Eco-Stats Lab June 2014: Phylogenetic model adequacy

In this lab (June 29th) I'll introduce a new package that we're developing called "arbutus" after a funny looking tree that grows in the Pacific Northwest.  The package is designed to test the adequacy of models of trait evolution on phylogenies.  We've started out looking at relatively simple models but it should be possible to test more and more complex models.

A few links:

1) the slides and code for the lab

2) the package repository

3) the pre-print of the paper

As this work is still in progress, any feedback on theory, usability or aesthetics is more than welcome!

Andrew Letten wins Best Ecology and Evolution talk at Postgraduate Review Forum

Andrew Letten, from the Centre for Ecosystems Science, honorary eco-stats member, and champion of bringing more statistics into his work in ecology, picked up the top talk in Ecology and Evolution at the UNSW BEES 2 day Postgrad Review Forum. He gave a cracker on species niche differentiation and trying to find empirical evidence for niche differentiation along soil moisture gradients. He showed the Biology department some cutting edge methods in ecological statistics like mvabund (see video) and joint species distribution modelling.
Great work Andrew!