Estimating abundance of the remnant Apennine brown bear population using multiple noninvasive genetic data sources

摘要: Accurate and precise estimates of population size are critical for effective management but can be particularly difficult to achieve small populations large carnivores. We approached this challenge by integrating multiple noninvasive data sources into a DNA-based mark—recapture framework estimate the abundance endangered Apennine brown bear population. To improve sample coverage, we collected hair samples from June September 2011 concurrently using 4 sampling methods: intensive hair-snagging (forty-three 5×5-km cells five 12-day sessions) plus secondary methods (bear rub trees, alpine buckthorn aggregations, incidental sampling). Following marker selection based on tissue 55 bears, used 13 microsatellites (plus gender) quality assurance protocols identify multilocus genotypes samples. Huggins closed models in program MARK size, which allowed us account...