Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2017
Abstract
Previous empirical models for describing the temperature-dependent development rates for insects include the Brié re, Lactin, Beta, and Ratkowsky models. Another nonlinear regression model, not previously considered in population entomology, is the Lobry-Rosso-Flandrois model, the shape of which is very close to that of the Ratkowsky model in the suboptimal temperature range, but which has the added advantage that all four of its parameters have biological meaning. A consequence of this is that initial parameter estimates, needed for solving the nonlinear regression equations, are very easy to obtain. In addition, the model has excellent statistical properties, with the estimators of the parameters being "close-to-linear," which means that the least squares estimators are close to being unbiased, normally distributed, minimum variance estimators. The model describes the pooled development rates very well throughout the entire biokinetic temperature range and deserves to become the empirical model of general use in this area.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Annals of the Entomological Society of America
First Page
302
Last Page
309
Recommended Citation
Ratkowsky, D., & Reddy, G. (2017). Empirical model with excellent statistical properties for describing temperature-dependent developmental rates of insects and mites. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 110 (3), 302-309. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saw098