Instructions for Creating and Using Detection Histories
- Basic Settings
- Species Selection:
- Choose target species from dropdown menu
- Only species present in record table are shown
- Occasion Length:
- Define the length of sampling occasions in days
- Maximum length depends on total survey duration
- Consider species behavior and survey design when choosing length
- Output Type:
- Binary (0/1): Records detection/non-detection in each occasion
- Count: Records number of detections in each occasion
- Binary typically used for occupancy models
- Day 1 Definition:
- Survey: Start all stations from first day of overall survey
- Station: Start each station from its own setup date
- Affects how occasions are aligned across stations
- Output Components
- Summary Statistics:
- Total number of records for selected species
- Number of detections in detection history
- Number of stations with detections
- Percentage of occasions with detections
- Detection History Plot:
- Left panel: Detection matrix (0/1 or counts)
- Right panel: Camera operation/effort matrix
- Rows represent stations
- Columns represent sampling occasions
- Color intensity indicates detection/effort values
- unmarkedFrame Summary:
- Shows structure of data formatted for unmarked package
- Includes number of sites and occasions
- Lists available covariates
- Displays observation model type
- Export Options
- Detection History:
- Export raw detection history matrix
- Includes both detection and effort matrices
- Useful for custom analyses or verification
- unmarkedFrame:
- Export formatted data ready for occupancy modeling
- Includes all necessary components for analysis: detection history, site covariates, observation covariate 'effort'
- Can be used directly with unmarked or ubms package functions
Notes:
- Detection histories form the basis for occupancy modeling
- Missing values (NA) occur when cameras were not operational
- Ensure sufficient detections for reliable model estimation
- Check camera operation matrix for adequate survey effort
- Binary format appropriate for most single-season occupancy models