Functional and Phylogenetic Ecology in R

Functional and Phylogenetic Ecology in R is designed to teach readers to use R for phylogenetic and functional trait analyses. Presenting a step-by-step approach, it can be used by researchers who are new to R, as well as by more advanced R users who will benefit from a reference to understand particular analyses. The 2nd edition begins with an introduction to the R environment and handling relevant data in R. Chapters then cover phylogenetic and functional metrics of biodiversity; null modeling and randomizations for phylogenetic and functional trait analyses; integrating phylogenetic and functional trait information; and approaches for making code more efficient and transparent. This book presents a unique approach through its focus on ecological analyses and not macroevolutionary analyses. The author provides his own code, so that the reader is guided through the computational steps to calculate the desired metrics. This guided approach breaks down analyses into their basic components so that the reader can understand what is being computed in the accompanying R package, lutefisk, and other packages that utilize phylogenetic and functional approaches.