Variance to mean ratio and the spatial distribution of animals

Summary

Biological and statistical aspects of the application of variance to mean ratio to describe spatial distribution of animals are discussed. It is shown that the parameterb inTaylor's power laws ²=a m ^b shows intra-specific variation depending on the distribution of the constituent units of the population.a andb are only parameters of a very empirical way of describing the relation between variance and mean, which itself is an indicator for spatial distribution. Hence,a andb depend on the distribution behaviour of the animals, and not vice versa.