Jornal de Biodiversidade e Espécies Ameaçadas

Improving the Use of Statistics in Marine Ecology

Abstract

Guangli Yu*

In marine ecology, linear regression is a statistical method that is commonly employed, either to describe straightforward correlations or as a part of more intricate models. This method's seeming simplicity frequently hides it’s much more complicated foundations, on which its validity and eventual ecological interpretations completely depend. With an emphasis on proper model specification, the various concepts of linearity, the problems with data transformation, the assumptions that must be respected, and regression model validation, we present a non-technical review of the fundamentals of linear regression and its application in marine ecology. R2 and p-values alone do not provide enough data to draw valid conclusions.