[FRB-CESAB] Analyzing ecological network data - 2026 - Fondation pour la recherche sur la biodiversité

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Pre-registrations closed on the 28th of November 2025.

Please note, the number of participants being limited, acceptance of applications will be confirmed in late January.

The CESAB – Centre for Biodiversity Synthesis and Analysis – and the ANR EcoNet are organizing the second edition of the workshop “Analyzing ecological network data”. The objective of this five-day course is to train young researchers in analyzing ecological network data. The course covers a general introduction to networks, classical metrics (including modularity, nesteness, clustering), null models, generative models (including SBM), multilayer networks, as well as an overview of newer techniques (such as motifs or collections of networks). Each topic is explored through lectures followed by practicals.

The training course, in English, will take place from the 30th of March to the 3rd of April 2026 at the CESAB in Montpellier. The price is 250 € for the week, including lunches. Travel, accommodation and evening meals are at the expense of the participants.

The FRB offers 4 scholarships of 250 euros each, which will cover the full registration fees. These scholarships are intended to support individuals who do not receive any institutional support (e.g., funding from their laboratory, research team, etc.) and who are unable to cover the registration fees with their own funds. We fully trust each applicant to assess their situation and apply for a scholarship only if necessary. The selection of participants will be carried out independently of the scholarship applications. Once this selection is made, the scholarships will be awarded by a random draw among the selected participants who have expressed a need for financial assistance (4 scholarships).

List of organizers (by alphabetical order):

Sophie DONNET (INRAE, MIA Paris Saclay)
Sonia KEFI (CNRS, ISEM, Montpellier)
François MASSOL (CNRS, CIIL, Lille)
Stéphane ROBIN (Sorbonne Université, Paris)
Elisa THEBAULT (CNRS, IEES, Paris)

USEFUL INFORMATION

30th of March – 3rd of April 2026

Pre-registration opening

3rd of November 2025

Pre-registration closure

28th of November 2025, midnight CST

CESAB – FRB

5, rue de l’École de médecine

34000 Montpellier

Contact

Camille COUX

Fiche – Mail

Monday | Introduction

9:00: Welcome
9:30: Introduction to networks
11:00: Coffee break
11:30: What kind of networks in ecology ?
12:00: How are ecological network data collected ?
12:30: Lunch break
14:00: igraph
15:30: “Speed dating”
16:15: Coffee break
16:30: The structure of ecological networks
17:30: End of the working day

Tuesday | Network metrics and null models

9:00: Metrics
10:30: Coffee break
11:00: Network models, null models
12:00: Lunch break
14:00: Complexity stability
14:30: The consequences of network structure
15:30: Coffee break
16:00: Group projects
17:30: End of the working day

Wednesday | Generative Stochastic Models

9:00: Introduction to block models
10:30: Coffee break
11:00: Selecting the number of blocks
12:00: Lunch break
14:00: The structure of ecological networks (2)
15:00: Coffee break
15:30: Group projects
17:30: End of the working day

Thursday | Multilayer networks

9:00: Multilayer networks in ecology
10:30: Coffee break
11:00: Multilayer in practice
12:00: Lunch break
14:00: Group projects
17:30: End of the working day

Friday | Opening and group presentations

9:00: Motifs, embedding, collection of networks
10:30: Coffee break
11:00: finalizing presentations
12:00: Lunch break at the CESAB
14:00: Group project presentations
16:30: End of the course