A detailed introduction to the methods used by ecologists--classification and ordination--to clarify and interpret large, unwieldy masses of multivariate field data. Permits ecologists to understand, not just mechanically use, pre-packaged programs for multivariate analysis. Demonstrates these techniques using artificial data simple enough for every analytical step to be understood.

Evelyn Chrystalla "E.C." Pielou was a Canadian statistical ecologist. She began her career as a researcher for the Canadian Department of Forestry and the Canadian Department of Agriculture.