Dataset for case study in "Extending the causal inference toolkit for ecologists: A visualization method of indirect effects"

Extending the causal inference toolkit for ecologists: A visualization method of indirect effects Allen Bush-Beaupré1, Simon Coroller-Chouraki1, Marc Bélisle1,2 1Université de Sherbrooke, Département de biologie, Sherbrooke, Canada2Centre d’étude de la forêt (CÉF) Allen Bush-Beaupré: allen.bush-beaupre@usherbrooke.ca | ORCID: 0000-0001-6989-9278 Much ecological research focuses on how a given variable can affect another either directly or indirectly through the effect of one or more intervening variables in the context of causal inference and network analyses. Various methods to quantify the magnitude of these effects are available but are difficult to interpret in a meaningful way. We propose a method of visualizing indirect effects by means of plotting model predictions of an outcome in the presence of exposure and mediator variables. We demonstrate the method through simulations and apply them to a real-world example involving Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and their obligatory hematophagous ectoparasites, Protocalliphora spp. bird blowflies. The simple procedure using commonplace software should prove instrumental to visualize and interpret relationships among variables involved in ecological mechanisms and can be seamlessly integrated to analysts’ workflows. Check out Bush-Beaupré's website The dataset, list of variables and their definitions concerning the Case Study are now available below along with Quarto files to run the Simulations and Case Study. ↓