Advances in methods for estimating stopover duration for migratory species using capture-recapture data.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Migratory species exhibit life cycles divided into distinct stages across varied habitats.
• Accurate estimation of time spent in each habitat is vital for understanding individual behavior and informing conservation strategies.
• Capture-recapture sampling offers methods to estimate stopover duration and site-specific arrival/departure probabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing models for estimating migratory species' stopover duration.
• To demonstrate the application of advanced modeling techniques using a novel dataset of marbled newts (Triturus marmoratus).
• To provide a practical guide for implementing these methods in E-SURGE software.

Main Methods:

• Utilized capture-recapture data from marbled newts.
• Employed time-dependent and time-elapsed-since-arrival effects, incorporating Markovian and semi-Markov processes.
• Modeled stopover duration, arrival, and departure probabilities, comparing model performance.

Main Results:

• Identified a significant sex-based difference in stopover duration: females averaged 5.63 weeks, males 3.03 weeks.
• Retention probability in breeding ponds was primarily influenced by the duration of stay.
• Individuals of the same sex exhibited similar durations in ponds, arriving sequentially rather than simultaneously.

Conclusions:

• The applied methods are flexible and valuable for evolutionary ecology and conservation biology.
• Understanding sex-specific habitat use patterns is crucial for effective conservation of migratory species.
• The study highlights the utility of advanced statistical models for ecological research.