A stochastic compartmental model for migration of marine shrimp

This paper demonstrates the application of stochastic compartmental analysis to model migration of a marked population of white shrimp ( Penaeus setiferus) from an estuarine bay along the Texas coast. We first develop a stochastic continuous time Markov process model, and fit the model to time series data from a mark-recapture field experiment. We then illustrate the use of mean residence times and other related moments derived from the model in providing additional insight into the kinetics of shrimp migration. Finally, we suggest extensions to this approach and discuss the general applicability of the approach to other types of ecological questions dealing with animal movement and mortality.