[R-sig-eco] nested mixed model?

[Mauricio Cifuentes]

Hi everybody,

I am trying to fit a model in R using the lme() function. I would like
to have your opinion about what I did and if there are better ways to
resolve this analysis. First Let me explain you how look the data that
we are analyzing. We want to compare the tooth microtexture of four
species of ungulates. 

For that we have taken pictures in eight different points within each
tooth of one individual. We used as many teeth as were available for
each individual taken in account their position and at the same time
separating them by the place they were located (mandible: down tooth;
maxilla: upper tooth). 

I am not an expert, but until here the model looks as nested design,
please let me know if I am wrong. In summary we have the following
hierarchy arrangement:

Species (4 species) > bone(mandible or maxilla) > tooth > points within
each tooth (8 points).

I have fitted this model using: lme(response ~ species, data=tooth,
random=~1|bone/tooth/points,na.action=na.omit)

I will be really grateful if you can give me your opinion about that.

Best wishes

Mauro