I am simulating data and fitting an IHP model in secrdesign. I noticed that with a fixed population size (Ndist = "fixed") I can capture more individuals than the true population size. As such, the population estimates are much too high. Is there a way to remedy this?
Backing up, my goal is to simulate a stochastic detection process with different sampling layouts to determine the likelihood of each layout in censusing a small population of a critically endangered species (also looking at pop estimates) . I need to do this with spatial varying density. I would prefer to keep N as fixed, however, could consider D (thus N as well) as random from an IHP if for each simulation if I could know the true N within each simulation step.
thanks
cheers, brian