Question

In using the capture-mark-recapture method, why would it be important for scientists to be familiar with the territorial range and migratory behavior of the species being studied?

a) To determine the species' natural habitat
b) To calculate the total population more accurately
c) To minimize the effect of environmental changes
d) To simplify the data collection process

Answer 1

In the capture-mark-recapture method, scientists must understand species' territorial and migratory behaviors to accurately calculate the total population and avoid skewed estimates.

Step-by-step explanation:

In using the capture-mark-recapture method, it is important for scientists to be familiar with the territorial range and migratory behavior of the species being studied in order to calculate the total population more accurately. Understanding the range and behavior ensures that the assumptions of the mark-recapture method hold true—that marked individuals have the same probability of being recaptured as unmarked individuals and that they mix uniformly with the rest of the population. If these assumptions are violated, for example, by marked individuals moving out of the area or by changes in the individual's behavior due to migration or territoriality, the population estimate could be significantly skewed. Therefore, knowledge of species distribution and movement patterns is critical for the method's accuracy.