Line Transect Sampling of Primates: Can Animal-to-Observer Distance Methods Work?

Authors: Buckland, Stephen¹; Plumptre, Andrew²; Thomas, Len³; Rexstad, Eric³

Source: International Journal of Primatology, Volume 31, Number 3, June 2010 , pp. 485-499(15)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

Line transect sampling is widely used for estimating abundance of primate populations. Researchers commonly use animal-to-observer distances (AODs) in analysis, in preference to perpendicular distances from the line, which is in marked contrast with standard practice for other applications of line transect sampling. We formalize the mathematical shortcomings of approaches based on AODs, and show that they are likely to give strongly biased estimates of density. We review papers that claim good performance for the method, and explore this performance through simulations. These confirm strong bias in estimates of density using AODs. We conclude that AOD methods are conceptually flawed, and that they cannot in general provide valid estimates of density.

Keywords: animal-to-observer distances; distance sampling; estimating primate density; Kelker strip; modified Kelker method; primate surveys

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10764-010-9408-4

Affiliations: 1: Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St. Andrews, The Observatory, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9LZ, UK, Email: steve@mcs.st-and.ac.uk 2: Wildlife Conservation Society, PO Box 7487, Kampala, Uganda 3: Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St. Andrews, The Observatory, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9LZ, UK

Publication date: 2010-06-01