Abundance Estimation

I've worked on several large surveys, often in conjunction with John Guidice, the MNDNR's survey biometrician. Together, we've explored cost-precision tradeoffs involved in choosing a plot size in aerial surveys [2]. I've also worked with collaborators at Carleton College, to develop methods for modeling detection probabilities in conjunction with snow track surveys [3]. Recently, much of my time has been spent working with sightability models, including the development of a software package for program R [4]. We've applied these methods to moose in MN and mountain goats in Washington State [4-5]. In addition, we've discussed strategies for handling model uncertainty when building sightabilty models [5] and also the importance of accounting for correlation among stratum specific estimates [1]. In addition, we've recently developed a Bayesian model-based alternative that offers significant advantages when estimating trends from multi-year surveys [7, 8].  Lastly, I've worked with colleagues at the National Marine Fisheries Service to develop approaches to estimating fish abudance from underwater camera surveys [9], and I led a project aimed at developing cost-effective methods for surveying zebra mussels in newly infected lakes [10].

1. Fieberg, J. and J. G. Giudice. 2008. Variance of strati.ed survey estimators with probability of detection adjustments. Journal of Wildlife Management 72:837-844.

2. Giudice, J. G., J. R. Fieberg, M. C. Zicus, D. P. Rave, and R. G. Wright. 2010. Constructing cost and precision functions for aerial quadrat surveys: a case of ring-necked ducks in Minnesota. Journal of Wildlife Management 74:342-349.

3. Aing, C., S. Halls, K. Oken, R. Dobrow, and J. Fieberg. 2011. A Bayesian hierarchical occupancy model for track surveys conducted in a series of linear, spatially correlated sites. Journal of Applied Ecology 48:1058-1517.

4. Fieberg, J. 2012. Estimating Population Abundance Using Sightability Models: R SightabilityModel Package. Journal of Statistical Software 51:1-20.

5. Jenkins, K. J., P. J. Happe, K. F. Beirne, R. A. Ho.man, P. C. Gri.n, W. T. Baccus, and J. Fieberg. 2012. Recent population trends in mountain goats in the Olympic mountains. Northwest Science 86:264-275.

6. Giudice, J., J. Fieberg, and M. Lenarz. 2012. Spending degrees of freedom in a poor economy: a case study of building a sightability model for Moose in northeastern Minnesota. Journal of Wildlife Management 76:75-87.

7. Fieberg, J., M. Alexander, S. Tse, and K. St. Clair.  2013.  Abundance estimation with sightability data: a Bayesian data augmentation approach.  Methods in Ecology and Evolution 4:854–864.

8. ArchMiller, A.A.,. R. Dorazio, K. St. Clair, and J. Fieberg. 2018. Time series sightability modeling of animal populations. Plos One.

9. Shertzer, K.W., Bacheler, N.M., Coggins, L.G. Jr., and J. Fieberg. 2016. Relating trap capture to abundance: A hierarchical state-space model applied to black sea bass (Centropristis striata).  ICES Journal of Marine Science 73:512-519.

10. Ferguson, J. M., McCartney, M. A., Blinick, N. S., Schroeder, L. and J. Fieberg. 2019.  Estimating densities of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in early invasions using distance sampling.  Freshwater Science.

Talk based on Aing et al. (2011) that never saw the light of day due to government shutdown:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/74681552/Otter%20Talk.pdf