Research School 2026: Introduction to Salmonid IBMs

Participants will gain skills in using modelling tools to evaluate the effects of changing flow, temperature, turbidity, and channel morphology, and understand how these insights can inform sustainable river management, conservation, and restoration strategies. Participants will also become familiar with methods for typical kinds of analyses (e.g., sensitivity, uncertainty, and robustness) and learn to interpret model outcomes to advance both theoretical and applied ecological understanding.

Content:

• Introduction to inSTREAM and inSALMO Individual-Based Models, 5 h

• Software introduction and data structure, 5 h

• Model description and application guide, 5 h

• Model evaluation and analysis methods, 5 h

• Project introduction and preparation, 2 h

• Hands-on modelling workshop, 5 h

• Participants’ presentation and discussion, 5 h

Examination:

Assessment will be based on project assignments linked to the hands-on modelling workshop. These assignments, provided at the start of the course, will focus on setting up and running the instream. IBM for different environmental scenarios, preparing input data, and analyzing and interpreting simulation results. Participants are required to complete their assignments and deliver a short presentation of their projects to the examiner for evaluation. Scores will be reported upon approval of the submitted work.

Prerequisites:

No specific background is required. The course is designed to be accessible to PhD students from diverse research areas. Basic concepts related to aquatic ecology, river hydraulics, and ecological modelling will be introduced as part of the course. Previous experience in fish ecology, river habitat modelling, or data analysis may be helpful but is not necessary.

Preparation:

Lecture notes and reading materials will be distributed in advance. Participants are expected to read through these and reflect on key questions to facilitate active participation during the course. It is also recommended that participants familiarize themselves with the reading list to gain an overview of model applications and how individual-based models can be used to address real-world challenges in river management.