Significance testing testate amoeba water table reconstructions

Richard J. Payne; Kirill V. Babeshko; Simon van Bellen; Jeffrey J. Blackford; Robert K. Booth; Dan J. Charman; Megan R. Ellershaw; Daniel Gilbert; Paul D.M. Hughes; Vincent E.J. Jassey; Łukasz Lamentowicz; Mariusz Lamentowicz; Elena A. Malysheva; Dmitri Mauquoy; Yuri Mazei; Edward A.D. Mitchell; Graeme T. Swindles; Andrey N. Tsyganov; T. Edward Turner; Richard J. Telford

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.01.030

Significance testing testate amoeba water table reconstructions

Richard J. Payne^*, Kirill V. Babeshko, Simon van Bellen, Jeffrey J. Blackford, Robert K. Booth, Dan J. Charman, Megan R. Ellershaw, Daniel Gilbert, Paul D.M. Hughes, Vincent E.J. Jassey, Łukasz Lamentowicz, Mariusz Lamentowicz, Elena A. Malysheva, Dmitri Mauquoy, Yuri Mazei, Edward A.D. Mitchell, Graeme T. Swindles, Andrey N. Tsyganov, T. Edward Turner, Richard J. Telford

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Transfer functions are valuable tools in palaeoecology, but their output may not always be meaningful. A recently-developed statistical test ('randomTF') offers the potential to distinguish among reconstructions which are more likely to be useful, and those less so. We applied this test to a large number of reconstructions of peatland water table depth based on testate amoebae. Contrary to our expectations, a substantial majority (25 of 30) of these reconstructions gave non-significant results (P > 0.05). The underlying reasons for this outcome are unclear. We found no significant correlation between randomTF P-value and transfer function performance, the properties of the training set and reconstruction, or measures of transfer function fit. These results give cause for concern but we believe it would be extremely premature to discount the results of non-significant reconstructions. We stress the need for more critical assessment of transfer function output, replication of results and ecologically-informed interpretation of palaeoecological data.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	131-135
Number of pages	5
Journal	Quaternary Science Reviews
Volume	138
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.01.030
Publication status	Published - 15 Apr 2016
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Palaeoecology
Palaeohydrology
Protist
RandomTF
Testate amoeba
Transfer function

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Global and Planetary Change
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Archaeology
Archaeology
Geology

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Payne, R. J., Babeshko, K. V., van Bellen, S., Blackford, J. J., Booth, R. K., Charman, D. J., Ellershaw, M. R., Gilbert, D., Hughes, P. D. M., Jassey, V. E. J., Lamentowicz, Ł., Lamentowicz, M., Malysheva, E. A., Mauquoy, D., Mazei, Y., Mitchell, E. A. D., Swindles, G. T., Tsyganov, A. N., Turner, T. E., & Telford, R. J. (2016). Significance testing testate amoeba water table reconstructions. Quaternary Science Reviews, 138, 131-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.01.030

@article{691efeb542e24f19addf64c50fb3ab8f,

title = "Significance testing testate amoeba water table reconstructions",

abstract = "Transfer functions are valuable tools in palaeoecology, but their output may not always be meaningful. A recently-developed statistical test ('randomTF') offers the potential to distinguish among reconstructions which are more likely to be useful, and those less so. We applied this test to a large number of reconstructions of peatland water table depth based on testate amoebae. Contrary to our expectations, a substantial majority (25 of 30) of these reconstructions gave non-significant results (P > 0.05). The underlying reasons for this outcome are unclear. We found no significant correlation between randomTF P-value and transfer function performance, the properties of the training set and reconstruction, or measures of transfer function fit. These results give cause for concern but we believe it would be extremely premature to discount the results of non-significant reconstructions. We stress the need for more critical assessment of transfer function output, replication of results and ecologically-informed interpretation of palaeoecological data.",

keywords = "Palaeoecology, Palaeohydrology, Protist, RandomTF, Testate amoeba, Transfer function",

author = "Payne, {Richard J.} and Babeshko, {Kirill V.} and {van Bellen}, Simon and Blackford, {Jeffrey J.} and Booth, {Robert K.} and Charman, {Dan J.} and Ellershaw, {Megan R.} and Daniel Gilbert and Hughes, {Paul D.M.} and Jassey, {Vincent E.J.} and {\L}ukasz Lamentowicz and Mariusz Lamentowicz and Malysheva, {Elena A.} and Dmitri Mauquoy and Yuri Mazei and Mitchell, {Edward A.D.} and Swindles, {Graeme T.} and Tsyganov, {Andrey N.} and Turner, {T. Edward} and Telford, {Richard J.}",

year = "2016",

month = apr,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.01.030",

language = "English",

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pages = "131--135",

journal = "Quaternary Science Reviews",

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Payne, RJ, Babeshko, KV, van Bellen, S, Blackford, JJ, Booth, RK, Charman, DJ, Ellershaw, MR, Gilbert, D, Hughes, PDM, Jassey, VEJ, Lamentowicz, Ł, Lamentowicz, M, Malysheva, EA, Mauquoy, D, Mazei, Y, Mitchell, EAD, Swindles, GT, Tsyganov, AN, Turner, TE & Telford, RJ 2016, 'Significance testing testate amoeba water table reconstructions', Quaternary Science Reviews, vol. 138, pp. 131-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.01.030

TY - JOUR

T1 - Significance testing testate amoeba water table reconstructions

AU - Payne, Richard J.

AU - Babeshko, Kirill V.

AU - van Bellen, Simon

AU - Blackford, Jeffrey J.

AU - Booth, Robert K.

AU - Charman, Dan J.

AU - Ellershaw, Megan R.

AU - Gilbert, Daniel

AU - Hughes, Paul D.M.

AU - Jassey, Vincent E.J.

AU - Lamentowicz, Łukasz

AU - Lamentowicz, Mariusz

AU - Malysheva, Elena A.

AU - Mauquoy, Dmitri

AU - Mazei, Yuri

AU - Mitchell, Edward A.D.

AU - Swindles, Graeme T.

AU - Tsyganov, Andrey N.

AU - Turner, T. Edward

AU - Telford, Richard J.

PY - 2016/4/15

Y1 - 2016/4/15

N2 - Transfer functions are valuable tools in palaeoecology, but their output may not always be meaningful. A recently-developed statistical test ('randomTF') offers the potential to distinguish among reconstructions which are more likely to be useful, and those less so. We applied this test to a large number of reconstructions of peatland water table depth based on testate amoebae. Contrary to our expectations, a substantial majority (25 of 30) of these reconstructions gave non-significant results (P > 0.05). The underlying reasons for this outcome are unclear. We found no significant correlation between randomTF P-value and transfer function performance, the properties of the training set and reconstruction, or measures of transfer function fit. These results give cause for concern but we believe it would be extremely premature to discount the results of non-significant reconstructions. We stress the need for more critical assessment of transfer function output, replication of results and ecologically-informed interpretation of palaeoecological data.

AB - Transfer functions are valuable tools in palaeoecology, but their output may not always be meaningful. A recently-developed statistical test ('randomTF') offers the potential to distinguish among reconstructions which are more likely to be useful, and those less so. We applied this test to a large number of reconstructions of peatland water table depth based on testate amoebae. Contrary to our expectations, a substantial majority (25 of 30) of these reconstructions gave non-significant results (P > 0.05). The underlying reasons for this outcome are unclear. We found no significant correlation between randomTF P-value and transfer function performance, the properties of the training set and reconstruction, or measures of transfer function fit. These results give cause for concern but we believe it would be extremely premature to discount the results of non-significant reconstructions. We stress the need for more critical assessment of transfer function output, replication of results and ecologically-informed interpretation of palaeoecological data.

KW - Palaeoecology

KW - Palaeohydrology

KW - Protist

KW - RandomTF

KW - Testate amoeba

KW - Transfer function

U2 - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.01.030

DO - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.01.030

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84962160970

SN - 0277-3791

VL - 138

SP - 131

EP - 135

JO - Quaternary Science Reviews

JF - Quaternary Science Reviews

ER -

Significance testing testate amoeba water table reconstructions

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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