Reducing effects of dispersal on the bias of 2-sample mark-recapture estimators of stream fish abundance.

ABSTRACT: The 2-sample mark-recapture method with Chapman's estimator is often used by inland fishery managers to estimate the reach-scale abundance of stream fish. An important assumption of this method is that no dispersal into or out of the study reach occurs between the two samples. Violations of this assumption are probably common in practice, but their effect on bias (systematic error) of abundance estimates is poorly understood, especially in small populations. Estimation methods permitting dispersal exist but, for logistical reasons, often are infeasible for routine assessments in streams. The purpose of this paper is to extend available results regarding effects of dispersal on the bias of Chapman's estimator as applied to reach-scale studies of stream fish abundance. We examine for the fir

SUBMITTER: McNair JN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6070202 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature