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Associated Morphometrics Workshop:
In addition to the PEET meeting itself, Miriam Zelditch
from the University of Michigan, along with Don Swiderski, ran a morphometrics
workshop at Berkeley immediately following the PEET meeting proper, from
June 6-12.
Here is a short synopsis:
"Geomet ric morphometric methods offer morphologists powerful tools
for shape analysis. The workshop covered the basic theory and practice
of these methods, using a hands-on approach. The material covered included:
- Criteria for choosing landmarks, image capture and digitizing
- The concepts and theory of geometric shape analysis
- Superimposition methods
- Analytic methods (e.g., Principal Components Analysis,
Canonical Variates Analysis, regression, comparing shape covariates
of separately measured factors such as size, and MANOVA)
- Techniques for presenting and interpreting results graphically
(including the thin-plate spline).
Also discussed was how methods can be combined in ways that
avoid violating assumption of the theory. The workshop concluded by demonstrating
the use of geometric methods to address substantive biological issues,
including the quantification of morphological diversity (disparity). Freely
available software was demonstrated and both the software (Windows) and
manuals were available to all participants."
This workshop was sponsored by the Berkeley
Natural History Museums and was free to all participants (except transportation
and housing costs). The instructors volunteered their time and classroom
space on campus was used. This workshop provided an opportunity for PEET
students to become experts in this essential subject
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