Which of the following is the most important assumption for the mark-recapture method to estimate the size of wildlife populations?
A) More individuals emigrate from, as opposed to immigrate into, a population.
B) Over 50% of the marked individuals were trapped during the recapture phase.
C) There is a 50:50 ratio of males to females in the population before and after trapping and recapture.
D) Marked individuals have the same probability of being recaptured as unmarked individuals during the recapture phase.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This assumption ensures that there is no bias in the recapture of marked individuals, allowing for an accurate estimation of the population size.  A, B, and C are not as important for the accuracy of the mark-recapture method.

Which of the Following Is the Most Important Assumption for the Mark-Recapture