Marie-Josée Fortin

Much of current ecology research and conservation addresses problems across landscapes and regions, focusing on spatial patterns and processes. New chapters include topics on movement ecology and conservation planning, with an improved link between spatial modeling and applied conservation throughout the book.

Designed for researchers in ecology at all levels and career stages, from students and postdoctoral fellows to seasoned professionals, this third edition reflects the significant advances in quantitative analysis of the past decade. It provides updated examples and methods, with reduced emphasis on older techniques that have seen limited use in recent ecological literature. The authors cover new and emerging approaches, including Hierarchical Bayesian analysis and spatio-temporal methods. A key feature is the integration of ecological and statistical concepts, highlighting the critical role that this type of analysis plays in ecological understanding. The book provides up-to-date summaries of methodological advancements in spatial and spatio-temporal analysis, along with insights into future developments in areas such as spatial graphs, multi-level networks, and machine learning applications. It also offers practical examples and guidance to help researchers select, apply, and interpret the appropriate methods.

Network thinking and network analysis are rapidly expanding features of ecological research. Network analysis of ecological systems include representations and modelling of the interactions in an ecosystem, in which species or factors are joined by pairwise connections. This book provides an overview of ecological network analysis including generating processes, the relationship between structure and dynamic function, and statistics and models for these networks. Starting with a general introduction to the composition of networks and their characteristics, it includes details on such topics as measures of network complexity, applications of spectral graph theory, how best to include indirect species interactions, and multilayer, multiplex and multilevel networks. Graduate students and researchers who want to develop and understand ecological networks in their research will find this volume inspiring and helpful. Detailed guidance to those already working in network ecology but looking for advice is also included.

Network thinking and network analysis are rapidly expanding features of ecological research. Network analysis of ecological systems include representations and modelling of the interactions in an ecosystem, in which species or factors are joined by pairwise connections. This book provides an overview of ecological network analysis including generating processes, the relationship between structure and dynamic function, and statistics and models for these networks. Starting with a general introduction to the composition of networks and their characteristics, it includes details on such topics as measures of network complexity, applications of spectral graph theory, how best to include indirect species interactions, and multilayer, multiplex and multilevel networks. Graduate students and researchers who want to develop and understand ecological networks in their research will find this volume inspiring and helpful. Detailed guidance to those already working in network ecology but looking for advice is also included.

This book provides a foundation for modern applied ecology. Much of current ecology research and conservation addresses problems across landscapes and regions, focusing on spatial patterns and processes. This book is aimed at teaching fundamental concepts and focuses on learning-by-doing through the use of examples with the software R. It is intended to provide an entry-level, easily accessible foundation for students and practitioners interested in spatial ecology and conservation.

Nowadays, ecologists worldwide recognize the use of spatial analysis as essential. However, because of the fast-growing range of methods available, even an expert might occasionally find it challenging to choose the most appropriate one. Providing the ecological and statistical foundations needed to make the right decision, this second edition builds and expands upon the previous one by: • Encompassing the basic methods for spatial analysis, for both complete census and sample data • Investigating updated treatments of spatial autocorrelation and spatio-temporal analysis • Introducing detailed explanations of currently developing approaches, including spatial and spatio-temporal graph theory, scan statistics, fibre process analysis, and Hierarchical Bayesian analysis • Offering practical advice for specific circumstances, such as how to analyze forest Permanent Sample Plot data and how to proceed with transect data when portions of the data series are missing. Written for graduates, researchers and professionals, this book will be a valuable source of reference for years to come.

The spatial and temporal dimensions of ecological phenomena have always been inherent in the conceptual framework of ecology, but only recently have they been incorporated explicitly into ecological theory, sampling design, experimental design and models. Statistical techniques for spatial analysis of ecological data are burgeoning and many ecologists are unfamiliar with what is available and how the techniques should be used correctly. This book gives an overview of the wide range of spatial statistics available to analyse ecological data, and provides advice and guidance for graduate students and practising researchers who are either about to embark on spatial analysis in ecological studies or who have started but are unsure how to proceed. Only a basic understanding of statistics is assumed and many schematic illustrations are given to complement or replace mathematical technicalities, making the book accessible to ecologists wishing to enter this important and fast-growing field for the first time.