A new Bayesian method for nonparametric capture-recapture models in presence of heterogeneity

Luca Tardella

Biometrika, 2002, vol. 89, issue 4, 807-817

Abstract: The intrinsic heterogeneity of individuals is a potential source of bias in estimation procedures for capture-recapture models. To account for this heterogeneity in the model a hierarchical structure has been proposed whereby the probabilities that each animal is caught on a single occasion are modelled as independent draws from a common unknown distribution F. However, there is general agreement that modelling F by a simple parametric curve may lead to unsatisfactory results. Here we propose an alternative Bayesian approach that relies on a different parameterisation which imposes no assumption on the shape of F but drives the problem back to a finite-dimensional setting. Our approach avoids some identifiability issues related to such a recapture model while allowing for a formal Bayesian default analysis. Results of analyses of computer simulations and of real data show that the method performs well. Copyright Biometrika Trust 2002, Oxford University Press.

Date: 2002
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:oup:biomet:v:89:y:2002:i:4:p:807-817

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://academic.oup.com/journals

Access Statistics for this article

Biometrika is currently edited by Paul Fearnhead

More articles in Biometrika from Biometrika Trust Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, UK.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Oxford University Press ().