Geometric Morphometrics for Biologists

416pp  ISBN 0127784608      £44.95

• Accessible, student-tested introduction to sophisticated methods of biological shape analysis
• Detailed instructions for conducting analyses with freely available, easy to use software
• Numerous illustrations; including graphical presentations of important theoretical concepts and demonstrations of alternative approaches to presenting results
• Many realistic examples, both simple and complex, from on-going research
• Comprehensive glossary of technical terms

Geometric Morphometrics for Biologists is an introductory textbook for a course on geometric morphometrics, written for graduate students and upper division undergraduates, covering both theory of shape analysis and methods of multivariate analysis. It is designed for students with minimal math background; taking them from the process of data collection through basic and more advanced statistical analyses. Many examples are given, beginning with simple although realistic case-studies, through examples of complex analyses requiring several different kinds of methods. The book also includes URL€s for free software and step-by-step instructions for using the software.

Contents

Landmarks
Simple Size and Shape Variables: Bookstein Shape Coordinates
Theory of Shape
Superimposition Methods
The Thin Plate Spline: Visualizing Shape Change as a Deformation
Ordination Methods
Computer-Based Statistical Methods
Multivariate Analysis of Variance
Regression
Partial Least Squares Analysis
Disparity and Variation
The Relationship between Ontogeny and Phylogeny
Morphometrics and Systematics
Last Things: Beyond Two-Dimensional Configurations of Landmarks