Why biologists should/are becoming Bayesians: the case of developmental instability
by
Stefan Van Dongen
Group of Evolutionary Biology, Dept. Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171 B-2020 Antwerp

Living organsims show a remarkable diversity at all levels of organization, from the molecules they are made up by, to the interactions of different species in ecosystems. The study of biological systems is becomming increasingly complex and the use of Bayesian statistical techniques is increasing exponentionaly. In this paper, we illustrate such complexity and usefulness of Bayesian methods in the area of fluctuating asymmetry as a measure of developmental instability. Not only does a Bayesian approach allows to incorporate all sources of variation and uncertainty, it also illustrates the limitations of what data can contribute to answer biological questions and help in designing better experiments.

Date received: June 7, 2006