Mark R. T. Dale

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.

Graph theory can be applied to ecological questions in many ways, and more insights can be gained by expanding the range of graph theoretical concepts applied to a specific system. But how do you know which methods might be used? And what do you do with the graph once it has been obtained? This book provides a broad introduction to the application of graph theory in different ecological systems, providing practical guidance for researchers in ecology and related fields. Readers are guided through the creation of an appropriate graph for the system being studied, including the application of spatial, spatio-temporal, and more abstract structural process graphs. Simple figures accompany the explanations to add clarity, and a broad range of ecological phenomena from many ecological systems are covered. This is the ideal book for graduate students and researchers looking to apply graph theoretical methods in their work.

Graph theory can be applied to ecological questions in many ways, and more insights can be gained by expanding the range of graph theoretical concepts applied to a specific system. But how do you know which methods might be used? And what do you do with the graph once it has been obtained? This book provides a broad introduction to the application of graph theory in different ecological systems, providing practical guidance for researchers in ecology and related fields. Readers are guided through the creation of an appropriate graph for the system being studied, including the application of spatial, spatio-temporal, and more abstract structural process graphs. Simple figures accompany the explanations to add clarity, and a broad range of ecological phenomena from many ecological systems are covered. This is the ideal book for graduate students and researchers looking to apply graph theoretical methods in their work.

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 predictability of the physical arrangement of plants, at whatever scale it is viewed, is referred to as their spatial pattern. Spatial pattern is a crucial aspect of vegetation which has important implications not only for the plants themselves, but also for other organisms which interact with plants, such as herbivores and pollinators, or those animals for which plants provide a habitat. This book describes and evaluates methods for detecting and quantifying a variety of characteristics of spatial pattern. As well as discussing the concepts on which these techniques are based, examples from real field studies and worked examples are included, which, together with numerous line figures, help guide the reader through the text. The result is a book that will be of value to graduate students and research workers in the fields of vegetation science, conservation biology and applied ecology.

The predictability of the physical arrangement of plants, at whatever scale it is viewed, is referred to as their spatial pattern. Spatial pattern is a crucial aspect of vegetation which has important implications not only for the plants themselves, but also for other organisms which interact with plants, such as herbivores and pollinators, or those animals for which plants provide a habitat. This book describes and evaluates methods for detecting and quantifying a variety of characteristics of spatial pattern. As well as discussing the concepts on which these techniques are based, examples from real field studies and worked examples are included, which, together with numerous line figures, help guide the reader through the text. The result is a book that will be of value to graduate students and research workers in the fields of vegetation science, conservation biology and applied ecology.