Sampling and Statistical Methods for Behavioral Ecologists

by Jonathan Bart , Michael A. Fligner , William I. Notz

• ISBN13: 9780521450959
• ISBN10: 0521450950
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-01-28
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This book describes the sampling and statistical methods used most often by behavioral ecologists and field biologists. Written by a biologist and two statisticians, it provides a rigorous discussion together with worked examples of statistical concepts and methods that are generally not covered in introductory courses, and which are consequently poorly understood and applied by field biologists. The first section reviews important issues such as defining the statistical population and the sampling plan when using nonrandom methods for sample selection, bias, interpretation of statistical tests, confidence intervals, and multiple comparisons. After a detailed discussion of sampling methods and multiple regression, subsequent chapters discuss specialized problems such as pseudoreplication, and their solutions. This volume will quickly become the favorite statistical handbook for all field biologists.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Statiscal analysis in behavioral ecology	1	(13)
Introduction	1	(1)
Specifying the population	1	(4)
Inferences about the population	5	(6)
Extrapolation to other populations	11	(1)
Summary	12	(2)
Estimation	14	(33)
Introduction	14	(1)
Notation and definitions	15	(2)
Distributions of discrete random variables	17	(4)
Expected value	21	(3)
Variance and covariance	24	(2)
Standard deviation and standard error	26	(1)
Estimated standard errors	26	(4)
Estimating variability in a population	30	(2)
More on expected value	32	(2)
Linear transformations	34	(2)
The Taylor series approximation	36	(6)
Maximum likelihood estimation	42	(3)
Summary	45	(2)
Tests and confidence intervals	47	(38)
Introduction	47	(1)
Statistical tests	47	(11)
Confidence intervals	58	(7)
Sample size requirements and power	65	(3)
Parametric tests for one and two samples	68	(10)
Nonparametric tests for one or two samples	78	(3)
Tests for more than two samples	81	(3)
Summary	84	(1)
Survey sampling methods	85	(63)
Introduction	85	(1)
Overview	86	(11)
The finite population correction	97	(2)
Sample selection methods	99	(10)
Multistage sampling	109	(15)
Stratified sampling	124	(7)
Comparison of the methods	131	(1)
Additional methods	132	(5)
Notation for complex designs	137	(2)
Nonrandom sampling in complex designs	139	(7)
Summary	146	(2)
Regression	148	(29)
Introduction	148	(1)
Scatterplots and correlation	148	(6)
Simple linear regression	154	(5)
Multiple regression	159	(15)
Regression with multistage sampling	174	(2)
Summary	176	(1)
Pseudoreplication	177	(13)
Introduction	177	(1)
Power versus generality	178	(4)
Fish, fish tanks, and fish trials	182	(3)
The great playback debate	185	(2)
Causal inferences with unreplicated treatments	187	(1)
Summary	187	(3)
Sampling behavior	190	(10)
Introduction	190	(1)
Defining behaviors and bouts	190	(2)
Allocation of effort	192	(4)
Obtaining the data	196	(1)
Analysis	197	(2)
Summary	199	(1)
Monitoring abundance	200	(19)
Introduction	200	(1)
Defining `the trend'	201	(8)
Estimating standard errors	209	(1)
Outliers and missing data	210	(1)
Index methods	211	(5)
Pseudoreplication	216	(1)
Summary	217	(2)
Capture--recapture methods	219	(9)
Introduction	219	(1)
Rationale	219	(1)
Capture histories and models	220	(2)
Model selection	222	(1)
Closed population models	222	(1)
Open population models	223	(3)
Summary	226	(2)
Estimating survivorship	228	(10)
Introduction	228	(1)
Telemetry studies	228	(3)
Nesting success	231	(5)
Summary	236	(2)
Resource selection	238	(10)
Introduction	238	(1)
Population units and parameters	239	(4)
Several animals	243	(1)
Multivariate definition of resources	244	(2)
Summary	246	(2)
Other statistical methods	248	(9)
Introduction	248	(1)
Adaptive sampling	248	(1)
Line transect sampling	249	(1)
Path analysis	250	(1)
Sequential analysis	251	(2)
Community analysis	253	(1)
Summary	254	(3)
Appendix One Frequently used statistical methods	257	(22)
Appendix Two Statistical tables	279	(32)
Appendix Three Notes for Appendix One	311	(9)
References	320	(8)
Index	328