SYN-TAX 2000, Data Analysis in Ecology and Systematics (Windows)

Contains programs for data analysis with emphasis on applications in ecology and systematics. Most are equally applicable to other fields when reduction of dimensionality and exploration of data structure are desired.

Module HierClus: Hierarchical clustering (h-SAHN and d-SAHN methods, information theory clustering based on entropy and mutual information, divisive monothetic clustering, ordinal clustering, neighbor joining, global optimization, minimum spanning trees). Use of 33 dissimilarity coefficients, 6 run-time standardization procedures. Dendrograms, minimum spanning trees, additive trees, unrooted trees. Utilities. 

Module Ordin: Metric and nonmetric ordination including PCA, PCoA, CA, CCoa, RDA, NMDS, canonical correlation analysis and canonical variates (discriminant) analysis. Ordination scatterplots, biplots, triplots, rotating plots. Minimum spanning trees and classification polygons superimposed on ordinations. Scree plots and Shepard diagrams. Use of 33 dissimilarity coefficients, 6 run-time standardization procedures in PCoA and NMDS. Utilities.

Module NonHier: Non-hierarchical clustering methods including k-means, multiple partitioning, global optimization, quick clustering, fuzzy c-means clustering and ordinal methods. Ternary plots and scattergrams to illustrate fuzzy classifications graphically. Use of 33 dissimilarity coefficients, 6 run-time standardization procedures in global optimization, three rank coefficients for ordinal clustering. Utilities.

List of methods. List of coefficients. List of utilities. 

Module Eval: not yet available

Module MatRank: not yet available

Major changes compared to ver. 5.1

1. Switch from DOS to 32-byte WINDOWS systems.
2. No program-dependent problem size limits.
3. Input file header now includes title and matrix size information.
4. New format for label files. Long labels allowed in ordination scattergrams.
5. More flexible graphics options, called from the main menu or in context-dependent form as pop-up menus when a diagram is displayed. Improved graphics features.
6. Zooming entire diagrams or portions thereof to examine small details.
7. Export/import of EXCEL datafiles.
8. New graphics formats: BMP, EMF and WMF.
9. TIF and PCX no longer supported, except in rotating plots.
10. Simple text editor/file viewer.
11. Only interactive mode; batch unavailable.
12. Analysis of point patterns not included.
13. Data grid in main window, showing input matrix.
14. New utilities to create bootstrapped, randomized or otherwise resampled data files.
15. Analysis of a data matrix in two ways, without previously transposing.
16. Minimum spanning and unrooted neighbor joining trees with branch lengths.
17. Scree plots for eigenvalues.

Screen shots for the user interface and graphics windows

SYN-TAX 2000

User's Manual

Spiral bound. 53 pages, with many illustrations.

The manual provides technical information on the use of SYN-TAX 2000, with special emphasis on input/output and graphics. There is a short section on theory as well.

For more, see the Contents

Requirements: runs under WINDOWS 95, 98, NT, 2000, and XP.