Resource Selection by Animals: Statistical design and analysis for field studies / Edition 1

by B.B. Manly, L. McDonald, D.L. Thomas

Overview

We have written this book as a guide to the design and analysis of field studies of resource selection, concentrating primarily on statistical aspects of the comparison of the use and availability of resources of different types. Our in­ tended audience is field ecologists in general and wildlife biologists in particular who are attempting to measure the extent to which real animal populations are selective in their choice of food and habitat. As such, we have made no attempt to address those aspects of theoretical ecology that are concerned with how animals might choose their resources if they acted in an optimal manner. The book is based on the concept of a resource selection function, where this is a function of characteristics measured on resource units such that its value for a unit is proportional to the probability of that unit being used. We argue that this concept leads to a unified theory for the analysis and interpretation of data on resource selection and can replace many ad hoc statistical methods that have been used in the past.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780412401404
Publisher:	Springer Netherlands
Publication date:	12/31/1992
Edition description:	1993
Pages:	177
Sales rank:	997,875
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.03(d)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to resource selection studies.- 1.1 Motivation and definitions.- 1.2 The data for resource selection studies.- 1.3 Sampling designs.- 1.4 Sampling prools.- 1.5 Indices of selection.- 1.6 Hypothesis tests and confidence intervals.- 1.7 Discussion.- 2. Examples of the use of resource selection functions.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Examples.- 2.3 Sample designs.- 2.4 Assumptions.- 3. Statistical modelling procedures.- 3.1 Simple sample comparisons.- 3.2 Testing coefficients of individual X variables.- 3.3 Log-likelihood chi-squared tests.- 3.4 Analysis of residuals.- 3.5 Multiple tests and confidence intervals.- 4. Studies with resources defined by several categories.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Sampling designs and prools.- 4.3 Ratios of random variables.- 4.4 Chi-squared tests.- 4.5 Design I with known proportions of available resource units.- 4.6 Tests on proportions of used units.- 4.7 Inferences concerning selection ratios.- 4.8 Comparison of selection ratios.- 4.9 Design I with estimated proportions of available resource units.- 4.10 Design II with sampling prool A.- 4.11 Census of available resource units.- 4.12 Sample of available resource units.- 4.13 Design III with sampling prool A.- 4.14 Census of available resource units.- 4.15 Sample of available resource units.- 4.16 Discussion.- 5. Estimating a resource selection probability function from a census of resource units using logistic regression.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Estimating the logistic function.- 5.3 Discussion.- 6. Estimating resource selection probability functions from a census of resource units at several points in time using the proportional hazards model.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Estimating the proportional hazards function.- 6.3 Discussion.- 7. Estimating a resource selection function from samples of resource units using proportional hazards and log-linear models.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Expected sample frequencies for resource units.- 7.3 The proportional hazards model.- 7.4 Small proportion of resource units used.- 7.5 Only samples of unused resource units available.- 7.6 Estimating parameters from sample data.- 7.7 Inferences with sample data.- 7.8 Recommendations.- 8. Estimating a resource selection function from two samples of resource units using logistic regression and discriminant function methods.- 8.1 Logistic regression.- 8.2 Linear discriminant function analysis.- 8.3 Quadratic discriminant function analysis.- 8.4 Discussion.- 9. General log-linear modelling.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Fitting models to data.- 10. Analysis of the amount of use.- 10.1 Introduction.- 10.2 Analysis of counts of the amount of use.- 10.3 Analysis of continuous measures of the amount of use.- 10.4 Mixtures of zeros and positive measures of the amount of use.- 11. The comparison of selection for different types of resource unit.- 11.1 Variances for estimates and their differences.- References.- Author index.

Editorial Reviews

‘Bryan Manly has more experience than most in guiding the unwary biologist through unchartered statistical territory...this book will prove enlightening to the mathematically-minded biologist...'
Biodiversity and Conservation
‘The authors...consider with a lot of care various types of design allowing to assess to which degree a resource is selected, with reference to its availability... Classification is illustrated with a few detailed examples from the literature, for which data are given. These examples are followed throughout the book, which makes the reading easy and pleasant...This book certainly meets its subtitle by giving a thorough and comprehensive overview of 'statistical design and analysis for field studies' of resource selection.'
Acta Oecologia

From the Publisher

Mathematicians provide field biologists a framework for collecting and interpreting data in studies of how animals select resources such as food and habitat. Explains the different types of study design, and the strategies, methodologies, and statistical techniques appropriate for each. Especially useful for wildlife biologists and ecologists. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews