Morphometrics for Nonmorphometricians
Morphometrics is concerned with the study of variations and change in the form (size and shape) of organisms or objects adding a quantitative element to descriptions and thereby facilitating the comparison of different objects and organisms. This volume p
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Ashraf M.T. Elewa Editor
Morphometrics for Nonmorphometricians
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Editor Prof. Dr. Ashraf M.T. Elewa Minia University Fac. Science Dept. Geology Minia 61519 Egypt [email protected] [email protected]
ISBN 978-3-540-95852-9 e-ISBN 978-3-540-95853-6 DOI 10.1007/978-3-540-95853-6 Springer Heidelberg Dordrecht London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2010920977 © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Violations are liable to prosecution under the German Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Cover design: Integra Software Services Pvt. Ltd., Pondicherry Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Foreword
The aim of this new edited volume is to present the various aspects of morphometrics in a way that is accessible to readers who might not be acquainted with the voluminous literature on this topic. Morphometrics is the quantitative study of organismic form. It attempts to quantify, precisely and as completely as practical, the information on size and shape that often is readily apparent to the investigator yet difficult to adequately characterize in numerical terms. Morphometric studies thus provide an initial step in the understanding of patterns of variation among individuals and groups of organisms, and typically form an important groundwork for analyses of structure, function, and evolution. As such, morphometrics has become central to the biological sciences. The field of morphometrics has transitioned relatively smoothly through several different phases, from D’Arcy Thompson’s (1917) extraordinary and influential treatise on growth and form, through the influx of algebraic and statistical methods related to eigenanalysis, cluster analysis, and multidimensional scaling, to direct landmark-based methods that echo Thompson’s original intents and insights. The history of these ideas is reviewed by Richard Reyment, who has himself been an important contributor to and synthesizer of morphometric theory and practice. Included among the other chapters are examples of applications of morphometric methods in palaeontology and neontology, fishery science, archaeology, and evolutionary ecology. The volume also includes reviews and perspectives on
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