Optimum number of surveys for mark-recapture studies

[jackieguzy]

Is anyone aware of any guidelines (for mark-recapture studies) on the optimal number of surveys to conduct at each site? I'm thinking along the lines of Table 1. in Mackenzie and Rolye (2005), "Designing occupancy studies:general advice and allocating survey effort" where they suggest the number of surveys needed depending on what psi and p values are.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... x/abstract.

I'd like to be able to roughly calculate the number of surveys needed with varying detection probabilities.

I've been searching around, and will continue to do so, but thought I'd see if anyone had any thoughts on this.

Thanks for any help you are able to provide--it is much appreciated.

Jackie

[bacollier]

Is anyone aware of any guidelines (for mark-recapture studies) on the optimal number of surveys to conduct at each site? I'm thinking along the lines of Table 1. in Mackenzie and Rolye (2005), "Designing occupancy studies:general advice and allocating survey effort" where they suggest the number of surveys needed depending on what psi and p values are.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... x/abstract.

I'd like to be able to roughly calculate the number of surveys needed with varying detection probabilities.

I've been searching around, and will continue to do so, but thought I'd see if anyone had any thoughts on this.

Thanks for any help you are able to provide--it is much appreciated.

Jackie

Jackie,
Interestingly enough, I am working on a chapter for the MARKBOOK on this topic right now for a variety of models, but it is no where near ready for prime time. So, a couple of suggestions for you to read:

Devineau et al. 2006. Wildlife Society Bulletin 34: 1028-Planning capture-recapture studies: straightforward precision, bias, and power calculations.

Lindberg. 2012. J. Ornithology 152 Suppl 2 S355-A review of designs for capture-mark-recapture studies in discrete time.

Also, MARK has some really nice simulation capabilities that you should be able to use to evaluate various designs.

\bret

[jlaufenb]

Jackie,

Answers to your question will vary on what type of capture-recapture data (e.g., closed vs open population or robust design) you are collecting and population parameters to be estimated. In the case of collecting closed population data to estimate abundance where heterogeneity in detection probabilities is present, you might find the following paper useful. It provides linear equations, given user-specified values of abundance, number of sampling periods, etc., to predict various measures of estimate reliability.

Laufenberg, J. S., F. T. van Manen, and J. D. Clark. 2013. Effects of sampling conditions on DNA-based estimates of American black bear abundance. Journal of Wildlife Management 77:1010–1020.

Jared

[jackieguzy]

Bret and Jared--thanks so much for your help!! I truly appreciate it, and look forward to reading these papers and checking out the simulation capabilities in MARK.

Jackie