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Cannot have zero distances in "corSpatial"

2 messages · Vinicius Maia, Thierry Onkelinx

#
Hi folks

data structure: plots nested in sites, and observations nested in plots. both site and plots used as random factors

When running a mixed model (lme4) I founded spatial autocorrelation on model residuals, thus, I tried nlme mixed models inclunding a spatial structure (e.g. corr=corExp(...)), since I have repeated measures at the same point (then, with the same coordinates) the package is unable to run, giving the error: Cannot have zero distances in "corSpatial" in nlme

It seems to be a common and unsolved problem

https://www.google.com/search?q=Cannot+have+zero+distances+in+%22corSpatial%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b

It is my first time here, sorry for any mistake in my post.

Thanks

vmaia
#
Dear Maia,

Add a correlation structure with nlme won't solve your problem. Is applies
the correlation structure on the residuals **within** each finest group as
defined by the random effects. The residuals **between** random effects
group are assumed to be independent. The spatial structure is your design
is probably defined by site and plot so this won't work.

Have a look at the INLA or inlabru packages. They can model spatially
correlated random effects. See
https://www.muscardinus.be/2018/07/inlabru-bru/ for some examples.

Best regards,

ir. Thierry Onkelinx
Statisticus / Statistician

Vlaamse Overheid / Government of Flanders
INSTITUUT VOOR NATUUR- EN BOSONDERZOEK / RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR NATURE AND
FOREST
Team Biometrie & Kwaliteitszorg / Team Biometrics & Quality Assurance
thierry.onkelinx at inbo.be
Havenlaan 88 bus 73, 1000 Brussel
www.inbo.be

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Op do 6 dec. 2018 om 19:33 schreef Vinicius Maia <
vinicius.a.maia at hotmail.com>: