. Zuur, E.N. Ieno, G. M. Smith. Analysing Ecological Data. Statistics for Biology and Health. Springer, 2007

Fowler, Cohen. Statistics for Ornithologists and Naturalists. Natural Sciences Texts, Franco Muzzio Editore, 2010.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARIACHIARA CHIANTORE (President)

MARCO FAIMALI (President)

LESSONS

Class schedule

DATA ANALYSIS IN BIOLOGICAL MONITORING

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of an oral test concerning the topics covered in the course. The exam is passed if the student has obtained a grade greater than or equal to 18/30.

Five appeals will be available in the summer session (June, July, September) and 2 calls in the winter session (January-February).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Details on how to prepare for the exam and the degree of detail required for each topic will be provided during the lessons.

The exam will verify the actual acquisition of knowledge, which the student will have to be able to connect and integrate. The ability to synthesize and recognize the main aspects of the topic will be evaluated and the ability to expose the arguments clearly and with correct terminology will also be considered.

The exam consists of an oral test concerning the topics covered in the course. The exam is passed if the student has obtained a grade greater than or equal to 18/30.

Five appeals will be available in the summer session (June, July, September) and 2 calls in the winter session (January-February).

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

The topics dealt with and the numerous examples discussed in the lesson prompt the assiduous attendance of the lessons. Part of these will also be carried out in the computer room to allow students to carry out data analysis themselves using Excel and R.