Chapter 1 - Introduction

This chapter introduces the basic concepts of distance sampling via lecture. It also offers you the chance to sharpen your distance sampling skills with a pencil-and-paper exercise. You are also introduced to the distance sampling software, Distance, to analyse ducknest data.

You should give a thorough read of the preparation for course page, if you have not yet done so. This gives an overview of how to work with the material presented on this, and following pages.

Introduction to distance sampling

• Lecture video
• Lecture slides

Ducknest density analysis (manually)

• Exercise description
• Exercise instructions
  • Graph paper for use with exercise
• Narrative solution to manual ducknest analysis
• Exercise solution

Types of distance sampling

• Lecture video
• Lecture slides

Choosing a detection function

• Lecture video
• Lecture slides

Additional mathematical ways to think about line transects

• Lecture video
• Lecture slides

Further manual calculations with ducknest data

• Exercise description
• Exercise instructions
• Narrative solution to additional ducknest calculations
• Exercise solution

Introduction to Distance software

• Lecture video
• Lecture slides

Ducknest analysis using Distance software

• Exercise description
• Exercise instructions
  • Monte Vista Refuge ducknests Distance project zip file
• Narrative solution to computer analysis of duck nests
• Exercise solution
• Alternative method of analysing these data
  • Description of analysis of these data using R

Reference guide of terms and notation for distance sampling

• Useful notation and definitions

A recreational quiz to assess your understanding of this material

• The quiz is to help you determine how well you understand the material in this first chapter of the online workshop. It is self-assessed; no information about your performance is transmitted over the internet. The quiz is composed of several sections (seen down the left side of the page), each section related to a topic. You can take the quiz as many times as you wish. If you are already acquainted with distance sampling, you might take the quiz to assess your knowledge before you work through the lecture material.
• We are very interested to know your reaction to this quiz.
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  • Do you think the questions are too easy or too difficult?
  • Would you like more questions, if so, what types of questions would be useful?
• If you find errors in this quiz, please let us know