Statistical Approaches in Ecology

Question 1

Methods of Approach

Answer 1

Statistics and scientific rigor

Question 2

Statistics

Answer 2

Estimates of population parameters (numerical features of the population) ~Application of statistics attach a level of confidence to conclusions that are the results of investigations

Question 3

Random Sampling

Answer 3

Ecology relies on obtaining estimates from representative samples (Scientific rigor vs. sampling error)

Question 4

Hypothesis Testing

Answer 4

-P-values (probability level) Measures the strength of conclusions being drawn -Null Hypothesis Assume that there is no association between variables -Significance Testing If P <,= than 0.05 (5%), then the results are statistically significant (if less than 5% probability that data is due to random chance

Question 5

Frequency distributions

Answer 5

Used to determine probability, which aids ecologists in making predictions

Question 6

Z-test statistic

Answer 6

How many deviations a datum is above or below the mean (indicates how much higher or lower the value is from the mean)

Z= (p - µ_p ) / σ_p

p=datum (sample mean)

µ_p= population mean

σ_p=standard error ( standard deviation / sqrt(sample size) )