Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Estimating the Barents Sea polar bear subpopulation size. / Aars, J; Marques, Tiago A.; Andersen, M; Belikov, S; Boltunov, A; Buckland, Stephen Terrence; Wiig, O.
In: Marine Mammal Science, Vol. 25, No. 1, 01.2009, p. 35-52.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Estimating the Barents Sea polar bear subpopulation size
AU - Aars, J
AU - Marques, Tiago A.
AU - Andersen, M
AU - Belikov, S
AU - Boltunov, A
AU - Buckland, Stephen Terrence
AU - Wiig, O
PY - 2009/1
Y1 - 2009/1
N2 - A large scale survey was conducted in August 2004 to estimate the size of the Barents Sea polar bear subpopulation. We combined helicopter line transect distance sampling surveys in most of the survey area with total counts in small areas not suitable for distance sampling. Due to weather constraints we failed to survey some of the areas originally planned to be covered by distance sampling. For those, abundance was estimated using a ratio estimator, in which the auxiliary variable was the number of satellite telemetry fixes (in previous years). We estimated that the Barents Sea subpopulation had approximately 2650 (95% CI approx 1900 to 3600) bears. Given current intense interest in polar bear management due to the potentially disastrous effects of climate change, it is surprising that many subpopulation sizes are still unknown. We show here that line transect sampling is a promising method for addressing the need for abundance estimates.
AB - A large scale survey was conducted in August 2004 to estimate the size of the Barents Sea polar bear subpopulation. We combined helicopter line transect distance sampling surveys in most of the survey area with total counts in small areas not suitable for distance sampling. Due to weather constraints we failed to survey some of the areas originally planned to be covered by distance sampling. For those, abundance was estimated using a ratio estimator, in which the auxiliary variable was the number of satellite telemetry fixes (in previous years). We estimated that the Barents Sea subpopulation had approximately 2650 (95% CI approx 1900 to 3600) bears. Given current intense interest in polar bear management due to the potentially disastrous effects of climate change, it is surprising that many subpopulation sizes are still unknown. We show here that line transect sampling is a promising method for addressing the need for abundance estimates.
KW - Helicopter surveys
KW - Distance sampling
KW - Line transects
KW - Polar bears
KW - Barents Sea
KW - Subpopulation size
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=58349121746&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2008.00228.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2008.00228.x
M3 - Article
VL - 25
SP - 35
EP - 52
JO - Marine Mammal Science
JF - Marine Mammal Science
SN - 0824-0469
IS - 1
ER -
Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter
Research output: Book/Report › Book
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review of manuscripts
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review of manuscripts
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review of manuscripts
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review of manuscripts
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review of manuscripts
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
ID: 402002