Bayesian Analysis for Population Ecology
Purchasing Options
Features
- Provides a basic introduction to Bayesian methods that assumes no prior knowledge
- Analyses real-world ecological examples and interprets results
- Presents detailed descriptions of methods that deal with covariate data, including missing values
- Covers techniques at the forefront of research, such as model discrimination and model averaging
- Implements many methods using WinBUGS and R software
- Includes example data sets and codes on the book’s web site
Summary
Novel Statistical Tools for Conserving and Managing Populations
By gathering information on key demographic parameters, scientists can often predict how populations will develop in the future and relate these parameters to external influences, such as global warming. Because of their ability to easily incorporate random effects, fit state-space models, evaluate posterior model probabilities, and deal with missing data, modern Bayesian methods have become important in this area of statistical inference and forecasting.
Emphasising model choice and model averaging, Bayesian Analysis for Population Ecology presents up-to-date methods for analysing complex ecological data. Leaders in the statistical ecology field, the authors apply the theory to a wide range of actual case studies and illustrate the methods using WinBUGS and R. The computer programs and full details of the data sets are available on the book’s website.
The first part of the book focuses on models and their corresponding likelihood functions. The authors examine classical methods of inference for estimating model parameters, including maximum-likelihood estimates of parameters using numerical optimisation algorithms. After building this foundation, the authors develop the Bayesian approach for fitting models to data. They also compare Bayesian and traditional approaches to model fitting and inference.
Exploring challenging problems in population ecology, this book shows how to use the latest Bayesian methods to analyse data. It enables readers to apply the methods to their own problems with confidence.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGICAL DATA
Introduction
Population Ecology
Conservation and Management
Data and Models
Bayesian and Classical Statistical Inference
Senescence
Data, Models and Likelihoods
Introduction
Population Data
Modelling Survival
Multi-Site, Multi-State and Movement Data
Covariates and Large Data Sets; Senescence
Combining Information
Modelling Productivity
Parameter Redundancy
Classical Inference Based on the Likelihood
Introduction
Simple Likelihoods
Model Selection
Maximising Log-Likelihoods
Confidence Regions
Computer Packages
BAYESIAN TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS
Bayesian Inference
Introduction
Prior Selection and Elicitation
Prior Sensitivity Analyses
Summarising Posterior Distributions
Directed Acyclic Graphs
Markov Chain Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo Integration
Markov Chains
Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
Implementing MCMC
Model Discrimination
Introduction
Bayesian Model Discrimination
Estimating Posterior Model Probabilities
Prior Sensitivity
Model Averaging
Marginal Posterior Distributions
Assessing Temporal/Age Dependence
Improving and Checking Performance
Additional Computational Techniques
MCMC and RJMCMC Computer Programs
R Code (MCMC) for Dipper Data
WinBUGS Code (MCMC) for Dipper Data
MCMC within the Computer Package MARK
R code (RJMCMC) for Model Uncertainty
WinBUGS Code (RJMCMC) for Model Uncertainty
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
Covariates, Missing Values and Random Effects
Introduction
Covariates
Missing Values
Assessing Covariate Dependence
Random Effects
Prediction
Splines
Multi-State Models
Introduction
Missing Covariate/Auxiliary Variable Approach
Model Discrimination and Averaging
State-Space Modelling
Introduction
Leslie Matrix-Based Models
Non-Leslie-Based Models
Capture-Recapture Data
Closed Populations
Introduction
Models and Notation
Model Fitting
Model Discrimination and Averaging
Line Transects
Appendix A: Common Distributions
Discrete Distributions
Continuous Distributions
Appendix B: Programming in R
Getting Started in R
Useful R Commands
Writing (RJ)MCMC Functions
R Code for Model C/C
R Code for White Stork Covariate Analysis
Appendix C: Programming in WinBUGS
WinBUGS
Calling WinBUGS from R
References
Index
A Summary, Further Reading, and Exercises appear at the end of most chapters.
Author Bio(s)
Editorial Reviews
The primary strengths of this book are the authors’ extensive practical experience in applying Bayesian methods and the advanced material on model selection and multimodel inference, particularly via reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo. This would be a valuable reference for those already familiar with core Bayesian methods, and who are looking to learn more about ecological statistics or to implement these methods for complex ecological data. … Several fully worked examples taken mostly from the authors’ own research are presented in each chapter, and these go a long way in helping to unravel some of the art of Bayesian inference. The material is well presented and will be informative both to statisticians seeking an introduction to ecological modeling and to ecologists wishing to learn about Bayesian inference.
—Simon Bonner, Biometrics, 2011
The book is divided into three parts. … Part 1 contains a wealth of material on aspects of such data, models analysis as well as the [historical] evolution of the subject. Part 2 is a good, self-contained introduction to Bayesian analysis … Part 3 is a collection of interesting special topics in ecological applications. … The authors write very well and illustrate with good examples. Both the technical and nontechnical discussions are good.
—International Statistical Review (2011), 79, 1
… the book under review will be of value for quantitative ecologists. The authors offer good practical advice on the implementation of MCMC and model selection, using data types familiar to wildlife ecologists. The text includes exercises at the end of each chapter in Sections 1 and 2; these and the primers on programs R and WinBUGS are attractive features. The authors have had a leading role promoting Reversible Jump MCMC as a tool for multimodel inference in wildlife and ecological applications, and their book continues this work.
—The American Statistician, February 2011, Vol. 65, No. 1
… a solid introduction to Bayesian modeling. … The authors have produced a text that is not only of good use to those who are analyzing population ecological data, but to anyone desiring a good overview of Bayesian modeling in general. The examples are interesting and do not hinder those not in the discipline of population ecology from understanding the explanation of the statistical principles being discussed. I recommend the book for a graduate-level course on Bayesian modeling, as well as any course related to the Bayesian modeling of population ecological data. The reader is not expected to have a prior knowledge of Bayesian modeling, nor is there an assumption that readers are familiar with R or WinBUGS. …
—Journal of Statistical Software, August 2010, Volume 36
Downloads Updates
| Resource | OS Platform | Updated | Description | Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform type | December 22, 2009 | Link to author's site | click on http://www.ncse.org.uk/books/Bayesian |
