The meta-analysis of response ratios in experimental ecology

Hedges, Larry V.; Gurevitch, Jessica; Curtis, Peter S.

doi:10.1890/0012-9658(1999)080[1150:tmaorr]2.0.co;2

Cited by 4,704Meta-analysis and systematic reviewsEcology and Vegetation Dynamics StudiesPlant responses to elevated CO2

The meta-analysis of response ratios in experimental ecology

Hedges, Larry V., Gurevitch, Jessica, Curtis, Peter S.·1999·Ecology

DOI 10.1890/0012-9658(1999)080[1150:tmaorr]2.0.co;2

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Abstract

Meta-analysis provides formal statistical techniques for summarizing the results of independent experiments and is increasingly being used in ecology. The response ratio (the ratio of mean outcome in the experimental group to that in the control group) and closely related measures of proportionate change are often used as measures of effect magnitude in ecology. Using these metrics for meta-analysis requires knowledge of their statistical properties, but these have not been previously derived. We give the approximate sampling distribution of the log response ratio, discuss why it is a particularly useful metric for many applications in ecology, and demonstrate how to use it in meta-analysis. The meta-analysis of response-ratio data is illustrated using experimental data on the effects of increased atmospheric CO2 on plant biomass responses.

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The log response ratio is a reliable measure of ecological change only when its numerator and denominator refer to the same or equivalent observational units across time.
“The log response ratio is a reliable measure of ecological change only when its numerator and denominator refer to the same or equivalent observational units across time, ensuring that observed differences reflect real change rather than differences in sample composition (Hedges et al. 1999;Lajeunesse 2015).”
From Flawed analysis invalidates claim of a strong Yellowstone trophic cascade after wolf reintroduction: A comment on Ripple et al. (2025) (2025) · cites this paper as Hedges et al. 1999
The open data movement has considerable scope for remedying publication biases with pre-registration, minimising selective reporting with open data, and facilitating direct generation of effects or multi-level analysis based on raw data.
“These align with the more generalized open data movement which has considerable scope for remedying publication biases with pre-registration, minimising selective reporting with open data and facilitating direct generation of effects or multi-level analysis based on raw data 68,80,81 .”
From Meta-analysis and the science of research synthesis (2018) · cites this paper as [80]

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Authors: Hedges, L. V., Gurevitch, J., & Curtis, P. S.
Affiliations: University of Chicago (US)
Stony Brook University (US)
The Ohio State University (US)
ORCID: Hedges, Larry V.
Gurevitch, Jessica
Curtis, Peter S.
Venue: Ecology
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 1999-06
Volume: 80
Issue: 4
Pages: 1150-1156
ISSN: 0012-9658 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1890/0012-9658(1999)080[1150:tmaorr]2.0.co;2
OpenAlex: W2043778196
Cited by: 4,704
References: 29
Citations by year: 2026: 473 · 2025: 577 · 2024: 540 · 2023: 434 · 2022: 368 · 2021: 344 · 2020: 291 · 2019: 239 · 2018: 190 · 2017: 163 · 2016: 182 · 2015: 118 · 2014: 120 · 2013: 108 · 2012: 99
FWCI: 9.87
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: doi.wiley.com/10.1002/tdm_license_1.1 (tdm, 5936 d)
Locations: Ecology (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Science Foundation
Topics: Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Plant responses to elevated CO2
Keywords: response ratio, meta-analysis, effect size, sampling distribution, log response ratio, experimental ecology, atmospheric CO2 enrichment, plant biomass

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The meta-analysis of response ratios in experimental ecology

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