Estimating abundances of interacting species using morphological traits, foraging guilds, and habitat.

ABSTRACT: We developed a statistical model to estimate the abundances of potentially interacting species encountered while conducting point-count surveys at a set of ecologically relevant locations - as in a metacommunity of species. In the model we assume that abundances of species with similar traits (e.g., body size) are potentially correlated and that these correlations, when present, may exist among all species or only among functionally related species (such as members of the same foraging guild). We also assume that species-specific abundances vary among locations owing to systematic and stochastic sources of heterogeneity. For example, if abundances differ among locations due to differences in habitat, then measures of habitat may be included in the model as covariates. Naturally, the quanti

SUBMITTER: Dorazio RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3984154 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature