Least-inference methods for constructing networks of trophic flows

Two algorithms are developed to construct ecosystem budgets under minimal inference that do not recapitulate the model used to generate the input data, and analysis reveals that the results do not differ statistically from networks that were constructed manually.

Abstract

The construction of material and energy budgets within ecosystems has long been accomplished via manual calculation. Recently, optimization techniques have been adapted to automate the procedure, but these methods require assumptions that may not square with biological reality. Two algorithms are developed to construct ecosystem budgets under minimal inference. Although the methods do not recapitulate the model used to generate the input data, analysis reveals that the results do not differ statistically from networks that were constructed manually.