Sampling effort and its allocation in the Lincoln–Petersen experiment: A hierarchical approach

Chin, Su Na and Antony Overstall and Dankmar Bohning (2026) Sampling effort and its allocation in the Lincoln–Petersen experiment: A hierarchical approach. Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference, 241. pp. 1-12. ISSN 0378-3758

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Abstract

Capture-recapture methods are widely used for estimating population sizes in ecological and epidemiological studies, yet the optimal allocation of sampling effort often remains underexplored. This study explores sampling efforts in a hierarchical framework that subdivides each capture occasion in a Lincoln–Petersen experiment into multiple sub-occasions, allowing for flexible resource allocation. When detection probabilities are equal across occasions, an even split minimizes variance; when probabilities differ, maximizing the joint detection probability is essential. A pseudo-Bayesian approach is also proposed to address scenarios with unknown catchabilities. Detailed simulation studies validate the theoretical findings and demonstrate the framework’s robustness. The resulting guidelines offer practical insights for designing more efficient capture-recapture experiments and improving population size estimates.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Capture-recapture, Lincoln–Petersen estimator, Sampling effort, Variance estimation, Population size
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA1-939 Mathematics > QA273-280 Probabilities. Mathematical statistics Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301-705.5 Biology (General)
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Science and Natural Resources
Depositing User:	SITI AZIZAH BINTI IDRIS -
Date Deposited:	12 Aug 2025 10:54
Last Modified:	12 Aug 2025 10:54
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/44924

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