Model-based prediction in ecological surveys including those with incomplete detection

This paper explores and develops model-based predictors for surveys of plants and wildlife including those with incomplete detection. The methodology allows for estimating a detection function to account for objects which were not detected at the time of the survey. The model-based theory utilises generalized linear models (GLMs) and is either new or adapted from other areas of sampling. A simulation study is used to validate the estimators and comparisons are made with an integrated likelihood approach. An aerial survey of kangaroos in western New South Wales is used to illustrate the theory. The area within 50m of the aircraft is treated as a strip transect and mark-recapture methods are used to estimate the detection function.