The Historical Biogeography and Extinction Risk Assessment of Recently Extinct Animals VIP Team is looking to enroll students for course credit in the Fall 2025 semester. Paid opportunities may be available on a case-by-case basis. The VIP project is to comprehensively understand the factors contributing to biodiversity loss, particularly focusing on recent extinction events. This research consists of five main components, including data collection on extinct animal species, landscape reconstructions using GIS tools, phylogenetic analyses to delineate historical ranges, comparative studies to identify extinction drivers, and the integration of Species Distribution Models (SDMs) to interpret extinction factors. By employing cutting-edge methods such as machine learning, phylogenetic comparative methods, and programming languages like R and Python, the project addresses critical issues such as climate change, species extinctions, and biodiversity loss.
Issues Involved or Addressed
• Climate change
• Species extinctions
• Biodiversity loss
Methods and Tech
• Machine learning
• Species distribution models
• Phylogenetic comparative methods
• GIS
• Programming
• R/Python
For more information about this team, please visit: https://uavip.arizona.edu/historical-biogeography-and-extinction-risk-assessment-recently-extinct-animals
