PAHANG CAMPUS BRANCH

Faculty of Applied Sciences

AS120

INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY
BIO330

LABORATORY REPORT
Experiment 3: Capture-Recapture Techniques
(Catch Me If You Can!)

PREPARED BY PREPARED FOR

SHAWN RIZAL BIN DR AIDA

AHMAD FADZIL BAHARUDDIN

2018659262

AS1204I

DATE OF SUBMISSION

11TH MAY 2020

Experiment 2: Capture-Recapture Techniques
(Catch Me If You Can!)

Introduction

The capture-recapture technique is used to estimate the population size of an animal. This
technique is applied by ecologists when it is almost impossible to count every individual of an
animal population. An example of the application is when marine ecologists are required to
monitor the large populations of different fish. The general procedure usually involves
recapturing of marked individuals released during the first capture. The markings on animals
are usually ink-based and must be harmless. The information attained from this process
enables ecologists to examine the population size. By applying statistical approach such as
by introducing the Lincoln-Peterson Index to the capture-recapture technique, the population
size can be calculated from the fixed sample. This experiment intends to illustrate the capture-
recapture technique using beans and plastic cups to emulate frogs and their wetlands habitat
respectively.

Objective

To perform the capture-recapture technique to estimate the population of “frogs.”

Materials

Plastic cups, dry soybeans and marker pens.

Procedure

1. A handful of beans were placed into a plastic cup.

2. The number of beans in the cup was then roughly estimated. The data was recorded.
3. To emulate the first capture attempt and marking process, a small amount of beans
were removed from the cup. Each removed beans were marked using a marker pen
on both of its surfaces, dorsoventrally. The number of marked beans was recorded.
4. To emulate the releasing process, the marked beans were returned back into the
plastic cup filled with unmarked beans.
5. The cup, now containing both marked and unmarked beans, were mixed thoroughly.
6. To emulate the second capture attempt, a small amount of beans were removed from
the cup again. From the mixture of marked and unmarked beans, the number of
marked beans recovered were counted and recorded.
7. Steps 3 to 7 were repeated for another nine times.
8. From the emulation experiment, the following were used to represent:
• Dry soybeans – frogs
• Plastic cups – wetlands
9. All data was recorded into a table.
Result

Estimation of the number of soybeans in the plastic cup = 100

Number of marked soybeans in the first capture attempt = 28

Data Table

Recapture Sample Number of Recaptured Number of Recaptured

Number Beans Marked Beans

1 35 7
2 32 9
3 28 5
4 30 6
5 36 9
6 31 5
7 30 6
8 34 7
9 33 5
10 29 4

Sum 318 63

Average 31.8 6.3

Calculation

Sum of recaptured = 35 + 32 + 28 + 30 + 36 + 31 + 30 + 34 + 33 + 29
beans

= 318

Sum of recaptured = 7 + 9 + 5 + 6 + 9 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 5 + 4
marked beans

= 63

∑ 𝑥𝑖
Average, 𝑥 = 𝑖=1

Average number Average number

318 63
of recaptured = of recaptured =
10 10
beans marked beans

= 31.8 = 6.3
Analysis

Based on the Lincoln-Peterson Index:

M∙S where,
N=
R
N = Population size estimate
M = Marked individual released
M
N= S = Size of second sample
R
( S ) R = Marked animal recaptured

By deriving the formula above, the estimated population value can be attained:

Population Number of marked soybeans in the first capture attempt

=
size estimate Average number of recaptured marked beans
( )
Average number of recaptured beans

28
=
6.3
(31.8)

= 141.3 ≈ 𝟏𝟒𝟏 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬

Next, the actual number of soybeans (frogs) in the cup (wetlands) is found to be: 153
Finally, to find the percentage error of the estimated figure, the following formula is used:

Experimental value − Actual value

Relative error (%) = | | × 100%
Actual value

141.3 − 153
= | | × 100%
141.3

= 𝟕. 𝟔%
Discussion

The experiment was performed to demonstrate the efficacy of the capture-recapture technique
in estimating the population size of a specific animal residing in a habitat. This technique has
two underlying assumptions. First, no migration is occurring. Second, the distribution of
marked versus unmarked animals are even.

It is observed in ecology that various factors can influence the change in population
size, including migration and mortality rates. Hence, the estimated population size may be
greater or even lower than the actual value since it is merely an approximation of the actual
value at a given time. Based on the experimental analysis, the estimated population size is
approximately 141 individuals, whilst the actual value is 153. The relative error of the
experimental value calculated is merely 7.6%, below 10%, which confirms this technique’s
efficacy. Realistically speaking, however, the actual population size of any species is never
fixed or in other words, dynamic, as stated before.

It is also important to note that in each attempt to repeat the experiment, the mixture
of the marked and unmarked soybeans must be mixed thoroughly. This is in order to make
the distribution even, so it does not make any individual, be it marked or unmarked, more or
less likely to be recaptured. In the experiment, the soybeans are used to represent “frogs” and
the plastic cup is used to represent the “wetlands” they are currently populating. The
experiment is simply an emulation aimed to demonstrate the capture-recapture using such
analogies.

To elaborate more on the factors influencing the population dynamics, the population
size can fluctuate dramatically due to these interactions. Fecundity rates at a given time of a
species may increase the birth rate, and hence increasing the population size. An increase in
the mortality rate caused by unprecedented abiotic element, for example, an earthquake, will
cause a decline in the current population size. In this experiment, these variables were omitted
to add more clarity on the technical aspect of the capture-recapture technique.

Conclusion

The capture-recapture technique can be used to estimate the population of “frogs” on

“wetlands” by emulating the technique using soybeans and plastic cups.
References

Campbell, N. A. (2009). Biology: Concepts & Connection (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Campbell, N. A. (2014). Campbell Biology (9th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
CK-12: Biology Concepts. (2020, May 7). 6.17: Population Size, Density, and Distribution.
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Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. (n.d.). Capture-Mark-Recapture Science. Retrieved from
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https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/capture-mark-recapture-science?qt-
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