Geometric Morphometric Methods for Functional Morphological Studies

该项目有四个目标与几何形态计量学方法的应用有关。这些方法涉及新的数学和统计方法，用于分析生物结构形状的变化及其与其他变量（如大小，环境变量等）的共变。这种方法允许人们将整个地标配置和/或一组轮廓的形状视为可以进行统计分析的单个数学对象。具体目标如下：(1)研究比较方法（考虑到由于系统发育相关性而缺乏独立性的统计方法）。广义最小二乘技术将用于扩展几种类型的标准多元统计分析（例如，两块偏最小二乘和主成分分析）以及网状进化的应用。系统发育自相关方法也将被研究。(2)由于形态测量数据有时是不完整的，因此将研究缺失坐标数据的补全方法。这些将包括均值替代、回归估计、样条松弛和热甲板。(3)将开始建立一个关于近东人口形态多样性的数据库。这些数据将有助于实现上述两个目标。(4)我们认为最有用的新方法（如上所述）将在tps系列和morpheus软件中实现，以便其他人可以免费使用这些技术。系统发育自相关分析软件也将被开发。

This project has four objectives related to the application of geometric morphometric methods. These methods are concerned with new mathematical and statistical methods for analyzing variation in the shapes of biological structures and their covariation with other variables (such as size, environmental variables, etc.). This approach allows one to treat the shape of an entire configuration of landmarks and/or a set of outlines as a single mathematical object that can be analyzed statistically. The specific objectives are as follows: (1) A study of the comparative method (statistical methods that take into account an expected lack of independence of observations due to phylogenic relatedness). The generalized least-squares technique will be used to extend several types of standard multivariate statistical analyses (e.g., two-block partial least-squares and principal components analysis) and the application to reticulate evolution. The phylogenetic autocorrelation method will also be studied. (2) Because morphometric data is sometimes incomplete, methods for the imputation of missing coordinate data will be investigated. These will include mean-value substitution, regression estimation, spline relaxation, and hot-decking. (3) Work will start on building a database on the morphometric diversity of Near Eastern human populations. These data will be useful for the two objectives described above. (4) New methods (described above) that we find most useful will be implemented in the tps series and the morpheus software so that these techniques will be freely available to others. Software for phylogenetic autocorrelation analysis will also be developed.