@article{46d9c164064144a3aa8e92dff71d1dac,
title = "From patterns to causal understanding: Structural equation modeling (SEM) in soil ecology",
abstract = "In this perspectives paper we highlight a heretofore underused statistical method in soil ecological research, structural equation modeling (SEM). SEM is commonly used in the general ecological literature to develop causal understanding from observational data, but has been more slowly adopted by soil ecologists. We provide some basic information on the many advantages and possibilities associated with using SEM and provide some examples of how SEM can be used by soil ecologists to shift focus from describing patterns to developing causal understanding and inspiring new types of experimental tests. SEM is a promising tool to aid the growth of soil ecology as a discipline, particularly by supporting research that is increasingly hypothesis-driven and interdisciplinary, thus shining light into the black box of interactions belowground.",
keywords = "Aboveground-belowground interactions, Hypothesis testing, Mechanistic understanding, Path analysis, Soil processes",
author = "Nico Eisenhauer and Bowker, {Matthew A.} and Grace, {James B.} and Powell, {Jeff R.}",
note = "Funding Information: We thank Wim van der Putten for helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper. Nico Eisenhauer gratefully acknowledges funding by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation; Ei 862/2). Jeff Powell gratefully acknowledges support from the Australian Research Council (Discovery Projects scheme; DP130102501, DP140103936) and the Australian Academy of Sciences (German-Australian Mobility Call for Collaboration in Science and Technology). Further support came from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, funded by the German Research Foundation (FZT 118). Support for JBG was provided by the USGS Ecosystems Program. PBA was supported by the National Science Foundation (DEB-1054040) and Utah State University . The use of trade names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Elsevier GmbH.",
year = "2015",
month = mar,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1016/j.pedobi.2015.03.002",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "58",
pages = "65--72",
journal = "Pedobiologia",
issn = "0031-4056",
publisher = "Urban und Fischer Verlag Jena",
number = "2-3",
}