Testing for latitudinal and other body-size gradients

Authors
Citation
Bfj. Manly, Testing for latitudinal and other body-size gradients, ECOL LETT, 1(2), 1998, pp. 104-111
Citations number
14
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology
Journal title
ECOLOGY LETTERS
ISSN journal
1461-023X → ACNP
Volume
1
Issue
2
Year of publication
1998
Pages
104 - 111
Database
ISI
SICI code
1461-023X(199809)1:2<104:TFLAOB>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
Testing for a relationship between the body size of animals and a gradient such as latitude is complicated by the fact that typically there is a singl e average size for each species, and each species occurs at several sample stations over the gradient. This results in standard tests for statistical significance being invalid. This problem can be overcome by using a randomi zation test. A more difficult problem, however, is determining whether the relationship between size and latitude is the same for two subfamilies of s pecies. In this paper a general method for relating body size to latitude a nd subfamily differences is proposed, with the significance of effects dete rmined by randomization. A simulation study suggests that this procedure ha s good properties. This approach to data analysis has promise both for the particular situation considered and for other related problems in biogeogra phy.