The Spatial Statistics of Linear Features: An Application to Ecology

• Author / Creator

  Tucker, Brian C.

• Spatial ecology is concerned with examining the spatial aspects of ecological systems, and it involves the integration of the spatial attributes of the study system into hypotheses, experimental design and analyses. Despite the work that has been undertaken and the diversity of analyses available to ecologists for examining spatial data, one area of analysis has
  seen little development in ecology: the examination of linear spatial structure in ecological systems. Although linear spatial structure can be found throughout ecological systems (e.g., animal movement paths, burrows, plant roots and shoots), the vegetative spread of clonal plants through stolons and rhizomes is of particular interest because of the
  important relationships between pattern (clonal spread) and process (physiological integration, foraging, dispersal, fitness, asexual reproduction). Fortunately there do exist tools that allow for the analysis of such data. Stochastic geometry and, more specifically, the theory of “fibre processes” and related theory provide methods capable of dealing
  rigorously with spatial structures composed of linear components. However, their application in ecology awaits. This thesis introduces methods of analysis applicable to plant ecology presented along with examples.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Linear data
  • Clonal plants
  • Wild Strawberry
  • Stochastic geometry
  • Fibre processes
  • Spatial statistics

• Graduation date

  Spring 2012

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3FS3Z

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.