Correspondence of Newcomb-Benford Number Law with Ecological Processes

Abstract

The Newcomb-Benford number law has been applied in the natural sciences for decades, with little ecological attention. Empirical data reveal statistical correspondence between the discrete Benford probability distribution and physical systems in dynamic equilibrium along a continuum of stability. Analytic methods are presented to detect this mathematical representation across multiple levels of ecological organization and spatial scale. Case studies demonstrate novel application to help identify bidirectional regime changes to alternative states of dynamic equilibrium. Widespread documentation of the surprising phenomenon is anticipated as ecologists revisit historic sets of random measurement data and design future sampling protocols. Controlled experiments with measurement variables that span multiple orders of magnitude would be well suited for future empirical and theoretical inquiry.