Design and Analysis of Capture-Mark-Recapture Studies 

with a focus on Occupancy Modeling

Juneau, Alaska 26 February 2019

This one day workshop will introduce biologist to broad concepts of inference using Capture-MarkRecapture (CMR) approaches. Morning topics will include an overview of the suite of models for CMR studies, likelihood theory, frequentist and Bayesian inference, model fit, and model selection. Following this overview, we will apply these concepts to Occupancy modeling, first with design and sample size considerations and then analysis and inference. We will start with analysis of example datasets and then spend time on your own datasets. We will use program MARK, RMARK, and PRESENCE for analysis. Participants should bring a laptop computer with the most recent version of these softwares loaded (download at http://www.phidot.org/software/mark/, http://www.phidot.org/software/mark/rmark/, and if you prefer presence is another alternative https://www.usgs.gov/software/presence, however, this will not be used in the workshop).   I also encourage you to read or at least glance at chapters 1, 3, and 21 in the Gentle Introduction to MARK.

 

Participants are also encouraged to bring their data sets formatted (we don't want to do data management at the workshop) for analysis using occupancy modeling or related CMR models. Don't worry if you don't have a dataset we will pair you with someone who does. This workshop targets biologists who will apply CMR approaches, but will still want to work with a biometrician to do so. Our goal is to make you fluent enough in CMR approaches, particularly design, so you can understand what is possible and how it is done, so you can collect data and work with biometricians effectively. Contact Mark Lindberg (mslindberg@alaska.edu) with questions. There is no charge to participate in this workshop. The course limit is 30 participants and participation will be on a first-come first-served basis, open only to TWS meeting participants at this time. If we have not filled all seats by February 1, we will open participation also to those not attending the TWS meeting. Sign up for the workshop by registering for the conference (you will be promoted to choose workshop participation), or by sending an email to twsalaska@gmail.com.