E XE RCI S E 7

POPULATION SIZE
DETERMINATION BY
CAPTURE-MARK-
RECAPTURE METHOD
CAPTURE RECAPTURE METHOD
Estimate the size of the population
Mechanism
Capture of organisms
Marking a number of individuals in a natural population
Ribbon, marker, paint, etc.
Returning them to that population/environment (mixing)
Recapture of the organisms
CAPTURE RECAPTURE METHOD
C.J.G. Peterson (marine fishes)
F.C. Lincoln (waterfowl)
Petersen Index / Lincoln Index
= Estimated
Population Size
CAPTURE RECAPTURE METHOD
Example
Suppose you took 200 bats out of a forest having an
unknown number of bats, put leg bands on them, return
them to the forest and let them mix thoroughly. If you then
capture 250 bats from the forest and find 50 of them have
leg bands, what will be the estimated population size of the
bats?
Given: M= 200, T= 250, R= 50
Solution: N= M*T/R = (200)(250)/50 = 1000 bats
CAPTURE RECAPTURE METHOD
Assumptions
1. The marked animals are not affected (neither in behavior nor
life expectancy) by being marked and the marks will not be lost.
2. The marked animals become completely mixed in the
population.
3. The probability of capturing a marked animal is the same as
that of capturing any member of the population.
4. Sampling must be at discrete time intervals and the actual
time involved in taking the samples must be small in relation to
the total time.
5. The population is a closed one or, if not, immigration and
emigration can be measured or calculated.
6. There are no births or deaths in the period between sampling
or, if there are, allowance must be made for them.

E XE RCI S E 8
POPULATION AGE
DISTRIBUTION
POPULATION AGE DISTRIBUTION
Age structure, population pyramid
Distribution of people among various ages
Pre-reproductive, reproductive, post-reproductive
Indicates what may be expected in the future
because of the current reproductive status of
organisms