Biogeography is the study of the past, present, and future geographic patterns of biological diversity, as well as the complex causes of these patterns. Students will get acquainted with the scientific foundation of biogeography, including the historical and ecological foundations to understand the distribution of animals and plants, interactions between species and their environment, the world’s major biomes and biogeographic regions, concepts to measure and analyze biodiversity, and the role of biodiversity for ecosystems and the services they provide. Students will learn how to read, critically reflect on, and summarize primary research literature, develop presentation skills, and work efficiently in teams. Students will also deepen and broaden their statistical, geoprocessing, and modeling skills to analyze and answer questions related to the distribution and conservation of plants and animals, including their programming skills in the statistical language R.
- Course owner: Hendrik Bluhm
- Course owner: Julian Oeser
- Course owner: Alfredo Romero Munoz