Multivariate Ecological Community Analysis II
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Take your multivariate analysis skills to the next level by building upon the professional understanding and capability attained in MECA I. This course takes you through the defensible ten-step process for performing, interpreting, and communicating defensible analyses for the most widely used free ordination techniques (PCA, NMS, NMS Scores), classification procedures (Cluster Analysis, TWCA), group testing tools (MRPP, PerMANOVA, SumF, ISA), association assessments (Mantel Test, Compare Scores), and trait analyses (functional diversity metrics, FCA). Plus, the strengths and weaknesses of other commonly encountered tools (e.g., RA, DCA, TWINSPAN, PCoA, dbRDA) are explored, tips are given on how to apply and interpret graphing tools to ordination diagrams, and the procedure for bootstrapping multivariate analyses is outlined.
PREREQUISITES
MECA I. If you have previously taken Jeri Peck’s “Multivariate Data Analysis, Using PC‑ORD” short-course or Bruce McCune’s “Community Structure and Analysis” course, you can request to take the MECA I final exam to test out of this prerequisite for a fee.
MATERIALS
Required Textbook (should have from MECA I): Peck, J.E. 2016. Multivariate Analysis for Ecologists: Step-by-Step, (https://www.wildblueberrymedia.net/store/step-by-step)
Required Software (should have from MECA I): PC-ORD version 7, (https://www.wildblueberrymedia.net/store/pc-ord-7-single-user-license-student-user)
PRIMARY INSTRUCTOR
COURSE FORMATS, DATES, CREDITS, & PRICING
FORMAT: Reach out to your instructor over the 3-month term to get help with course materials as you watch the 37 prerecorded lectures and watch and perform the 19 practice exercises. After completing each of the 15 separate lessons, take a brief online knowledge-check quiz before moving on, and at the end of the course take the short comprehensive final exam. Instructor support includes emailing your instructor, accessing live discussion threads, and attending scheduled group Zoom meetings as needed for help with course materials. After completing the course but within the 3-month term, set up an optional one-on-one meeting with the instructor to discuss your own personal project from work or school.
CONTINUING EDUCATION: This course has been pre-approved for continuing education by (1) the Ecological Society of America for 4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in Category I(a): Scientific Education and Training, and (2) The Wildlife Society for 16 CEUs in Category I of the Certified Wildlife Biologist® Renewal/Professional Development Certificate Program. Participants must complete all exercises and course surveys to pass the course (P/F) and receive a CWS certificate of course completion, which can be submitted to ESA and TWS for CEUs. See our Continuing Education Page for more details about CEUs with ESA and TWS.
ESA & TWS CERTIFICATION: Participants that earn a B- or better can use this 1-credit course to help meet the minimum education requirements (in Chemistry, Physical Sciences, and Mathematics) to certify as a Professional Ecologist with ESA (pending approval). Participants that earn a D or better can use this 1-credit course in their application to certify as a Wildlife Biologist® with TWS. See our Professional Certification Page for more details about ESA and TWS certification.
*** This version of the course can NOT be used to earn academic credit from your college or university or to earn a professional certificate with CWS. See the PREMIUM format below ***
DATES & PRICES:
Fall: Sept 3 - Nov 24 (early bird* ends Aug 5): $500 professional / $400 student
*Early bird saves $50
FORMAT: Reach out to your instructor during the first 3 months to get help with course materials as you watch the 37 prerecorded lectures and watch and perform the 19 practice exercises. After completing each of the 15 separate lessons, take a brief online knowledge-check quiz before moving on. You must also complete several assignments and take the long comprehensive final exam. Instructor support during this period includes emailing your instructor, accessing live discussion threads, receiving feedback on your assignments, and attending scheduled group Zoom meetings as needed for help with course materials. After completing the course but within 1 year (during which course materials will remain available), set up an optional one-on-one meeting with the instructor to discuss your own personal project from work or school.
CONTINUING EDUCATION: This course has been pre-approved for continuing education by (1) the Ecological Society of America for 4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in Category I(a): Scientific Education and Training, and (2) The Wildlife Society for 16 CEUs in Category I of the Certified Wildlife Biologist® Renewal/Professional Development Certificate Program. Participants must complete all exercises to pass the course (P/F) and receive a CWS certificate of course completion, which can be submitted to ESA and TWS for CEUs. See our Continuing Education Page for more details about CEUs with ESA and TWS.
ESA & TWS CERTIFICATION: Participants that earn a B- or better can use this 1-credit course to help meet the minimum education requirements (in Chemistry, Physical Sciences, and Mathematics) to certify as a Professional Ecologist with ESA (pending approval). Participants that earn a D or better can use this 1-credit course in their application to certify as a Wildlife Biologist® with TWS. See our Professional Certification Page for more details about ESA and TWS certification.
ACADEMIC CREDIT: This 1-credit course can be taken with pre-approval from an administrator at a your college or university. For an additional fee, students also have the option to complete an Applied Project for an additional 1-2 academic credits (earning up to 2-3 academic credits in total). See our Academic Credit Page for details.
CWS PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE: CWS requires a grade of a B- or higher for the course to count toward earning a Professional Certificate in Applied Quantitative Ecology.
DATES & PRICES:
Fall: Sept 3 - Nov 24 (early bird* ends Aug 5): $600 professional / $500 student
*Early bird saves $50
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Free ordination methods:
principal components analysis
principal coordinates analysis
nonmetric multidimensional scaling
NMS scores
Agglomerative clustering
Choosing the optimal level of clustering
Group‐testing methods:
multi‐response permutation procedures, blocked MRPP
distance-based MANOVA
SumF
Indicator Species Analysis, blocked ISA
Trait-based analyses:
Functional Diversity
Fourth Corner Analysis
Advanced graphing and communication tools
Bootstrapping
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After taking this course, students will be able to:
Choose among PCA and NMS to address analysis objectives
Choose among MRPP, PerMANOVA, and SumF to address analysis objectives
Recognize when to apply trait-based analyses
For PCA, PCO, NMS, NMS Scores, clustering, MRPP, PerMANOVA, SumF, ISA, Mantel Test, Compare Scores, Functional Diversity, and Fourth Corner Analysis
recognize their strengths and weaknesses
understand their analysis steps
perform the basis analyses using appropriate setup options
interpret the analysis output
Apply a variety of approaches to objectively ‘cut’ a dendrogram
Use output and graphs to present and report findings
Bootstrap (especially PerMANOVA)
SCHOLARSHIPS
Full scholarships are available to participants from countries designated as “lower income” and “lower middle income” in the World Bank List of Economies. Please see our CWS World Scholars Program page for details.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Cancellations 30 days or more before the start date are not subject to cancellation fees. Cancellations <30 days before the start date are subject to a 50% cancellation fee. No refunds once the course begins.