Estimates population size using the ratio of marked individuals recaptured in a second sample.
Lincoln index N = (M × n) / m, where M is marked in first sample, n total recaptured and m marked recaptured. Assumptions: no births, deaths or migration, marking doesn't affect survival, random mixing.
Marking must not harm or change behaviour. Mixing time is required. It works best for stable populations.
Remember: it estimates the population from the proportion of marked animals.
Estimates population size using the ratio of marked individuals recaptured in a second sample.
Mark-Release-Recapture is one of the 51 topics in Lab Methods & Biostatistics. It is rated Intermediate, so it suits learners who already know the core vocabulary. Related topics in this area include Sampling, Flow Cytometry, Statistical Power.
Estimating a snail population by painting shells.
Work through the Beginner topics in Lab Methods & Biostatistics first, such as Scientific Method, Hypothesis, Variables, then return to Mark-Release-Recapture. Intermediate topics assume the Beginner vocabulary.
The closest topics to Mark-Release-Recapture are Sampling, Flow Cytometry, Statistical Power, Bayesian Statistics. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Mark-Release-Recapture. To practise the whole of Lab Methods & Biostatistics, use the Lab Methods & Biostatistics quiz.
Mark-Release-Recapture: Estimates population size using the ratio of marked individuals recaptured in a second sample. Sampling: Selecting a representative subset of a population to study using methods such as random quadrats. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Sampling and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Lab Methods & Biostatistics quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
Selecting a representative subset of a population to study using methods such as random quadrats.
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