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Simmonds EG, Adjei KP, Cretois B, Dickel L, González-Gil R, Laverick JH, Mandeville CP, Mandeville EG, Ovaskainen O, Sicacha-Parada J, Skarstein ES, O'Hara B. Recommendations for quantitative uncertainty consideration in ecology and evolution. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:328-337. [PMID: 38030538 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Ecological and evolutionary studies are currently failing to achieve complete and consistent reporting of model-related uncertainty. We identify three key barriers - a focus on parameter-related uncertainty, obscure uncertainty metrics, and limited recognition of uncertainty propagation - which have led to gaps in uncertainty consideration. However, these gaps can be closed. We propose that uncertainty reporting in ecology and evolution can be improved through wider application of existing statistical solutions and by adopting good practice from other scientific fields. Our recommendations include greater consideration of input data and model structure uncertainties, field-specific uncertainty standards for methods and reporting, and increased uncertainty propagation through the use of hierarchical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Simmonds
- The Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway; Institute for Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK.
| | - Kwaku P Adjei
- The Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway; Department of Mathematical Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7034, Norway
| | - Benjamin Cretois
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Torgarden, Trondheim, Trøndelag 7485, Norway
| | - Lisa Dickel
- The Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway; Institute for Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway
| | - Ricardo González-Gil
- Observatorio Marino de Asturias (OMA), Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, University of Oviedo, 33071 Oviedo, Spain; GOAL, Colonia Castaño Sur, Casa 1901, Calle Paseo Virgilio Zelaya Rubí, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, CA, USA
| | - Jack H Laverick
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XH, UK
| | - Caitlin P Mandeville
- The Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway; Department of Natural History, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Trøndelag 7491, Norway
| | | | - Otso Ovaskainen
- The Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway; Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland; Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä 40014, Finland
| | - Jorge Sicacha-Parada
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7034, Norway
| | - Emma S Skarstein
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7034, Norway
| | - Bob O'Hara
- The Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway; Department of Mathematical Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7034, Norway
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Aase K, Jensen H, Muff S. Genomic estimation of quantitative genetic parameters in wild admixed populations. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Aase
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
| | - Stefanie Muff
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
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