Dear all:
I am working on analyzing the spatial structure of tree and environment data as a preliminary step before doing further analysis. I was wondering which R functions you recommend to assess the degree of spatial structure for tree and habitat data given the following: 1. The locations of individual trees (> 1 cm DBH) were fully mapped in the study area. The study area was one large plot that was divided into a grid of contiguous squares for environmental (and other) data collection. The environmental variables were mapped at a resolution of 5 x 5 m. 2. The final analysis - after checking for spatial structure of tree and habitat data - will lump tree point data, i.e., use tree abundance data for each 5 x 5 m square. 3. The data set with abundance for tree data per 5 x 5 m square has most squares having zero abundance of a particular species. 4. Currently, I have identified that Ripleys K (and similar analyses) would be a useful way to analyze fully mapped point data, e.g., analyzing the degree of clumping of individual trees in the study area. However, given that the abundance of trees in each grid square will be used later analysis, perhaps for the spatial analysis a method besides Ripleys K (or similar tests) should be used, e.g., a method that uses tree abundance data as part of a lattice. What do you think? 5. My current plan is to analyze the environmental variables using a method such as Morans I. I am currently deciding on what neighbor matrix to use given that the data is in a grid. Do you know of a tutorial that compares the functions that create nb (neighbor matrix) class objects? I would like to create a graphic such as a correlogram (or alternatively a variogram) that shows the spatial structure across distance classes. Which graphic would you recommend for this type of initial check for spatial autocorrelation? 6. I was also wondering about any suggestions of where to go to look for ideas on analyzing large data sets, so as to not overload memory when using R to conduct spatial analysis. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thank you for your time and consideration. I greatly appreciate any help you are willing to give. Laura -- " Genius is the summed production of the many with the names of the few attached for easy recall, unfairly so to other scientists" - E. O. Wilson (The Diversity of Life) [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
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