Optimal methods for fitting probability distributions to propagule retention time in studies of zoochorous dispersal.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Propagule retention time is a key factor in determining propagule dispersal distance and the shape of "seed shadows". Propagules dispersed by animal vectors are either ingested and retained in the gut until defecation or attached externally to the body until detachment. Retention time is a continuous variable, but it is commonly measured at discrete time points, according to pre-established sampling time-intervals. Although parametric continuous distributions have been widely fitted to these interval-censored data, the performance of different fitting methods has not been evaluated. To investigate the performance of five different fitting methods, we fitted parametric probability distributions to typical discretized retention-time data with known distribution using as da

SUBMITTER: Viana DS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4736643 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature