Demonstration of line transect methodologies to estimate urban gray squirrel density
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
Because studies estimating density of gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) have been labor intensive and costly, I demonstrate the use of line transect surveys to estimate gray squirrel density and determine the costs of conducting surveys to achieve precise estimates. Density estimates are based on four transacts that were surveyed five times from 30 June to 9 July 1994. Using the program DISTANCE, I estimated there were 4.7 (95% Cl = 1.86-11.92) gray squirrels/ha on the Clemson University campus. Eleven additional surveys would have decreased the percent coefficient of variation from 30% to 20% and would have cost approximately $114. Estimating urban gray squirrel density using line transect surveys is cost effective and can provide unbiased estimates of density, provided that none of the assumptions of distance sampling theory are violated.
- OSTI ID:
- 576843
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Management, Vol. 21, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: Nov-Dec 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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