Approaches for the direct estimation of k , and demographic contributions to k , using capture - recapture data

We ® rst consider the estimation of the ® nite rate of population increase or population growth rate, k i , using capturerecapture data from open populations. We review estimation and modelling of k i under three main approaches to modelling openpopulation data: the classic approach of Jolly (1965) and Seber (1965), the superpopulation approach of Crosbie & Manly (1985) and Schwarz & Arnason (1996), and the temporal symmetry approach of Pradel (1996). Next, we consider the contributions of diþ erent demog raphic components to k i using a probabilistic approach based on the composition of the population at time i + 1 (Nichols et al., 2000b). The parameters of interest are identical to the seniority parameters, c i , of Pradel (1996). We review estimation of c i under the classic, superpopulation, and temporal symmetry approaches. We then compare these direct estimation approaches for k i and c i with analogues computed using projection matrix asymptotics. We also discuss various extensions of the estimation approaches to multistate applications and to joint likelihoods involving multiple data types.