The use of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to Model the Conditions under Which Rivers Structure and Genetically Isolate Pants and Animals.

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Description

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is a multivariate analysis methodology that could potentially be utilized to examine the barrier effect that river systems have on genetic differentiation. In this project, river systems are split into the variables of Daily Average Discharge,

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is a multivariate analysis methodology that could potentially be utilized to examine the barrier effect that river systems have on genetic differentiation. In this project, river systems are split into the variables of Daily Average Discharge, Average River Width, and Seasonality measurements and regressed onto the genetic differentiation, measured as Fst. This data was collected from the USGS database (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020), sequencing files from differing literature, or Google Earth measurements. Different Structural Equation Modeling models are used to model different system structures as well as compare it to more traditional methodologies like Generalized Linear Modeling and Generalized Linear Mixed Modeling. Ultimately results were limited by the small sample size, however, interesting patterns still emerged from the models. The SE models indicate that Discharge plays a primary role in the genetic differentiation of adjacent river populations. In addition to this, the results demonstrate how quantification of indirect effects, particularly those relating to discharge, give more informative interpretations than traditional multivariate statistics alone. These findings prompt further investigations into this potential methodology.

Date Created
2023
Agent

Structural Equation Modeling and its applications to Earth-life systems: examples from river vicariance

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Description
Structural Equation Modeling was utilized to examine the relationships between river characteristics and genetic differentiation. These river characteristics were river width, annual discharge, and seasonality. This methodology showed great reliability and also resulted in significant insight in how to model

Structural Equation Modeling was utilized to examine the relationships between river characteristics and genetic differentiation. These river characteristics were river width, annual discharge, and seasonality. This methodology showed great reliability and also resulted in significant insight in how to model a network of Earth-life variables to quantify the magnitudes of direct and indirect hypothesized causal relationships
Date Created
2022-05
Agent