Publisher's Synopsis
Contributions to the workshop on Ordination Methods in Entomological Systematics, along with ordination-based research presented at the congress symposium on The Structural Basis and Analysis of Allometric Growth in Insects, formed the initial basis for this volume. Taking those sessions even further, this book portrays many current, distinct aspects of ordination analyses that have never been covered, as well as conveying a wealth of possibilities for the biological and evolutionary interpretations that these techniques allow. Several of the aspects here are still evolving in theory and implementation, hence the text incorporates disagreement and varied usage to enable the reader to see and understand the philosophies and arguments involved.;The aim of this volume is to provide insights and inspirations for those already experienced in morphometric research, and also to provide examples for inexperienced workers. Examples and arguments for required cautions and the limitations of the techniques are included, as is a wide range of methods from which to choose, each with its own characteristics and potential applications.;The emphasis of this publication is thus on how researchers use and interpret ordinations to solve systematic problems in their particular taxonomic groups; it will serve as a catalyst for the exploration of the potential of ordinations in systematic and evolutionary research.
