Tests for density dependence revisited

Abstract

We have examined a number of statistical issues associated with methods for evaluating different tests of density dependence. The lack of definitive standards and benchmarks for conducting simulation studies makes it difficult to assess the performance of various tests. The biological researcher has a bewildering choice of statistical tests for testing density dependence and the list is growing. The most recent additions have been based on computationally intensive methods such as permutation tests and boot-strapping. We believe the computational effort and time involved will preclude their widespread adoption until: (1) these methods have been fully explored under a wide range of conditions..