Fundamentals of distance sampling
Estimating \(\widehat{P_a}\) with a pencil
This exercise is to familiarise you with distribution of perpendicular distances measured in a distance sampling survey. You will complete a histogram from tablular data provided.
Rather than using a computer, use your eye to fit a smooth function to the distribution depicted in the histogram. This forms the basis for estimating \(\widehat{P_a}\); computed as the ratio of the area under the fitted detection function to the area of the rectangle.
Subsequent calculations produce an estimate of the density of nests in the sampled region.
Lecture materials
Exercise materials
Exercise
This exercise does not involve use of the computer. Instead, you will be graphing the distribution of perpendicular detection distances. You will fit (using nothing but your eye), a detection function curve to the histogram of detection distances.
Supplemental materials
Nothing to add to first module
No supplement