Structural Equation Modeling and Natural Systems

Part I. A Beginning: 1. Introduction 2. Illustration of structural equation modeling with observed variables: the temporal dynamics of a plant-insect interaction Part II. Basic Principles of Structural Equation Modeling: 3. The anatomy of structural equation models I: overview and observed variable models 4. The anatomy of structural equation models II: latent variables 5. Principles of estimation and model assessment Part III. Advanced Topics: 6. Composite variables and their use in representing concepts 7. Additional techniques for complex situations Part IV. Applications and Illustrations: 8. Model evaluation in practice 9. Multivariate experiments 10. The systematic application of a multivariate perspective to understanding plant diversity patterns in ecological communities 11. Cautions and recommendations for the application of SEM Part V. The Implications of Structural Equation Modeling for the Study of Natural Systems: 12. How can structural equation modeling contribute to the advancement of the natural sciences? 13. Tuning in to nature's symphony: frontiers in the study of multivariate relations Appendix I. Example analyses References.

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