Morphometrics: A Critical Reassessment

形态测量学是一种相对较新的方法， 生物体大小和形状的变化。 形态测定 技术已被用于个体生长的研究， 以及进化的变化。 它的前身，多元 生物统计学，是基于统计分析， 对生物体的组成部分的集合进行的测量（例如， 腿长或体重）。 相比之下，形态测量学试图 捕捉并提炼出变化的基本几何模式 通过研究离散的地标，或整个轮廓，或表面， 生物兴趣。 在过去的十年里， 这些几何/统计技术的出现， 基于微计算机的图像分析系统已经使其 应用广泛。 不幸的是，大多数生物学家都病了- 有能力理解这些的数学基础 技术，因此他们无法做出关键的 选择不同的方法。 F博士J. Rohlf专注于各种优势， 不同技术的弱点，并试图指导 生物学家的技术，是最适合的 研究中的生物和假说。 他的软件程序 提供了一种微妙而复杂的方法， 对形态测量学全谱的持续研究将 对整个生物研究界都有好处。

Morphometrics is a relatively new family of approaches to the changes in organismal size and shape. Morphometric techniques have been used in the study of individual growth as well as evolutionary change. Its precursor, multivariate biometrics, was based on the statistical analysis of measurements made on sets of component parts of organisms (e.g., leg length, or body weight). In contrast, morphometrics attempts to capture and distill the essential geometric patterns of change by studying discrete landmarks, or whole outlines, or surfaces of biological interest. The past decade has witnessed a profusion of these geometric/statistical techniques, and the advent of microcomputer-based image analysis systems has made their application widespread. Unfortunately, most biologists are ill- equipped to understand the mathematical underpinnings of these techniques, and they are therefore unable to make critical choices between alternate approaches. Dr. F. J. Rohlf has focused on the various strengths and weaknesses of different techniques, and has sought to guide biologists to the technique that is most appropriate for the organisms and hypotheses under study. His software programs have provided access to subtle and complicated approaches, and his continued research into the full spectrum of morphometrics will have benefits for the entire biological research community.