Table 6.

Comparison of models describing density dependence in the mean weight of female Ascaris lumbricoides

Population	Model	Model equation	Model description	Test	LRS	p-value	AIC
Baseline	A	${\mu }_W={\alpha }_1$	no density dependence	-	-	-	4671.33
	B	${\mu }_W=\frac{{\alpha }_{1}n}{(1+{\alpha }_{2}n)}$	limitation	A vs. B	43.36	<0.0001	4631.97
	C†	${\mu }_W=\frac{{\alpha }_1{n}^{({\alpha }_3-1)}}{(1+{\alpha }_2{n}^{a_3})}$	facilitation preceding limitation	B vs. C	38.05	<0.0001	4597.91
1st re-infection	A	${\mu }_W={\alpha }_1$	no density dependence	-	-	-	2314.29
	B	${\mu }_W=\frac{{\alpha }_{1}n}{(1+{\alpha }_{2}n)}$	limitation	A vs. B	18.98	<0.0001	2299.31
	C†	${\mu }_W=\frac{{\alpha }_1{n}^{({\alpha }_3-1)}}{(1+{\alpha }_2{n}^{a_3})}$	facilitation preceding limitation	B vs. C	17.99	<0.0001	2285.32
2nd re-infection	A	${\mu }_W={\alpha }_1$	no density dependence	-	-	-	1976.29
	B	${\mu }_W=\frac{{\alpha }_{1}n}{(1+{\alpha }_{2}n)}$	limitation	A vs. B	12.36	0.0021	1967.93
	C†	${\mu }_W=\frac{{\alpha }_1{n}^{({\alpha }_3-1)}}{(1+{\alpha }_2{n}^{a_3})}$	facilitation preceding limitation	B vs. C	6.18	0.046	1965.75

Comparison of the goodness-of-fit of special cases of the generalised equation [equation (2)] describing the relationship between the expected value of the per host mean weight of female Ascaris, μ_W, and the per host female worm burden, n, using a likelihood ratio test and AIC; p-values were calculated assuming that the LRS follows, under the null hypothesis, a chi-square distribution with 1 d.f. ^† denotes the best-fit of each model type in each population.