Spatial point pattern analysis of available and exploited resources

A patchy spatial distribution of resources underpins many models of population regulation and species coexistence, so ecologists require methods to analyse spatially-explicit data of resource distribution and use. We describe a method for analysing maps of resources and testing hypotheses about species distributions and selectivity. The method uses point pattern analysis based on the L-function, the linearised form of Ripley s K-function. Monte Carlo permutations are used for statistical tests.