You are a population ecologist studying Bannertail Kangaroo Rats in Southeastern
ID: 175593 • Letter: Y
Question
You are a population ecologist studying Bannertail Kangaroo Rats in Southeastern Arizona. You wish to estimate the population size of this species to help determine if it should be placed on the Arizona Endangered Species List. You trap and mark 57 females and 31 males. When you set the traps again, you capture the following: 14 marked females, 6 marked males, 52 unmarked females, and 29 unmarked males. Estimate the population of females, males, and the entire Bannertail Kangaroo Rat population.
Explanation / Answer
M = Marked initially = (57+31) = 88
N= Population of Bannertail Kangaroo
N = (101*88) / 20 = 444.4 ~444
Similarly calculate population of males and females.
Male population = Nm = (total males of second sample * total males of first sample) / recaptured males
= (6+29) * 31 / 6 = 180.8 ~ 181 males
Male population = Nm = (total males of second sample * total males of first sample) / recaptured males
= (6+29) * 31 / 6 = 180.8 ~ 181 males
Female population = Nf = (total females of second sample * total females of first sample) / recaptured females
= (14+52) * 57 / 14 = 268.71 ~ 269 males
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