Measuring aggregation in parasite populations

Author:

McVinish R.1ORCID,Lester R. J. G.2

Affiliation:

1. School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Abstract

Aggregation, a fundamental feature of parasite distributions, has been measured using a variety of indices. We use the definition that parasite–host system A is more aggregated than parasite–host system B if any given proportion of the parasite population is concentrated in a smaller proportion of the host population A than of host population B . This leads to indices based on the Lorenz curve such as the Gini index (Poulin’s D ), coefficient of variation and the Hoover index, all of which measure departure from a uniform distribution. The Hoover index is particularly useful because it can be interpreted directly in terms of parasites and hosts. An alternative view of aggregation is degree of departure from a Poisson (or random) distribution, as used in the index of dispersion and the negative binomial k . These and Lloyd’s mean crowding index are reinterpreted and connected back to Lorenz curves. Aggregation has occasionally been defined as the slope from Taylor’s law, although the slope appears unrelated to other indices. The Hoover index may be the method of choice when data points are available, and the coefficient of variation when only variance and mean are given.

Funder

Australian Research Council

Publisher

The Royal Society

Subject

Biomedical Engineering,Biochemistry,Biomaterials,Bioengineering,Biophysics,Biotechnology

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3