Some misconceptions about the spurious correlation problem in the ecological literature (original) (raw)
Summary
It is a common misconception that correlations between variables that share a common term are statistically invalid. Although the idea that such relationships are wholly or partially spurious was rejected decades ago by statisticians, ecologists continue mistakenly to exclude legitimate hypotheses on this basis. Besides directing attention to the statistical literature on the subject, we briefly reconsider the problem from 3 viewpoints: first, the confusion between spurious correlation and spurious inference, second, the problem of concept familiarity and definition, with particular reference to the self-thinning rule for plants, and third, a legitimate concern with measurement error of shared variable components.
Access this article
Subscribe and save
- Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
- Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
- Cancel anytime View plans
Buy Now
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.
Instant access to the full article PDF.
References
- Atchley WR, Gaskins CT, Anderson D (1976) Statistical properties of ratios. I. Empiricalresults. Syst Zool 25:137–148
Google Scholar - Bhattacharyya GK, Johnson RA (1977) Statistical concepts and methods. John Wiley and Sons, New York
Google Scholar - Garsd A (1984) Spurious correlation in ecological modelling. Ecol Model 23:191–201
Google Scholar - Gorham E (1979) Shoot height, weight, and standing crop in relation to density in monospecific plant stands. Nature (London) 279:148–150
Google Scholar - Kendall MG, Stuart A (1973) The advanced theory of statistics. Vol. 2: Inference and relationships. 3rd edition. Charles Griffin and Co., New York
Google Scholar - Kenney BC (1982) Beware of spurious self-correlations. Water Res Res 18:1041–1048
Google Scholar - Kuh E, Meyer JR (1955) Correlation and regression estimates when the data are ratios. Econometrica 23:400–416
Google Scholar - Lapin LL (1980) Statistics: meaning and method. 2nd edition. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York
Google Scholar - Long SB (1980) The continning debate over the use of ratio variables: facts and fiction. In: Schuessler KF (ed) Sociological Methodology. Jossey-Bass Publ
- Pearson K (1897) Mathematical contributions to the theory of evolution. —On a form of spurious correlation which may arise when indices are used in the measurement of organs. Proc Roy Soc (London) 60:489–498
Google Scholar - Peters RH (1983) The ecological implications of body size. Cambridge University Press, London
Google Scholar - Rublee PA (1982) Bacterial and microbial distribution in estuarine sediments. In: Kennedy V (ed) Estuarine comparisons. Academic Press, New York, pp 159–182
Google Scholar - Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1981) Biometry. 2nd edition. Freeman and Co. San Francisco
Google Scholar - Weller DE (1987) A reevaluation of the-3/2 power rule of plant selfthinning. Ecol Monogr 578:23–42
Google Scholar - Yalin MS, Kamphuis JW (1971) Theory of dimensions and spurious correlation. J Hyd 9:249–265
Google Scholar
Author information
Author notes
- Yves T. Prairie
Present address: Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Case Postale 8888, succursale “A”, H3C 3P8, Montréal, Quebec, Canada - David F. Bird
Present address: Hawaii Institute of Geophysics, University of Hawaii, 1000 Pope Road, 96822, Honolulu, HI, USA
Authors and Affiliations
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 avenue Docteur Penfield, H3A 1B1, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Yves T. Prairie & David F. Bird
Authors
- Yves T. Prairie
- David F. Bird
Additional information
A contribution to the Limnology Research Centre of McGill University
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prairie, Y.T., Bird, D.F. Some misconceptions about the spurious correlation problem in the ecological literature.Oecologia 81, 285–288 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00379817
- Received: 13 February 1989
- Accepted: 07 July 1989
- Issue date: October 1989
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00379817