FormatDistData() question

[Thomas McLaren]

Hi,

I'm working with a point count data set that is organized as row-per-detection.  I'm using the FormatDistData() function to organize the detections for analysis.  In addition to distance, the data set also has a column for "count", to record multiple individuals detected together. Rows mostly have a count of 1 but occasionally the value is higher to represent flocks of birds etc.

Is there a way to incorporate the values in the "count" column into my call to FormatDistData()?

Thanks!

-Tom

--

Tom McLaren

(he/him)

Biologist

Point Count Program

Klamath Bird Observatory

PO Box 758

(512) 921-3014

Ashland, Oregon, 97520

[Jeffrey Royle]

hi Tom, 

 I'm afraid formatDistData does not accommodate that situation. But more importantly, the models in unmarked DO NOT accommodate non-independent detections so you should be careful with that.

 Having group detections is complicated because you might have to model group-size dependent detection and _also_ imperfect counting of group size so more complex models are needed. There are some Bayesian analysis papers out there on that (including in the AHM1 book, chapter 9).  Also of course Program Distance should handle these situations.

regards

andy

--
*** Three hierarchical modeling email lists ***
(1) unmarked (this list): for questions specific to the R package unmarked
(2) SCR: for design and Bayesian or non-bayesian analysis of spatial capture-recapture
(3) HMecology: for everything else, especially material covered in the books by Royle & Dorazio (2008), Kéry & Schaub (2012), Kéry & Royle (2016, 2021) and Schaub & Kéry (2022)
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "unmarked" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to unmarked+u...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/unmarked/CANxz2ECF4tZtmqi9NAx71CHBcj9rJnZ55-LGC11Kve7Xvh%3D-Ng%40mail.gmail.com.