Outline7 marksChallenge
A conservation biologist is studying a population of a rare beetle species in a grassland. She catches 120 beetles, marks them with a small spot of non-toxic paint, and releases them back into the same area. One week later, she catches 150 beetles and finds that 30 of them are marked. The Lincoln index formula is: N = (M × C) / R, where N = estimated population size, M = number initially marked, C = total number caught in the second sample, and R = number of recaptured marked individuals.
With reference to this investigation, outline:
- the importance of random sampling when using the Lincoln index;
- two assumptions that must be satisfied for the Lincoln index to give a reliable estimate;
- how the biologist could assess the genetic variation within this beetle population as part of a broader assessment of biodiversity.