Publication
Title
Unifying spatial and social network analysis in disease ecology
Author
Abstract
Social network analysis has achieved remarkable popularity in disease ecology, and is sometimes carried out without investigating spatial heterogeneity. Many investigations into sociality and disease may nevertheless be subject to cryptic spatial variation, so ignoring spatial processes can limit inference regarding disease dynamics. Disease analyses can gain breadth, power, and reliability from incorporating both spatial and social behavioural data. However, the tools for collecting and analysing these data simultaneously can be complex and unintuitive, and it is often unclear when spatial variation must be accounted for. These difficulties contribute to the scarcity of simultaneous spatial‐social network analyses in disease ecology thus far. Here, we detail scenarios in disease ecology that benefit from spatial‐social analysis. We describe procedures for simultaneous collection of both spatial and social data, and we outline statistical approaches that can control for and estimate spatial‐social covariance in disease ecology analyses. We hope disease researchers will expand social network analyses to more often include spatial components and questions. These measures will increase the scope of such analyses, allowing more accurate model estimates, better inference of transmission modes, susceptibility effects and contact scaling patterns, and ultimately more effective disease interventions.
Language
English
Source (journal)
The journal of animal ecology / British Ecological Society. - Oxford
Publication
Hoboken : Wiley , 2021
ISSN
0021-8790
DOI
10.1111/1365-2656.13356
Volume/pages
90 :1 (2021) , p. 45-61
Article Reference
1365-2656.13356
ISI
000577428400001
Pubmed ID
32984944
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 01.10.2020
Last edited 02.10.2024
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