On the sampling design of spatially explicit integrated population models

It is important to understand metapopulation dynamics and underlying demographic processes in heterogeneous landscapes. Traditionally demographic parameters are estimated using capture-recapture data that can be difficult to collect. Spatially explicit dynamic N-mixture models allow inference for demographic parameters, including dispersal, using count data of unmarked animals, but these models have only been shown effective under constant demographic parameters and dispersal between adjacent local populations.

In this study I aimed to compensate the weakness of spatially explicit dynamic N-mixtures and multistate capture-recapture models by jointly analyzing count and capture-recapture data. This spatially explicit integrated population model allows for spatiotemporal variation of demographic parameters in relation to environmental and density covariates and dispersal between any local populations. I conducted simulations to evaluate this model (1) for species with distinct life his...