A systematic review of the statistical scope of restoration ecology of invaded grassland ecosystems

Amanda Liczner

Introduction: experimental design dictates the type of statistics

Introduction: the field of ecology is moving towards increased complexity

Purpose: to describe the statistical scope of studies restoring invaded grasslands

Most common statistical tests over time

Statistical reporting

Influence on citation rate and journal impact

Methods: systematic literature search and PRISMA report

Search terms: (restor*) AND (grass* OR savanna) AND (non-native* OR invas* OR invad* OR alien)

Refined to “ecology”

Results: The most common used test is the ANOVA

Results: ANOVA remains the dominant stats test over time

Results: the majority of studies tested the assumptions of the statistical tests used 60.9% tested assumptions

Results: The number of stats tests, but not the number of factors, has a positive effect on citation rate and journal impact factor

Results: citation rate is positively correlated with sample size

Results: journal impact factor is positively correlated with sample size

Discussion: a shift from ANOVAs to GLMs is recommended

GLMs do not need a normally distributed response

GLMs are appropriate for many study designs

Discussion: statistical reporting needs improvement

Assumptions must be tested

Statistical models need to be appropriately described

Discussion: statistics influences the citation rate and journal impact factor

When possible sample size should be increased

Number of factors should not be increased at theexpense of sample size

Conclusion:

Shift from ANOVAs to GLMs

To increase confidence we need to improve reporting

Statistics and experimental design should be carefully chosen