Site occupancy and abundance models for analyzing multiple-visit detection/nondetection data

We propose an enhanced site occupancy model for analyzing ecological detection/nondetection data obtained from multiple visits. The model distin guishes between abundance, occupancy, and detection probabilities. We allow for transient individuals through a community parameter, c, that characterizes the proportion of individuals fixed across visits. This parameterseamlessly transitions from the standard occupancy model (c = 0) to the N-mixture model (c = 1), enabling a more accurate analysis of site occupancydata. Through theoretical developments and simulation studies, we demonstrate how this model effectively addresses biases inherent in conventional approaches, particularly for c is not at 0 or 1. We apply the model to various datasets of mammal and bird species and compare it to current approaches.