r - How to pass the 'object' argument dynamically to anova() function -

i struggling write script allows more flexible approach compare different linear mixed-effect models making use of lme4 or nlme package. not want adjust script each , every model add or drop, looking dynamic approach. doing have adjust 1 variable contains character strings of model formulas.

this works fine unless anova() comes in. anova() not accept list of elements containing appropriate classes:

###### here problem # comparing models means of anova anova(lme.lst)                                  #### --> not work anova(lme.lst[[1]], lme.lst[[2]], lme.lst[[3]]) #### work kills dynamic approach ###### 

i did not figure neat way decompose list , pass multiple arguments anova() function. tried unlist() without success.

here minimal example (adapted lme4 manual, p. 8):

require(lme4) require(aiccmodavg)  # variable containing of strings in order describe fixed effect terms  # (wihout response/dependen variable)                                            ### should orderd callmodel <- c("angle ~ recipe + temp        + (1|recipe:replicate)",  # model1  ### small                "angle ~ recipe + temperature + (1|recipe:replicate)",  # model2  ###                                "angle ~ recipe * temperature + (1|recipe:replicate)")  # model3  ### big  # convert string array 'callfevar' list of formulas callmodel <- sapply(callmodel, as.formula)  # create empty list safing results of fitted model  lme.lst <- list() # model fitting in loop , change list names (i in 1 : length(callmodel)) {   lmetmp <- lmer(callmodel[[i]], cake, reml= false)   lme.lst[i] <- list(lmetmp)   names(lme.lst)[i] <- deparse(callmodel[[i]]) } # remove temporary variable rm(lmetmp)  # summary of models lapply(lme.lst, summary)  ###### here problem # comparing models means of anova anova(lme.lst)                                  #### --> not work anova(lme.lst[[1]], lme.lst[[2]], lme.lst[[3]]) #### work kills dynamic approach ######  # comparing models means of aicc aictab(lme.lst)                                 #### accepts list 

do.call calls function arguments supplied in list.

do.call(anova, lme.lst)