Estimation of the seed dispersal distribution with genotypic data

Abstract

The goal of this dissertation is to formulate statistically appropriate estimators for the seed dispersal distribution function when data are collected in traps from multiple sources, both with and without genotyping, after accounting for other relevant factors, such as tree fecundity. Work along these lines has been attempted previously, under idealistic assumptions, for non-genotyped data, but this dissertation will give more general and practical results for this case. There has been almost no statistical work done on the genotyped case, so such results will be new and useful. Finally, and most important for ecologists who will in coming years have much data of these types, we propose to find a statistically appropriate estimator for the seed dispersal distribution function when the data consist of a combination of non-genotyped and genotyped seeds.