The robust design for capture-recapture studies: analysis using program MARK

Collecting capture-recapture data under Pollock?s robust design provides an additional source of information on capture probability that can be used to provide less biased and more efficient estimates of population dynamics parameters. In addition, it can be used to estimate the probability of being available for capture, which in some cases (e.g., breeding proportion) has ecological significance. This phenomenon can be modeled as a completely random process, Markovian, or with temporary trap dependence. Analysis of this type of data is one of the options in program MARK. By using MARK the relationship between parameters and covariates can be modeled, and various approaches to goodness of fit, model selection, and model averaging can be implemented.