Mark-Recapture Sampling

Mark- Recapture Sampling

Analysis:

My estimate of the size of the pasta population was 220 pieces of pasta and the theoretical amount of pasta in the experiment was 560 pieces.  Therefore my estimate was far from the truth.  I think my estimate was  off because a group member offered an estimate of 250.  Therefore rather than thinking for myself I assumed they were right and based my estimate on their response rather than my own logic.

Ooops

Percentage Error:

When I took the theoretical number ( 560) and subtracted from it the experimental number ( 286) and then divided it by the theoretical of (560) I calculated a 49% percentage error.

Problems Ecologists may face:

When ecologists are studying animal populations they face problems like: animals removing their marking tag therefore distorting data, mortality because animals they have marked may become deceased, hunters killing tagged animals and animals from the general population interfere with ecologists,  immigration  because animals from other territories may join the group  therefore changing the population size, emigration because  marked individuals may join other groups.

Dolphins are able to help one another remove their tags

How to Improve my design:

I would improve my sampling design by using a tag that is more effective and noticeable so it is easily distinguishable when counting my sample population. I think that capturing and marking a higher amount of the population will give me more accurate results. I think that by using a measurement cup and filling it with pasta to the same point each time it would result in more accurate data rather than taking a different number of samples each time.