Final answer:
The provided references do not include information about Pi's estimation of meerkats. The student's question cannot be answered accurately without additional context, and clarification from the student might be needed. Instead, information and an example of the "mark and recapture" method as applied to lemurs are provided.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question posed refers to an estimation methodology within population biology, which is a field of study that deals with issues related to species population sizes and distribution. The student seems to be asking about Pi's estimation of meerkats, which might be a reference to a fictional scenario. However, there is no information provided about Pi's estimation in any of the reference materials. Instead, the reference materials provided contain information regarding the biodiversity of Pacific islands, and a discussion on a population estimation technique known as "mark and recapture." This method can indeed be used to estimate animal populations, like meerkats, by capturing a sample, marking them, releasing them, and then recapturing another sample to see how many marked individuals are found.
There is no way to accurately respond to the student's question about Pi's estimation of meerkats without more context. Therefore, as a tutor, one should seek clarification from the student or refer to the original text or source material that mentions Pi's estimations.
An example of the "mark and recapture" method provided in the reference, applied to lemurs, demonstrates an estimation of the lemur population. In this case, 37 lemurs were initially captured and marked, and upon recapturing 49 lemurs, 11 of which were marked, one can estimate the population size using the formula:
N = (number marked first catch) x (total number second catch) / (number marked second catch)
Applying this formula, the estimated lemur population size would be 37 x 49 / 11, giving an estimate of roughly 165 lemurs, rounded to the nearest whole number.