Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Genotyping Validates The Efficacy Of Photographic Identification In A Capture-Mark-Recapture Study Based On The Head Scale Patterns Of The Prairie Lizard (Sceloporus Consobrinus), Sarah A. Tomke, Chris J. Kellner

Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate Research

Population studies often incorporate capture‐mark‐recapture (CMR) techniques to gather information on long‐term biological and demographic characteristics. A fundamental requirement for CMR studies is that an individual must be uniquely and permanently marked to ensure reliable reidentification throughout its lifespan. Photographic identification involving automated photographic identification software has become a popular and efficient noninvasive method for identifying individuals based on natural markings. However, few studies have (a) robustly assessed the performance of automated programs by using a double‐marking system or (b) determined their efficacy for long‐term studies by incorporating multi‐year data. Here, we evaluated the performance of the program Interactive Individual …