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Geology topics

J.E. Hines

Publications and source records attributed to J.E. Hines.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
USGS1997

Capture-recapture survival models taking account of transients

The presence of transient animals, common enough in natural populations, invalidates the estimation of survival by traditional capture- recapture (CR) models designed for the study of residents only. Also, the study of transit is interesting in itself. We thus develop here a class of CR models to describe the presence of transients. In order to assess the merits of this approach we examme the bias of the traditional survival estimators in the presence of transients in relation to the power of different tests for detecting transients. We also compare the relative efficiency of an ad hoc approach to dealing with transients that leaves out the first observation of each animal. We then study a real example using lazuli bunting (Passerina amoena) and, in conclusion, discuss the design of an experiment aiming at the estimation of transience. In practice, the presence of transients is easily detected whenever the risk of bias is high. The ad hoc approach, which yields unbiased estimates for residents only, is satisfactory in a time-dependent context but poorly efficient when parameters are constant. The example shows that intermediate situations between strict 'residence' and strict 'transience' may exist in certain studies. Yet, most of the time, if the study design takes into account the expected length of stay of a transient, it should be possible to efficiently separate the two categories of animals.

Biometrics↗
USGS1997

The loss rates of web tags applied to day-old Anas and Aythya ducklings

Researchers studied the loss rate of web tags on Anas and Aythya ducklings by double marking day-old ducklings of five species with web tags and plasticine-filled rings. Tag loss was examined over three-month, one-year, and three-year periods. Web tag loss was greatest for Anas and occurred mostly in the first three months following tagging.

Wildfowl↗
USGS1996

A resource conservative procedure for comparison of dose-response relationships

The evaluation of effects of toxicants on a wildlife community can be complicated by varying responses among the community's constituent populations. Even within populations, considerable variability in dose-response relations may result from different avenues of exposure to the toxicant. Full-scale investigations of the dose-response relations among a variety of species and avenues of exposure can therefore be prohibitively expensive, whether this expense is measured by the number of experimental animals needed, by the human resources committed to the study, or by laboratory expenses. We propose an abbreviated protocol for investigations of multiple dose-response relations that is designed to limit these expenses. The protocol begins with the judicious choice of a baseline dose-response relation to be estimated by a full-scale study involving a minimum of five doses levels, with 10 subjects per dose level. This relation is then used as the basis for rapid screening of subsequent dose-response relations, which are compared to the baseline relation by testing for differences in the median effective dosages. These secondary studies can consist of as few as 14 animals exposed to the estimated median lethal concentration from the baseline study. We describe MS-DOS-compatible software available from the authors that can be used to analyze these data.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗
USGS1996

Age-specific survival and philopatry in three species of European ducks: A long-term study

Capture-recapture and band recovery models were used to estimate age-specific survival probabilities for female Northern Shovelers (Anas clypeata), Common Pochards (Aythya ferina), and Tufted Ducks (Aythya.fuligula) at Engure Marsh, Latvia, in 1964-1993. We banded more than 65,100 day-old ducklings of both sexes and captured 10,211 incubating females (3,713 new bandings and 6,498 recaptures). We developed a set of 3-age capture-recapture models to estimate annual survival rates for female ducklings, yearlings (SY), and adults (ASY) using programs SURGE and SURVIV and selected parsimonious models using a method developed bv Akaike (1973). Survival rates of SY and ASY females were highest-for Tufted Ducks intermediate for Common Pochards, and lowest for Northern Shovelers. Survival rates of SY and ASY females varied in parallel for shovelers and pochards. We believe that much of the difference in survival estimates between SY and ASY birds was caused by mortality rather than permanent emigration. Estimates of day-old duckling survival, reflecting both mortality and permanent emigration, were 0.12 for shoveler, 0.06 for pochard, and 0.03 for Tufted Duck. For all species, duckling survival varied over years, but the pattern of variation was not similar to that of the other age classes. Estimates of survival using band recovery data for SY + ASY female pochards and Tufted Ducks were similar to the capture-recapturee stimates, suggestingt hat surviving females returned to the breeding marsh with probabilities approaching 1.

Condor↗
USGS1994

Sources of variation in loss rates of color bands applied to adult roseate terns ( Sterna dougallii ) in the western North Atlantic

A model-based analysis was done to test several hypotheses concerning the rates of loss of butt-ended color bands placed on adult Roseate Terns ( Sterna dougallii ) in the western North Atlantic. These birds were captured and color banded from 1987-1991 at four colony sites, and recaptured from 1989-1992 as part of a study of the population dynamics of this species. Two types of color bands, Darvic and celluloid, were used, but only one band type was used for each individual bird. Each bird was given three color bands. The estimated probability that a bird with all color bands present during one breeding season still had all color bands during the next breeding season was 0.87. The analysis provided no evidence that colony site, cohort, calendar year of banding, age of color band, or whether or not the bands were heat-sealed closed, were important sources of variation in band-retention probabilities.

The Auk↗
USGS1993

The estimation of exchanges among populations or subpopulations

Capture-recapture methods for estimating rates of immigration, emigration, and movement among geographic strata are reviewed. We discuss likelihood-based estimation methods under models incorporating Markovian and non-Markovian movement. We briefly describe a computer program developed by Brownie et al. (1992) to carry out the necessary estimation and testing.

Book chapter↗
USGS1993

Survival rate estimation in the presence of tag loss using joint analysis of capture-recapture and resighting data

Studies using resightings of marked birds typically make use of readily-observable tags that are not retained as well as metal legbands. We review methods for estimating survival rate with open capture-recapture / resighting models when tag loss is not negligible. All methods rely on data from double-banding studies, usually carried out as part of the resighting study by application of metal legbands to all birds marked with alternative markers. When tag loss is homogeneous, the methods of Arnason and Mills (1981) and Pollock (1981) can be used. When rates of tag loss depend on time since marking, then a cohort approach can be used and is similar to the methods appropriate for homogeneous tag loss. In addition, Kremers (1987) and Nichols et al. (1992) developed models for the joint analysis of recapture and resighting data in the presence of tag loss. We emphasize the importance of obtaining recapture data in observation-based studies in which tag loss is likely to be a problem. We discuss the allocation of effort to recaptures and resightings for such studies.

Book chapter↗
USGS1992

Comparative productivity of American black ducks and mallards nesting on Chesapeake Bay Islands

The authors estimated laying dates, clutch sizes, and nest success rates of sympatrically breeding populations of American black ducks (Anas rubripes ) and mallards (Anas platyrhynchos ) on Chesapeake Bay islands between 1986 and 1989. Neither average laying date nor clutch size differed between black ducks and mallards. Nest success rates were higher for mallards in 2 of 4 years, but were area dependent.

Canadian Journal of Zoology↗
USGS1992

The relationship between annual survival rate and migration distance in mallards: An examination of the time-allocation hypothesis for the evolution of migration

Predictions of the time-allocation hypothesis were tested with several a posteriori analyses of banding data for the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). The time-allocation hypothesis states that the critical difference between resident and migrant birds is their allocation of time to reproduction on the breeding grounds and survival on the nonbreeding grounds. Residents have higher reproduction and migrants have higher survival. Survival and recovery rates were estimated by standard band-recovery methods for banding reference areas in the central United States and central Canada. A production-rate index was computed for each reference area with data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service May Breeding Population Survey and July Production Survey. An analysis of covariance was used to test for the effects of migration distance and time period (decade) on survival, recovery, and production rates. Differences in migration chronology were tested by comparing direct-recovery distributions for different populations during the fall migration. Differences in winter locations were tested by comparing distributions of direct recoveries reported during December and January. A strong positive relationship was found between survival rate, and migration distance for 3 of the 4 age and sex classes. A weak negative relationship was found between recovery rate and migration distance. No relationship was found between production rate and migration distance. During the fall migration, birds from the northern breeding populations were located north of birds from the southern breeding populations. No pattern could be found in the relative locations of breeding and wintering areas. Although our finding that survival rate increased with migration distance was consistent with the time-allocation hypothesis, our results on migration chronology and location of wintering areas were not consistent with the mechanism underlying the time-allocation hypothesis. Neither this analysis nor other recent studies of life-history characteristics of migratory and resident birds supported the timeallocation hypothesis.

Canadian Journal of Zoology↗
USGS1991

Population dynamics of American dog ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) along park trails

We conducted a mark–recapture study in which drag-collected ticks were removed from some park trails weekly from April to July. Weekly survival rates (probability of surviving and remaining on the trails) were significantly lower on trails used heavily by hikers, horses, and pets than on trails used less frequently. Although usage was the only obvious difference among these trails, differences in weekly survival rate estimates may be attributable to differential success in acquiring hosts. The estimated probability of capturing a host-seeking tick located along a trail on a single drag was 0.20 on the drag alone, and 0.25 including the person dragging. When routes parallel to the trails and of equal lengths were dragged immediately after sampling the trails, only ≍5% as many ticks (including ticks on the person dragging) were found off the trails as on them. We found no evidence of reduced tick numbers on removal trails, but this result should be considered inconclusive because the power of the discerning test was low. However, the data reported here provide insights into turnover rates of the adult Dermacentor variabilis population and effectiveness of the drag as a sampling device.

Environmental Entomology↗
USGS1991

Factors affecting winter distribution and migration distance of wood ducks from southern breeding populations

We used direct band-recovery records of Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) banded 1 April-15 September (1960-1987) in the southern and southeastern reference areas of Bowers and Martin (1975) to test whether winter distribution and migration distance were age- and sex-specific. Effects of variation in early-autumn temperature and precipitation conditions on winter distribution patterns also were studied. Latitude and longitude of winter band recoveries did not differ by age and sex in the southern reference area; but adult Wood Ducks tended to migrate shorter distances than young. In the southeastern reference area, recovery distributions of males and females also did not differ; but adults were distributed north and east of young birds, and migrated shorter distances. We predicted that Wood Ducks would move farther south in winter when early-autumn (October-November) temperature and spring-summer (April-September) precipitation were below normal. Adults were recovered farther south when precipitation was below average, but deviations from average temperatures were not associated with winter distribution. Young Wood Ducks occurred farther south when rainfall in spring-summer was less than normal and when average November temperature was colder than normal. We conclude that winter distributions of male and female Wood Ducks did not differ, but that adults migrated shorter distances than young. Variation in winter distribution was associated with early-autumn habitat suitability.

Condor↗
USGS1990

American woodcock winter distribution and fidelity to wintering areas

We examined winter distribution and fidelity to wintering areas for the American Woodcock ( Scolopax minor ), which exhibits reversed, sexual size dimorphism. Band-recovery data revealed no difference in winter distributions of different age/sex classes for woodcock from the same breeding ares. Similarly, band recoveries from woodcock banded on wintering grounds revealed no difference in fidelity to wintering sites. Males may winter north of a latitude that is optimal for survival based on physiological considerations, but they gain a reproductive advantage if they are among the first to arrive on the breeding grounds. This may explain our results, which indicate males and females have similar distribution patterns during winter.

The Auk↗
USGS1990

Capture-recapture estimation of prebreeding survival rate for birds exhibiting delayed maturation

Many species of seabirds exhibit delayed maturity and do not return to the natal colony to breed for several years after fledging. Capture-recapture studies are frequently conducted at such breeding colonies and often include marking of young birds. However, because of the absence of these birds from the natal colony during the first few years after banding, the data do not fit neatly into existing capture-recapture models. Here we present a method for estimating prebreeding survival rate from capture-recapture studies on species exhibiting such patterns of delayed maturation. We illustrate the method using data from a capture-recapture study of Roseate Terns (Sterna dougallii ) on Falkner Island, Connecticut. The method appears to work well and emphasizes the potential to tailor capture-recapture models to specific field situations.

Journal of Field Ornithology↗