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Priors for us(trait):units structure in MCMCglmm model. Error message - help needed.

Hi,

If temp is continuous, you are trying to estimate a 2X2 covariance  
matrix for the random effects and a scalar variance for the residuals.  
In general, I use priors of the form:

prior<-list(G=list(G1=list(V=diag(2), nu=2, alpha.mu=c(0,0),  
alpha.V=diag(2)*1000)), R=list(V=diag(1), nu=0.002))

If temp is categorical then you are trying to estimate a 3X3  
covariance matrix for the random effects. Personally, I would opt for  
continuous temp, at least in the random effect part of the model.

You almost certainly want random=~us(1+Temp):species rather than  
random=~us(1+Temp):Range. It sounds like Temp:Range in the fixed part  
of the model is the key term you want to test (do large ranging  
species respond differently to temp). random=~us(1+Temp):species deals  
with the fact that species may vary in their response to temperature  
independently of anything to do with their ranges.

You don't have many species so don't expect to get very precise  
estimates of the covariance matrix, particularly given the species  
effects are assumed to be correlated due to their shared phylogenetic  
history.

Cheers,

Jarrod




Quoting Tricia Markle <markl033 at umn.edu> on Mon, 26 Jan 2015 00:05:20 -0600: