Using single season & repeat surveys for single estimate

[zjfarris]

I am wanting to run a 2-species interaction occupancy model and I presently have:
- Survey of site 1 (2010) plus two repeat surveys of the same site (2011, 2012).
- Single survey of site 2 (2011)

The surveys of site 1 were all conducted at the same time each year (Aug-Oct). The survey of site 2 was conducted during the same "seasonal period" (hot,dry season) and within similar forest type.

My question is, is it possible to combine all surveys (4 total) to run a single-season 2-species interaction model? I do have landscape and habitat covariates to use for each forest type as well. I understand the issue is to ensure independence. Temporal is not an issue in this case but I am unsure if spatial is.
I would appreciate any help you might be able to offer.

[bacollier]

I am wanting to run a 2-species interaction occupancy model and I presently have:
- Survey of site 1 (2010) plus two repeat surveys of the same site (2011, 2012).
- Single survey of site 2 (2011)

Not sure what you mean? Do you mean you went to site 1 (2010) and surveyed it once in 2010, then surveyed it one time in 2011 and one time in 2012?

The surveys of site 1 were all conducted at the same time each year (Aug-Oct). The survey of site 2 was conducted during the same "seasonal period" (hot,dry season) and within similar forest type.

My question is, is it possible to combine all surveys (4 total) to run a single-season 2-species interaction model? I do have landscape and habitat covariates to use for each forest type as well. I understand the issue is to ensure independence. Temporal is not an issue in this case but I am unsure if spatial is.
I would appreciate any help you might be able to offer.

Based on what you've got, I would say no, its probably not appropriate to combine all the data from 4 surveys over 3 years into a single season model, there are just too many different things going on to justify merging all those data together.

bret