Visualizing Spatial Ecological Data (VSED01) — PR Stats

From tracking whale migration routes to mapping dolphin social ranges, spatial visualisation is essential for understanding marine mammal ecology.

In this five-day live online course, you’ll learn to transform raw spatial data into clear, compelling maps and graphics in R—ideal for research, conservation, and public communication.


Course Details & Format

  • Next Session: November 17–21, 2025 (Monday–Friday)

  • Duration: 5 days × ~8 hours/day = 40 hours total

  • Schedule: Live sessions in Portugal time (GMT+1); all sessions recorded for flexible access worldwide

  • Format: Interactive online classroom with lectures, coding exercises, participant data sessions, and peer collaboration


Who It’s For

Marine mammal scientists, conservation biologists, and ecological researchers who:

  • Work with satellite/GPS tracking data from tagged individuals

  • Analyse sighting data for abundance and distribution mapping

  • Study habitat use and seasonal range shifts

  • Communicate spatial results to policymakers, stakeholders, and the public

No prior experience with R is required—everything is taught from the ground up.


What You’ll Learn

  • Plot remote sensing data to visualise habitats

  • Map species distributions and density surfaces.

  • Explore temporal changes in habitat use with ridgeline and multivariate plots

  • Manage large datasets (e.g., years of acoustic detections or telemetry points) using scatterplots and hexagon binning

  • Create bivariate maps, cartograms, and overlap metrics to compare seasonal ranges or species interactions

  • Design accessible, colourblind-friendly graphics suitable for reports, publications, and outreach


Fees & Registration

  • Early bird (first 10 places): £430

  • Standard fee: £480


Why Choose VSED01?

  • Hands-on practice: Apply methods to your own tracking or survey data

  • Expert-led instruction: Ecology-driven R training with a focus on visual communication

  • Flexible learning: Join live or learn later via recordings

  • Actionable outputs: Leave with reproducible R scripts and professional-quality figures


Visualise the movement, range, and habitat of animals with precision and impact—turn your spatial data into insights that drive research and conservation.

Questions? Email oliver@prstats.org Elevate your spatial ecology skills—visualise with precision, clarity, and accessibility using R.


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Oliver Hooker PhD.
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