An open spatial capture-recapture model for estimating density, movement, and population dynamics from line-transect...

Area of Science:

• Wildlife Ecology
• Population Dynamics
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Wildlife population studies commonly estimate density, movement, and demographic parameters.
• Line-transect surveys and capture-recapture methods are traditional approaches.
• Existing spatial capture-recapture models lack habitat covariate integration and are limited to fixed detector arrays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a spatial capture-recapture model applicable to line-transect survey data.
• To simultaneously estimate density and demographic parameters within an open population framework.
• To incorporate habitat covariates to model variations in density and space use.

Main Methods:

• Developed a spatial capture-recapture model adapting distance sampling principles for detection probability.
• Extended the model to estimate demographic parameters in an open population.
• Modeled density and space use variations as functions of habitat covariates.

Main Results:

• The model successfully integrates line-transect survey data.
• Demonstrated ability to estimate density, movement, and demographic parameters.
• Illustrated application with simulated data and North Atlantic right whale aerial survey data.

Conclusions:

• The new model provides a unified framework for analyzing line-transect data.
• It enables simultaneous inference on factors influencing spatial and temporal variations in population dynamics.
• Facilitates improved ecological insights and predictive capabilities for wildlife management.