Dynamic structural equation models
Package dsem fits dynamic structural equation models, which includes as nested submodels:
- structural equation models
- vector autoregressive models
- dynamic factor analysis
- state-space autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models
The model has several advantages:
- It estimates direct, indirect, and total effects among system variables, including simultaneous and lagged effects and recursive (cyclic) dependencies
- It can estimate the cumulative outcome from press or pulse experiments or initial conditions that differ from the stationary distribution of system dynamics
- It estimates structural linkages as regression slopes while jointly imputing missing values and/or measurement errors
- It is rapidly fitted as a Gaussian Markov random field (GMRF) in a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM), with speed and asymptotics associated with each
- It allows granular control over the number of parameters (and restrictions on parameters) used to structure the covariance among variables and over time,
dsem is specifically intended as a minimal implementation, and uses standard packages to simplify input/output formatting:
- Input: time-series defined using class ts, with
NA
for missing values - Input: structural trade-offs specified using syntax defined by package sem
- Output: visualizing estimated trade-offs using igraph
- Output: access model output using standard S3-generic functions including
summary
,predict
,residuals
,simulate
, andAIC
Please see package vignettes for more details regarding syntax and features.
Citation
Thorson, J. T., Andrews, A. G., Essington, T., & Large, S. (2024). Dynamic structural equation models synthesize ecosystem dynamics constrained by ecological mechanisms. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 15(4): 744-755. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14289
This repository is a scientific product and is not official communication of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the United States Department of Commerce. All NOAA GitHub project code is provided on an ‘as is’ basis and the user assumes responsibility for its use. Any claims against the Department of Commerce or Department of Commerce bureaus stemming from the use of this GitHub project will be governed by all applicable Federal law. Any reference to specific commercial products, processes, or services by service mark, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply their endorsement, recommendation or favoring by the Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce seal and logo, or the seal and logo of a DOC bureau, shall not be used in any manner to imply endorsement of any commercial product or activity by DOC or the United States Government.