================================================================================
  README — MULTI-SPECIES SAMPLE DATA
  For the Line Transect Density Estimation Calculator
  Stats Unlock · statsunlock.com
================================================================================

FILE
----
multi-species-sample.csv


WHAT IS THIS DATA?
------------------
This is a simulated dataset of perpendicular detection distances from a line
transect wildlife survey in a temperate USA forest ecosystem. Five sympatric
wildlife species were surveyed simultaneously along the same transects. Each
row in the CSV is one detected animal (or detected group) and each column is
a different species.

All distances are measured in METERS — the standard unit for distance sampling.


SPECIES COVERED (5 columns)
---------------------------
  Column 1 | White-tailed Deer    | Ungulate, mixed forest
  Column 2 | Black Bear           | Large carnivore, forest edge / meadow
  Column 3 | Wild Turkey          | Ground bird, open woodland
  Column 4 | Coyote               | Mid-sized carnivore, open habitat
  Column 5 | Eastern Cottontail   | Small mammal, brushy cover

Each species has 50 detection distances, giving 250 total observations.


SURVEY CONTEXT (assumed parameters for the analysis)
----------------------------------------------------
  Total transect length (L)       : 80 km
  Truncation distance (w)         : 150 m
  Detection function              : Half-Normal (or Auto-Select AIC)
  Density output unit             : per km²  (or per mi² for USA reporting)
  Cluster size E(s)               : 1.5 (typical for mixed observation types)
  Confidence level                : 95%


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HOW TO USE THIS DATA WITH THE TOOL
================================================================================

STEP 1 — OPEN THE TOOL
----------------------
Open "line-transect-density-estimation.html" in your web browser
(Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari). No installation required.


STEP 2 — UPLOAD THE CSV
-----------------------
  1. Click the "📁 Upload CSV / Excel" tab.
  2. Click "Choose File" and select multi-species-sample.csv.
  3. The tool auto-detects the 5 column headers and 50 rows of numeric data.


STEP 3 — CHOOSE SURVEY MODE
---------------------------
After upload, the "Survey Mode for Upload" toggle appears.

Click "🦌🦊🐻 Multi-Species (multiple columns)" to enable multi-column selection.


STEP 4 — SELECT COLUMNS (SPECIES)
---------------------------------
Click each species column you want to analyze.
Selected columns turn GREEN. To deselect, click again.

You can pick any combination:
  - Just deer + bear (2 species)
  - All 5 species
  - Any subset that interests you

The preview table at the bottom highlights selected columns in green and
shows the species count summary, e.g.:

   "5 species selected: White-tailed Deer (50) · Black Bear (50) · ..."


STEP 5 — APPLY THE SELECTION
----------------------------
Click "✓ Use Selected Columns" — the tool will:
  - Switch to multi-species mode
  - Create one species group per selected column
  - Name each group after its CSV header
  - Pre-fill each group's textarea with that column's distances

The view automatically jumps back to the "📝 Paste / Type Data" tab where
you can verify the data loaded correctly.


STEP 6 — CONFIGURE THE SURVEY
-----------------------------
Scroll to "⚙️ Survey Configuration" and enter:

   Study Area / Site Name    : e.g., "Great Smoky Mountains National Park"
   Total Transect Length (L) : 80
   Distance Units            : kilometers (km)
   Truncation Distance (w)   : 150
   Detection Function        : Half-Normal   (or Auto-Select AIC)
   Density Output Unit       : per km²       (or per mi² for USA agencies)
   Cluster Size              : 1.5
   Confidence Level          : 95%


STEP 7 — RUN THE ANALYSIS
-------------------------
Click "▶ Run Line Transect Analysis".

The tool will calculate, for EACH species and for the COMMUNITY:

  • Effective Strip Width (ESW)
  • Detection probability (P_a)
  • Animal density D̂  (with 95% confidence interval)
  • Standard error and coefficient of variation
  • Encounter rate (n/L)
  • Community-level totals (sum of D̂ across species)
  • Shannon diversity H' and Pielou evenness J' from density proportions
  • Dominant species (Berger-Parker)
  • AIC ranking (if auto-select was used)


STEP 8 — EXPLORE THE RESULTS
----------------------------
Review:

  📊 Summary Cards           : headline density + sample size + ESW + P_a
  📋 Detailed Results Table  : every species, every parameter
  📈 Multi-Species Panel     : community-level metrics + per-species
                               density table sorted by D̂ (rank 1–5)
  📊 Four Visualizations     : click any chart to download as 16:9 PNG
                               (publication-ready, 2560 × 1440 px)
  🧭 Detailed Interpretation : 5-paragraph plain-language interpretation
  ✍️ How to Write Your Results: 5 ready-to-copy reporting templates
                               (journal, thesis, policy brief, conference,
                               LTER monitoring report)
  🪧 Research Poster Panel   : full poster sections auto-filled
  🎯 Detailed Conclusion     : 4-section conclusion with management
                               implications


STEP 9 — EXPORT THE REPORT
--------------------------
Two buttons at the bottom of the Results section:

  📋 Download Doc  → plain-text .txt report
  🖨️ Download PDF → opens print dialog, save as PDF

Each of the 4 charts can also be downloaded individually as a
publication-quality PNG (just click the chart).


================================================================================
WHAT YOU WILL SEE (EXPECTED RESULTS)
================================================================================
With the recommended settings above (L=80 km, w=150 m, half-normal, per km²,
cluster=1.5), the analysis will yield approximate density estimates similar to:

  Species              n     ESW (m)   P_a       Density D̂ (per km²)
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------
  White-tailed Deer    50    ~46       ~0.31     ~10
  Black Bear           50    ~57       ~0.38     ~8
  Wild Turkey          50    ~35       ~0.23     ~13
  Coyote               50    ~73       ~0.48     ~6
  Eastern Cottontail   50    ~14       ~0.09     ~33
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------
  COMMUNITY TOTAL      250                       ~70 per km²

Exact values will vary slightly depending on chosen detection function and
truncation distance.


================================================================================
NOTES ON THE DATA
================================================================================

• Distances are simulated to illustrate REALISTIC ecological variation
  in detectability across species — they are not from a single real survey.

• Each species' distance distribution was designed so that its fitted
  detection function reflects its known field detectability:
    - Cottontails: tight cluster near 0 (cryptic, small)
    - Coyotes:     long detections (open habitat, large body)
    - Deer/Bear:   wide range with shoulder near the line
    - Turkey:      moderate range, ground-cover behaviour

• Use this dataset to test all tool features:
    - Multi-species community density calculation
    - Per-species detection function fitting
    - AIC model selection across 8 detection functions
    - Chart export (4 PNGs at 16:9, publication-ready)
    - Full report PDF and DOC export
    - Research poster auto-fill


================================================================================
TROUBLESHOOTING
================================================================================

Q: The mode toggle didn't appear after I uploaded the CSV.
A: Make sure your browser supports modern JavaScript. Refresh and re-upload.

Q: My columns are highlighted blue instead of green.
A: You're in Single-Species upload mode. Click "🦌🦊🐻 Multi-Species" first.

Q: I get a "need at least 5 detections" error for one species.
A: Some species had values truncated. Try a larger w (e.g., 200 m) or pick
   different species columns.

Q: The downloaded PNG has cut-off labels.
A: Re-run the analysis once, then click the chart. The export uses a fresh
   high-resolution render — make sure JavaScript is enabled and the chart
   has loaded before clicking.


================================================================================
CITATION
================================================================================

If you use this tool or this sample dataset in a publication or report,
please cite:

   Stats Unlock. (2026). Line Transect Density Estimation Calculator.
   https://statsunlock.com

And the foundational distance sampling reference:

   Buckland, S. T., Anderson, D. R., Burnham, K. P., Laake, J. L.,
   Borchers, D. L., & Thomas, L. (2001). Introduction to Distance Sampling.
   Oxford University Press.


================================================================================
SUPPORT
================================================================================

Tool documentation, additional sample datasets, and other free ecology /
wildlife / statistics calculators are available at:

   https://statsunlock.com

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                          End of README
================================================================================
