- Title
- Estimates of sex ratio require the incorporation of unequal catchability between sexes
- Creator
- Pickett, Evan J.; Stockwell, Michelle P.; Pollard, Carla J.; Garnham, James I.; Clulow, John; Mahony, Michael J.
- Relation
- ARC.LP0989459
- Relation
- Wildlife Research Vol. 39, Issue 4, p. 350-354
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WR11193
- Publisher
- CSIRO Publishing
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2012
- Description
- Context: Estimates of the sex ratio of a population are a common summary statistic used for ecological studies and conservation planning. However, methods to determine the sex ratio often ignore capture probability, which can lead to a perceived bias in the sex ratio when the sexes are detected at different rates. Aims: To illustrate the bias from conventional count-based analysis methods for determining sex ratio by comparison with analytical methods that include capture probability. Methods: Closed-population mark–recapture analysis was used to determine the population size of each sex within a population of green and golden bell frogs (Litoria aurea). This was then compared with the traditional count-based methods of estimating sex ratio to determine the effect of incorporating capture probability on the sex ratio estimate. Key results. More males than females were detected during surveys, producing a male-biased sex ratio when there was no incorporation of capture probability. Mark–recapture results indicated a similar population size between the two sexes, suggesting that the sex ratio is closer to even. Conclusions: Methods to estimate sex ratio that incorporate capture probability can significantly reduce the bias obtained from count data. Implications: We suggest that population studies must incorporate capture probability to determine the sex ratio of a population.
- Subject
- Anuran; conservation; frog; Litoria aurea; mark-recapture; population; ecology
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1296748
- Identifier
- uon:19302
- Identifier
- ISSN:1035-3712
- Language
- eng
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