Using Remote Cameras to Estimate Abundance and Occupancy of Multiple Species in Northwest Montana

Author

Karlynn Michele TellierFollow

Year of Award

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Wildlife Biology

Department or School/College

W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation

Committee Chair

Dr. Paul M. Lukacs

Commitee Members

Dr. Hugh Robinson, Dr. Sarah N. Sells, Dr. Kelly Proffitt

Keywords

remote cameras, random sampling, non-random sampling, multi-species, abundance, occupancy

Subject Categories

Population Biology

Abstract

Abundance and occupancy estimates are two important population parameters and monitoring methods for wildlife management. While methods exist to estimate abundance and occupancy separately, remote cameras are a non-invasive sampling method capable of simultaneously estimating both parameters. Remote cameras have the additional advantage of being able to observe multiple species within a community. We developed a single camera layout that estimates abundance of common species and low-density species using the space-to-event and instantaneous sampling estimators (Moeller et al. 2018). Our design included both random and non-random cameras to determine the effectiveness of the two sampling designs by comparing the bias and risk of the resulting abundance estimates. The use of non-random cameras resulted in a higher potential for biased estimates, which may increase the risk of detrimental consequences to management actions based on those estimates. While abundance estimates are the most informative method of monitoring populations, obtaining them is not always feasible with remote cameras, especially for low-density or cryptic species. Limited observations of multiple low-density carnivore species prevented us from obtaining abundance estimates. As a result, we estimated occupancy of our three carnivore species, mountain lions (Puma concolor), gray wolves (Canis lupus), and black bears (Ursus americanus), to obtain species distribution information. We investigated the effect of multiple competing hypotheses (prey preference, habitat, interspecific competition, and human disturbance) on carnivore distribution, to produce the best occupancy model for predicting species distributions based on known factors throughout our study area. Instead of considering the effects of our competing hypotheses separately, we found that a combination of factors from different hypotheses were most influential on carnivore distribution. Overall, both parameters obtained through remote cameras, abundance and occupancy, provided relevant management information for multiple species while only using a single survey methodology.

Recommended Citation

Tellier, Karlynn Michele, "Using Remote Cameras to Estimate Abundance and Occupancy of Multiple Species in Northwest Montana" (2024). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12417.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12417