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biological data. Remember to give it a different name from that used for the

biological data set.

4.

Close the spreadsheet data file before opening the data in ECOM   otherwise you

will get an I/O error 32   access denied.

5.

Run ECOM from the Start menu or by clicking on the executable file.

6.

From the Biological File drop down menu select Open Biological and choose your

biological data file.

7.

From the Environmental File drop down menu select Open Environmental and

choose the data file holding the environmental (physical) data. These are the

independent variables.

8.

The data will now open into the grids that can be seen by clicking on the tabs

labelled Sample/Species Data and Environmental Data respectively. Before

choosing a method it is wise to check your data for columns that sum to zero

(samples with no species) and rows that sum to zero (species not found in any

sample). First click on the Working Sample/Species Data tab. To remove zero

sum rows or columns, select  Handling zeroes    Delete 0 rows or Delete 0

columns in the Type of adjustment panel below the data. Once an adjustment has

been made remember to click on the Submit button to create a data set for

analysis.

9.

Undertake any transformations or relativisations you may wish in the working

data tabs for either the biological or environmental data. Note that any changes

undertaken on the working data will not change the raw data.

10. From the drop down menus select the method you wish to use and, using the

tabbed windows, examine the output.

11. Use File|Print to print output and Edit|Copy to copy a graph to a file or the

clipboard.

Copyright 2004  PISCES Conservation Ltd