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Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive Statistics Dirk Metzler April 29, 2019 Contents Contents 1 Intro: What is Statistics? 1 2 Data Visialization 4 2.1 Pie charts or bar charts? An experiment .............................. 4 2.2 Histograms und Density Polygons .................................. 5 2.2.1 Histograms: Densities or Numbers? ............................. 10 2.3 Stripcharts and Boxplots ....................................... 11 2.4 Example: Darwin Finches ...................................... 13 2.5 Conclusions .............................................. 15 2.6 Example: blue area challenge results from 2018 .......................... 15 3 Summarizing Data Numerically 17 3.1 Median and other Quartiles ..................................... 18 3.2 Mean, Standard Deviation and Variance .............................. 18 3.2.1 Computing σ with n or n - 1? ............................... 24 4 Mean values are usually nice but sometimes mean 25 4.0.1 example: picky wagtails ................................... 25 4.0.2 example: spider men & spider women ........................... 26 4.0.3 example: copper-tolerant browntop bent .......................... 27 1 Intro: What is Statistics? It is easy to lie with statistics. It is hard to tell the truth without it. Andrejs Dunkels What is Statistics? Nature is full of Variability How to make sense of variable data? 1

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Page 1: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

Statistics for EES

Introduction to R and Descriptive Statistics

Dirk Metzler

April 29, 2019

Contents

Contents

1 Intro: What is Statistics? 1

2 Data Visialization 42.1 Pie charts or bar charts? An experiment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.2 Histograms und Density Polygons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.2.1 Histograms: Densities or Numbers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102.3 Stripcharts and Boxplots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112.4 Example: Darwin Finches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132.5 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152.6 Example: blue area challenge results from 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

3 Summarizing Data Numerically 173.1 Median and other Quartiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183.2 Mean, Standard Deviation and Variance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

3.2.1 Computing σ with n or n− 1? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

4 Mean values are usually nice but sometimes mean 254.0.1 example: picky wagtails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254.0.2 example: spider men & spider women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264.0.3 example: copper-tolerant browntop bent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

1 Intro: What is Statistics?

It is easy to lie with statistics. It is hard to tell the truth without it.

Andrejs Dunkels

What is Statistics?

Nature is full of Variability

How to make sense of variable data?

1

Page 2: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

Use mathematical theory of randomness:[0.5ex] Probability.

Statistics

=

Data Analysis

based on

Probabilistic Models

Some of the aims of this course

• Understand the priciples underlying statistics and probability

• Understand widely used statistical methods

• Learn to apply these methods to data (with R)

• Understand under which conditions these methods work, and under which conditions they do not andwhy

• Learn when to choose which method and when to consult an expert

• Be able to read an judge scientific publications in which non-standard statistical methods are appliedand explained

• Get a feel of randomness

How to study the content of the lectureFor the case that you are overwhelmed by the contents of this course, and if you don’t have a good

strategy to study, here is my recommendation:

1. Try to explain the items under “Some of the things you should be able to explain”

2. Discuss these explanations with your fellow students

3. Do this before the next lecture, such that you can ask questions if things don’t become clear

4. Do the exercises in time and present your solutions

5. Study all the rest from the handout, your notes during the lecture, and in books

ECTS and work load per week3 ECTS correspond to 3×30

14 ≈ 6.43 hours of work per week, e.g.

• 2.4 hours spent in lectures and exercise sessions

• 1.5 hours of revising the contents of the lecture

• 2.5 hours of solving exercise problems (including data analyses and theoretical problems)

2

Page 3: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

What will the exam be likeYou can bring:

• pocket calculator

• formula sheet, hand-written by yourself

What you need to answer the questions:

• understanding concepts

• be able to apply concepts

• do calculations

• think during the exam

• (not just reproduce facts)

• have done the exercise sheets and discussed the solutions!

Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive Statistics is

the first look at the data.

Statistics Software R

http://www.r-project.org

3

Page 4: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

2 Data Visialization

2.1 Pie charts or bar charts? An experiment

blue+yellow=100 blue= 12

blue+yellow=100 blue= 62

blue+yellow=100 blue= 61

blue+yellow=100 blue= 62

blue+yellow=100 blue= 86

Data Example

Data from a biology diploma thesis, 2001, Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg,Frankfurt am Main

Crustacea section

Advisor: Prof. Dr. Michael Turkay

Charybdis acutidens TURKAY 1985

The Squat Lobster

Galathea intermedia

Squat Lobsters, caught 6. Sept 1988

Helgolander Tiefe Rinne, North Sea

Carpace Lengths (mm): Females, not egg-carrying (n = 215)2.9 3.0 2.9 2.5 2.7 2.9 2.9 3.03.0 2.9 3.4 2.8 2.9 2.8 2.8 2.42.8 2.5 2.7 3.0 2.9 3.2 3.1 3.02.7 2.5 3.0 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.7 3.02.6 3.0 2.9 2.8 2.9 2.9 2.3 2.72.6 2.7 2.5 . . . . .

4

Page 5: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

0 50 100 150 200

2.0

2.5

3.0

Female Galathea, not carrrying eggs, caught 6. Sept. '88, n=215

Index

Car

apax

Len

gth

[mm

]

2.2 Histograms und Density Polygons

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

01

02

03

04

05

06

0

Carapace Length [mm]

Female Galathea, not egg−carrying, caught 6. Sept. ’88, n=215

Nu

mb

er

How many have

Carapace Lengthbetween

2.0 and 2.2?

22

Comparing the two Distributions

5

Page 6: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

Nichteiertragende Weibchen

Carapax Length [mm]

Num

ber

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

010

2030

4050

60

Problem: different sample sizes6.9.1988 : n = 215

3.11.1988 : n = 57Idea: scale y-axis such that each distribution has total area 1.

6

Page 7: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

1.0

1.5

0.5

0.0

2.0 3.0 3.51.5

Density

Female Crabs, not egg−carrying, caught 6. Sept. ’88, n=215

Carapace Length [mm]

2.5

=Density ?

Proportion of Totalper mm

Total Area=1

Which Proporionhad a lengthbetween 2.8 and 3.0 mm?

(3.0− 2.8) · 0.5 = 0.1

7

Page 8: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

How to compare the two distributions?

Nichteiertragende Weibchen

Carapax Length [mm]

Den

sity

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Nichteiertragende Weibchen

Carapax Length [mm]

Den

sity

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

1.3 1.5 1.7 1.9 2.1 2.3 2.5 2.7 2.9 3.1 3.3 3.5 3.7 3.9

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

8

Page 9: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

My AdviceIf you are a commercial artist:

Impress everybody with cool 3D graphics!

If you are a scientist:

Visualize your data in clear and simple 2D plots.

(As long as you print on 2D paper and project your slides on 2D screens)

Simple and Clear: Density Polygons

1.0

1.5

0.5

0.0

2.0 3.0 3.51.5

De

nsity

Female Crabs, not egg−carrying, caught 6. Sept. ’88, n=215

Carapace Length [mm]

2.5

6. Sept. '88, n=215

Carapax Length [mm]

Den

sity

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

3. Nov. '88, n=57

Carapax Length [mm]

Den

sity

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

9

Page 10: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

Convenient to show two or more Density Polygons in one plot

1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Carapax Length [mm]

Num

ber 6. Sept. '88

3. Nov. '88

Biological Interpretation: What may be the reason for this shift?

2.2.1 Histograms: Densities or Numbers?

Number vs. Density

Num

ber

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

02

46

8

Num

ber

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

04

812

Den

sity

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

0.0

0.3

0.6

Histograms with unequal inter-vals should show densities, notnumbers!

10

Page 11: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

2.3 Stripcharts and Boxplots

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

3.11

.88

6.9.

88

Carapax

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

3.11

.88

6.9.

88

Carapax

●●● ●

●●

●●

●● ●●● ●●● ●

●●

●●

●● ●●● ●●

●●●● ●● ●

●●

●●

●●●●●● ●

●● ●●

●●● ●●●

● ●●●● ●● ●●●

●●

●●●●●

● ● ●● ●●●●● ●●●●● ●●

●●●●

●●● ●● ●

●● ●●●● ● ●● ●

●● ●●●● ●●●● ●●

●●

●● ●●●

●● ●● ●●

● ●●●●

●●●

● ●●●●

●● ●

●● ●●●● ●●

●● ●●

●● ●●● ●● ● ●● ●● ●●● ●● ●●

●●●●● ●●

●●●

●● ●●●

● ●●●

●●

●●●●● ●●

●●●●● ●

●●●● ●● ●

●●

●●● ●

●●●●

●● ●● ●

● ●●●● ●● ●●●●●

●●●●●

●● ●

●●● ●●

●●●●●

●●● ●

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

3.11

.88

6.9.

88

Carapax

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

3.11

.88

6.9.

88

Carapax

● ●●●●

●●●

3.11

.88

6.9.

88

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

Stripchart + Boxplots, horizontal

● ●●●●

●●●

3.11

.88

6.9.

88

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

Boxplots, horizontal

●●●

●●●

3.11.88 6.9.88

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Boxplots, vertikal

Simplify to understand

Histograms and density polygons

11

Page 12: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

allow a comprehensive view on the data.

Sometimes too comprehensive.

Comparison of four groups

Dic

hte

8 10 12 14

0.00

Dic

hte

8 10 12 14

0.00

Dic

hte

8 10 12 14

0.0

Dic

hte

8 10 12 14

0.0

12

34

8 10 12 14

The Boxplot

2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

Boxplot, simple type

Carapace Length [mm]

MedianMin Max

25% 25% 25% 25%

1. Quartile 3. Quartile

12

Page 13: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

Carapace Length [mm]

Boxplot, Standard Type

Interquartile Range

1.5*Interquartile Range 1.5*Interquartile Range

2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

Carapace Length [mm]

Boxplot, Standard Type

95 % Confidence Interval for the Median

2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

Boxplot Professional

Carapace Length [mm]

2.4 Example: Darwin Finches

Darwin’s collection of Finches

References

[1] Sulloway, F.J. (1982) The Beagle collections of Darwin’s Finches (Geospizinae). Bulletin of the BritishMuseum (Natural History), Zoology series 43: 49-94.

[2] http://datadryad.org/repo/handle/10255/dryad.154

Wing Sizes of Darwin’s Finches

13

Page 14: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

Flo

r_C

hrl

SC

ris_C

hat

Snt

i_Ja

ms

60 70 80 90

Wing Lengths by Island

60 70 80 90

Flo

r_C

hrl

SC

ris_C

hat

Snt

i_Ja

ms

WingL

Flo

r_C

hrl

SC

ris_C

hat

Snt

i_Ja

ms

60 70 80 90

Wing Lengths by Island

●●●

● ●●●●●

●●● ●

●● ●●●● ●●

●● ●●●●●●●● ● ●●

●●● ●●● ●●● ●●●

47.5 52.5 57.5 62.5 67.5 72.5 77.5 82.5 87.5 92.5 97.5

Barplot of Wing Lengths (Numbers)

01

23

45

6

SCris_ChatFlor_ChrlSnti_Jams

Histogramm (Densities!) with transparen colors

Wing Lengths

Den

sity

50 60 70 80 90

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

SCris_ChatFlor_ChrlSnti_Jams

50 60 70 80 90 100

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

Density Polygons

Wing Lengths

Den

sity

SCris_ChatFlor_ChrlSnti_Jams

14

Page 15: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

Beak Sizes of Darwin’s Finches

Cam.par Cer.oli Geo.dif Geo.for Geo.ful Geo.sca Pla.cra

510

1520

Beak Sizes by Species

Cam.par Cer.oli Geo.dif Geo.for Geo.ful Geo.sca Pla.cra

510

1520

Beak Sizes by Species

●●

●●●

●●

●●

●●●●●

● ●●●

●●●●●

●●●

● ●

2.5 Conclusions

Conclusions

• Histograms give detailed information.

• Density Polygons allow multiple comparisons.

• Boxplots can simplify large datasets.

• Stripcharts more appropriate for small datasets.

• Sophisticated graphics with 3D or semi-transperent colors do not always improve clarity.

2.6 Example: blue area challenge results from 2018

Reading the data

est <- read.csv("DataAndR/bluearea_estimates_2018.csv")str(est)

## 'data.frame': 880 obs. of 5 variables:## $ Figure : int 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ...## $ type : Factor w/ 5 levels "bar","bar.stack",..: 4 2 3 1 1 5 5 5 4 4 ...## $ estimated: num 50 65 100 25 75 10 30 NA 20 50 ...## $ student : int 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ...## $ true : int 50 68 49 25 76 8 31 72 50 16 ...

head(est)

## Figure type estimated student true## 1 1 pie 50 1 50## 2 2 bar.stack 65 1 68## 3 3 circ 100 1 49## 4 4 bar 25 1 25## 5 5 bar 75 1 76## 6 6 pie3D 10 1 8

15

Page 16: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

plot(est$true,est$estimate,xlab="True", ylab="Estimated",main="Blue area",xlim=c(0,100))

abline(h=c(0,100))abline(v=c(0,100))

● ●

●●

● ●

●●

● ●

●●

● ●

●●

● ●●

● ●

● ●

● ●

● ●

●●

● ● ●

● ●

● ●

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

● ●

● ●●

● ●

●●

● ●

0 20 40 60 80 100

020

4060

8010

0

Blue area

True

Est

imat

ed

est$error <- est$estimate-est$truestr(est)

## 'data.frame': 880 obs. of 6 variables:## $ Figure : int 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ...## $ type : Factor w/ 5 levels "bar","bar.stack",..: 4 2 3 1 1 5 5 5 4 4 ...## $ estimated: num 50 65 100 25 75 10 30 NA 20 50 ...## $ student : int 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ...## $ true : int 50 68 49 25 76 8 31 72 50 16 ...## $ error : num 0 -3 51 0 -1 2 -1 NA -30 34 ...

boxplot(error~type,est,col="yellow")abline(h=0)

●●

●●

●●

●●

bar bar.stack circ pie pie3D

−50

050

boxplot(error~student,est,col="yellow")abline(h=0)

16

Page 17: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

●●●

●●

●●

●●●●

●●

●●

●●●

●●

●●●

● ●●

●●● ●●

●●●●

●●●

●●

●●

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

−50

050

boxplot(error~type+student,est,col=rep(1:5,23),xaxt="none",xlab="Test person",ylab="Average error")

abline(v=0:24*5+0.5)abline(h=0)legend("topleft",pch=15,col=1:5,

legend=c("bars","bars stacked","circles","pie","pie3D"))axis(side=1,at=1:23*5-2,labels=1:23)

●●

●●

●●

●●

●●

● ●

−50

050

Test person

Ave

rage

err

or

barsbars stackedcirclespiepie3D

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

3 Summarizing Data Numerically

Idea

It is often possible to summarize essential information about a samplenumerically.

e.g.:

• How large? Location Parameters

• How variable? Dispersion Parameters

17

Page 18: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

Already known from Boxplots

Location (How large?)

Median

Dispersion (How variable?)

Inter quartile range (Q3 −Q1)

3.1 Median and other Quartiles

The median is the 50% quantile of the data.i.e.: half of the data are smaller or equal to the median, the other half are larger or equal.

The Quartiles

The first Quartile, Q1: A quarter of the observations are smaller than orequal to Q1 Three quarters are larger or equal.

i.e. Q1 is the 25%-Quantile

The third Quartile, Q3: Tree quarters of the observations are smaller thanor equal to Q3 One quarter are larger or equal.

i.e. Q3 is the 75%-Quantile

3.2 Mean, Standard Deviation and Variance

Most frequently used

Location Parameter

The Mean x

Dispersion Parameter

The Standard Deviation s

NOTATION:

Given data named x1, x2, x3, . . . , xn

it is common to write x for the mean.

18

Page 19: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

DEFINITION:

The mean of x1, x2, . . . , xn:

x = (x1 + x2 + · · ·+ xn)/n

=1

n

n∑i=1

xi

Geometric Interpretation of the Mean

Center of Gravity

Mean = Center of Gravity

Where is the center of gravity?

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

0 1 2 3

x

m = 1.5 ?

m = 2 ?

m = 1.8 ?

19

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20

Page 21: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

too small

too large

correct!

The Standard Deviation

How far do typical observations deviate from the mean?

The Standard Deviation σ (“sigma”) is a slightly weired weighted mean of thedeviations:

σ =√

Sum(Deviations2)/n

The formula for the Standard Deviation of x1, x2, . . . , xn:

σ =

√√√√1

n

n∑i=1

(xi − x)2

σ2 = 1n

∑ni=1(xi − x)2 is the Variance.

Rule of Thumb for the Standard Deviation

21

Page 22: Statistics for EES Introduction to R and Descriptive ...evol.bio.lmu.de/_statgen/StatEES/19SS/DescrStats_handout.pdf · Statistics = Data Analysis based on Probabilistic Models Some

In more or less bell-shaped (i.e. single peak, symmetic) distributions: ca. 2/3 are located between x− σ

und x+ σ.

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

prob

abili

ty d

ensi

ty

x −− σσ x x ++ σσ

Standard Deviation of Carapace lengths from 6.9.88

females, not carrying eggs, caught 6. Sept. '88

Carapax Length [mm]

Den

sity

2.0 2.5 3.0

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5 x == 2.53

females, not carrying eggs, caught 6. Sept. '88

Carapax Length [mm]

Den

sity

2.0 2.5 3.0

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5 x == 2.53x == 2.53σσ == 0.28

σσ2 == 0.077

In this case 72% are between x− σ and x+ σ

Variance of Carapace lengths from 6.9.88All Carace Lengths in North Sea: X = (X1, X2, . . . , XN ).Carapace Length in our Sample: S = (S1, S2, . . . , Sn=215)Sample

Variance:

σ2S =

1

n

215∑i=1

(Si − S)2 ≈ 0.0768

Can we use 0.0768 as estimation for σ2X , the variance in the whole population?Yes, we can! However, σ2

S ison average by a factor of n−1

n (= 214/215 ≈ 0.995) smaller than σ2X .

VariancesVariance in the Population: σ2

X = 1N

∑Ni=1(Xi −X)2

Sample Variance: σ2S = 1

n

∑ni=1(Si − S)2

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(Corrected) Sample Variance:

s2 =n

n− 1σ2S

=n

n− 1· 1

n∑i=1

(Si − S)2

=1

n− 1·

n∑i=1

(Si − S)2

Usually, “Standard Deviation (SD) of S” refers to the corrected s.

Example: Computing SDGiven Data x =? x = 10/5 = 2 ∑x 1 3 0 5 1 10

x− x −1 1 −2 3 −1 0

(x− x)2 1 1 4 9 1 16

s2 =

(∑x

(x− x)2

)/(n− 1)

= 16/(5− 1) = 4

s = 2

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3.2.1 Computing σ with n or n− 1?

Simulated population (N=10000 adults)

Length [cm]

Den

sity

20 22 24 26 28 30

0.00

0.20

Mean: 25.13Standard deviation: 1.36

20 22 24 26 28 30

Sample from the population (n=10)

Length [cm]

● ● ●● ● ●●● ● ●M: 24.43SD with (n−1): 1.15SD with n: 1.03

20 22 24 26 28 30

Another sample from the population (n=10)

Length [cm]

● ●● ●● ● ●● ●●M: 24.92SD with (n−1): 1.61SD with n: 1.45

1000 samples, each of size n=10

SD computed with n−1

Den

sity

0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5

0.0

0.8

SD computed with n

Den

sity

0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5

0.0

0.8

Computing σ with n or n− 1?The standard deviation σ of a random variable with n equally probable outcomes x1, . . . , xn (z.B. rolling

a dice) is clearly defined by √√√√ 1

n

n∑i=1

(x− xi)2.

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If x1, . . . , xn is a sample (the usual case in statistics) you should rather use the formula√√√√ 1

n− 1

n∑i=1

(x− xi)2.

4 Mean values are usually nice but sometimes mean

Mean and SD. . .

• characterize data well if the distribution is bell-shaped

• and must be interpreted with caution in other cases

We will exemplify this with textbook examples from ecology, see e.g.

References

[BTH08] M. Begon, C. R. Townsend, and J. L. Harper. Ecology: From Individuals to Ecosystems. BlackellPublishing, 4 edition, 2008.

When original data were not available, we generated similar data sets by computer simulation. So do notbelieve all data points.

4.0.1 example: picky wagtails

Wagtails eat dung fliesPredator Prey

White Wagtail Dung FlyMotacilla alba alba Scatophaga stercoraria

Conjecture

• Size of flies varies.

• efficiency for wagtail = energy gain / time to capture and eat

• lab experiments show that efficiency is maximal when flies have size 7mm

References

[Dav77] N.B. Davies. Prey selection and social behaviour in wagtails (Aves: Motacillidae). J. Anim. Ecol.,46:37–57, 1977.

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available dung flies

length [mm]

num

ber

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

050

100

150 mean= 7.99

sd= 0.96

captured dung flies

length [mm]

num

ber

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

010

2030

4050

60 mean= 6.79

sd= 0.69

numerical comparison of size distributions

captured availablemean 6.29 < 7.99

sd 0.69 < 0.96

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

dung flies: available, captured

length [mm]

frac

tion

per

mm

availablecaptured

InterpretationThe birds prefer dung-flies from a relatively narrow range around the predicted optimum of 7mm.

The distributions in this example were bell-shaped, and the 4 numbers (means and standard deviations)were appropriate to summarize the data.

4.0.2 example: spider men & spider women

Nephila madagascariensisimage (c) by Bernard Gagnon

Simulated Data:70 sampled spidersmean size: 21.05 mm

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sd of size :12.94 mm

?????

size [mm]

Fre

quen

cy

0 10 20 30 40 50

01

23

45

6Nephila madagascariensis (n=70)

size [mm]

Fre

quen

cy

0 10 20 30 40 50

02

46

810

1214

males females

Conclusion from spider exampleIf data comes from different groups, it may be reasonable to compute mean an sd separately for each

group.

4.0.3 example: copper-tolerant browntop bent

Copper Tolerance in Browntop Bent

Browntop Bent CopperAgrostis tenuis Cuprum

image (c) Kristian Peters Hendrick met de Bles

References

[Bra60] A.D. Bradshaw. Population Differentiation in agrostis tenius Sibth. III. populations in varied envi-ronments. New Phytologist, 59(1):92 – 103, 1960.

[MB68] T. McNeilly and A.D Bradshaw. Evolutionary Processes in Populations of Copper Tolerant Agrostistenuis Sibth. Evolution, 22:108–118, 1968.

Again, we have no access to original data and use simulated data.

Adaptation to copper?

• root length indicates copper tolerance

• measure root lengths of plants near copper mine

• take seeds from clean meadow and sow near copper mine

• measure root length of these “meadow plants” in copper environment

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Browntop Bent (n=50)

root length (cm)

dens

ity p

er c

m

0 50 100 150 200

020

4060

8010

0 Copper Mine Grass

Browntop Bent (n=50)

root length (cm)

dens

ity p

er c

m

0 50 100 150 200

010

2030

40

Grass seeds from a meadow

copper tolerant ?

0 50 100 150 200

0.00

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

Browntop Bent (n=50)

root length (cm)

dens

ity p

er c

m

meadow plants

copper mine plants

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Browntop Bent (n=50)

root length (cm)

dens

ity p

er c

m

0 50 100 150 200

020

4060

8010

0 copper mine plants

m m+sm−s

Browntop Bent (n=50)

root length (cm)

dens

ity p

er c

m

0 50 100 150 200

010

2030

40

meadow plants

m m+sm−s

● ●● ●● ● ●● ● ●● ●● ●● ● ●

● ●

0 50 100 150 200

Browntop Bent n=50+50

root length (cm)

copper mine plants

meadow plants

2/3 of the data within [m-sd,m+sd]???? No!

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quartiles of root length [cm]min Q1 median Q3 max

copper adapted 12.9 80.1 100.8 120.9 188.9from meadow 1.1 13.2 16.0 19.6 218.9

Conclusion from browntop bent example

Sometimes the two numbersm and sd

give not enough information.

In this example the four quartilesmax, Q1, median, Q3, max

that are shown in the boxplot are more approriate.

Conclusions from this section

Always visually inspect the data!

Never rely on summarising values alone!

Some of the things you should be able to explain

• How to study for this course

• what is a density

• how to interpret histograms and density plots

• boxplots and stripcharts and when to use them

• quartiles and median

• mean and sd and how to guess them from histograms, density plots, stripcharts or scatterplots

• var and sd: when to divide by n− 1 and why

• why visualizing data and when means etc. can be misleading

30