Evaluation of line-transect sampling to estimate nocturnal densities of macropods in open and closed habitats

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. le Mar ◽  
C. Southwell ◽  
C. McArthur

Walked line transects were evaluated for estimating nocturnal densities of red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) and the red-bellied pademelon (Thylogale billardierii) in a range of open and closed habitats. The use of cleared transect lines in densely vegetated habitats reduced noise produced by travelling, while permanent grid markers facilitated collection of perpendicular distance data at night. Results from sighting histograms indicated that animals did not display evasive movement in response to the observer before detection. The probabilities of detecting the macropod species varied significantly between habitats. Significant differences in probabilities of detection were also recorded within species between habitats. Consequently, line-transect sampling is recommended over strip-transect sampling for estimating species abundance when more than one species and/or habitat are of interest. Recommendations are made, however, for forest managers wanting to monitor macropod populations on newly established plantations, when line-transect sampling is not feasible and strip-transect sampling is the only alternative.

2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. Dique ◽  
Deidré L. de Villiers ◽  
Harriet J. Preece

Distance sampling using line transects has not been previously used or tested for estimating koala abundance. In July 2001, a pilot survey was conducted to compare the use of line transects with strip transects for estimating koala abundance. Both methods provided a similar estimate of density. On the basis of the results of the pilot survey, the distribution and abundance of koalas in the Pine Rivers Shire, south-east Queensland, was determined using line-transect sampling. In total, 134 lines (length 64 km) were used to sample bushland areas. Eighty-two independent koalas were sighted. Analysis of the frequency distribution of sighting distances using the software program DISTANCE enabled a global detection function to be estimated for survey sites in bushland areas across the Shire. Abundance in urban parts of the Shire was estimated from densities obtained from total counts at eight urban sites that ranged from 26 to 51 ha in size. Koala abundance in the Pine Rivers Shire was estimated at 4584 (95% confidence interval, 4040–5247). Line-transect sampling is a useful method for estimating koala abundance provided experienced koala observers are used when conducting surveys.


1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 397 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. F. Clancy ◽  
A. R. Pople ◽  
L. A. Gibson

The performance of helicopter surveys for estimating population densities of red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) and common wallaroos (Macropus robustus) was investigated by comparing line-transect density estimates obtained from helicopter surveys with those from ground (walked) surveys. Comparisons were made at four sites in central western Queensland (areas with high densities of red kangaroos and common wallaroos) that were surveyed during winter and summer from December 1991 until February 1995, and one site in south-eastern Queensland (an area of high eastern grey kangaroo density) surveyed annually during autumn from March 1991 until March 1994. Helicopter surveys generally recorded lower sample sizes than did ground surveys (means ± s.e = 34 ± 6%, 33 ± 9% and 76 ± 2% lower for red kangaroos, eastern grey kangaroos and wallaroos, respectively). Density estimates obtained from the helicopter surveys were not significantly different from those obtained from ground surveys for both red and eastern grey kangaroos as assessed by repeated-measures ANOVA and regression analysis. However, helicopter surveys of common wallaroos consistently returned density estimates about half those of ground surveys. The relationships between the two methods did not differ between winter and summer for any species. The conventional aerial survey method for kangaroos of strip transects from fixed-wing aircraft has limited ability to adjust for varying sightability conditions. Therefore, helicopter surveys with line-transect sampling are an attractive alternative.


Kernel estimation is a commonly used method to estimate the population density in line transect sampling. In general, the classical kernel estimator of (0) X f , which is the probability density function at perpendicular distance x  0 , inclines to be underestimated. In this study, a power transformation of perpendicular distance is proposed for the kernel estimator when the shoulder condition is violated. The mathematical properties of the proposed estimator are derived. A simulation study is also carried out for comparing the proposed estimator with the classical kernel estimators


2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Laake ◽  
Richard J. Guenzel ◽  
John L. Bengtson ◽  
Peter Boveng ◽  
Michael Cameron ◽  
...  

Altitude and flight speed affect detection probability and they typically vary during the course of most aerial surveys. We demonstrate how these sources of variation can be accommodated with covariates in a line-transect analysis using data from a pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) survey in Wyoming and a survey of Antarctic ice seals (Lobodon carcinophaga, Leptonychotes weddellii, Hydrurga leptonyx, Ommatophoca rossii). We also show how the likelihood for binned distance data can be modified to allow for variation in altitude. As an alternative, we develop an estimator for aerial line-transect sampling based on vertical angles rather than distance. With a small simulation study, we show that our estimators are unbiased and are preferable to using biased estimators based on fixed-distance intervals derived from average altitude.


1997 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 1185-1192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luc Pelletier ◽  
Charles J. Krebs

Current methods of estimating ptarmigan density require total counts, and hardly apply to areas exceeding 1 km2. We evaluated the applicability, accuracy, and efficiency of line-transect sampling as an alternative method for estimating breeding density of male ptarmigan. We compared Hayne's and generalized Hayne's estimators with line-transect estimators based on perpendicular distance. We surveyed 6 subalpine areas in Kluane, Yukon, with 231 km of transects in 1995 and 1996, in addition to a 77-ha grid where we also conducted total counts. Estimates of perpendicular distance were accurate (bias = −3 to −7%). Their efficiency resides mainly in detecting changes in density over 2-year periods in highly or moderately fluctuating populations. Performance of Hayne's estimator was close to that of perpendicular distance (coefficient of correlation, r = 0.95), even if in many cases the average sighting angle was not 32.7°. The generalized Hayne's estimator was not robust; biases were up to −90%. The results of this survey, with densities ranging between 0 and 65 males/km2 for similar and adjoining subalpine areas, dispute the principle that the "health" of a population can be assessed by censusing only a small area.


2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 213-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan F. J. Manly

A resource selection probability function is a function that gives the prob- ability that a resource unit (e.g., a plot of land) that is described by a set of habitat variables X1 to Xp will be used by an animal or group of animals in a certain period of time. The estimation of a resource selection function is usually based on the comparison of a sample of resource units used by an animal with a sample of the resource units that were available for use, with both samples being assumed to be effectively randomly selected from the relevant populations. In this paper the possibility of using a modified sampling scheme is examined, with the used units obtained by line transect sampling. A logistic regression type of model is proposed, with estimation by conditional maximum likelihood. A simulation study indicates that the proposed method should be useful in practice.


Jurnal BIOMA ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Siwi Arthapati Mandiri ◽  
Paskal Sukandar ◽  
Yossa Istiadi

Borneo has wide land that support high biodiversity. One of them is Tanjung Puting National Park (TPNP), which have biodiversity such as terrestrial mammalian carnivore. Carnivore has a role to maintain its ecosystems. But, there are no data for population density of terrestrial mammalian carnivore. The object of this research is to find out population density of terrestrial mammalian carnivore in Camp Leakey, TPNP, Central Borneo. This research accomplished in September-October 2015 in Camp Leakey. Using line-transect sampling. Data collection was accomplished at 18.00-24.00 Central Indonesian Time (WITA) on eight transects with three times replication by direct surveys and indirect surveys. This research has obtained five species, malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), leopard cat, and group of civet, like small-toothed palm civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata) and asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). Population density of each species from the highest to the lowest is 13,5 Individual of leopard cat/km2, 9,84 Individual of malayan sun bears/km2, 4,31 Individual of sunda clouded leopard/km2, and 3,65 Individual of civet/km2. Malayan sun bears, sunda clouded leopards and civets prefer to be in land forest. Leopard cats prefers to be in transition forest.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Noryanti Muhammad ◽  
Gamil A.A. Saeed ◽  
Wan Nur Syahidah Wan Yusoff

One of the most important sides of life is wildlife. There is growing research interest in monitoring wildlife. Line transect sampling is one of the techniques widely used for estimating the density of objects especially for animals and plants. In this research, a parametric estimator for estimation of the population abundance is developed. A new parametric model for perpendicular distances for detection function is utilised to develop the estimator. In this paper, the performance of the parametric model which was developed using a simulation study is presented. The detection function has non-increasing curve and a perfect probability at zero. Theoretically, the parametric model which has been developed is guar-anteed to satisfy the shoulder condition assumption. A simulation study is presented to validate the present model. Relative mean error (RME) and Relative Bias (RB) are used to compare the estimator with well-known existing estimators. The results of the simulation study are discussed, and the performance of the proposed model shows promising statistical properties which outperformed the existing models. Keywords: detection function, line transect data, parametric model


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