Populations, Randomness & Heterogeneity

The main objective of this course is to provide the necessary skills to understand and use the concepts and methods on which the quantitative study of population phenomena is based. The main methods of analysis and modelling of these phenomena will be approached both from a theoretical point of view (formal calculations) and from a practical point of view (statistics, simulations), by means of examples exploring the different phylogenetic scales (microbial dynamics, invasive species, human demography), spatial (from local to global) and temporal (transient and permanent regimes, eco-evolutionary coupling), with a particular attention to heterogeneity (spatial, genetic or phenotypic) and randomness (stochasticity, uncertainties) characteristic of populations or inherent to their study.

To know the notions and theoretical tools allowing to approach the study of population phenomena, taking into account the aspects of heterogeneity and randomness. Understand qualitatively the deterministic and stochastic processes underlying population dynamics. Know how to quantitatively analyze population data. Be able to model a population phenomenon in order to understand, describe and predict its dynamics. Be able to understand and discuss a research paper on the analysis or modeling of a population phenomenon.

Continuous assessment : 100%.