Inferring species extinction: the use of sighting records. Issue 6 (23rd March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Boakes, Elizabeth H.; Rout, Tracy M.; Collen, Ben; Hodgson, David
• Is Part Of: Methods in ecology and evolution. Volume 6:Issue 6(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 678
• Page End: 687
• Publication Date: 2015-03-23
• Subjects: Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1111/2041-210X.12365
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2041-210X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="mee312365-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p> <list id="mee312365-list-0001" list-type="order"> <list-item> <p>Accurate measures of extinction are needed in biodiversity monitoring and conservation management, but ascertaining the exact time at which a species became extinct is difficult since a small population may go undetected for many years.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>For little‐studied species, often the only information available is historical sighting data. Several statistical tests have been developed which use this information to make inferences about a species' extinction. The increasing array of methods can present a daunting choice.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>We review the more frequently cited methods, for each model explaining its assumptions, the data required, the scenarios it was developed for and power considerations, if known. We provide guidance on selecting the most appropriate method for a particular sighting record.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>We give examples from the literature to show how the methods have been usefully applied across conservation research, informing conservation decision‐making and extinction inference.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> </abstract>