Explain how the method of mark and recapture works to determine population size

Answer and explanation;Mark and recapture is one of the method that is used by scientists or ecologists to estimate the population size of organisms in a given habitat or area. The method starts by capturing a portion of animal population, then marking it and releasing it. Then, after some time another portion of the animals or a set of the members in the population is captured and those that are marked among the capture portion are counted. The ecologists also determines the ratio of the marked and the unmarked. A mathematical equation is then used to determine the population estimate; that is

      N = MC/R

Where; N is the population size estimate,

            M is the total number of organisms captured and marked during                                 the first time,

             C is the total number captured the second time, and

             R is number of marked organisms recaptured during the second time.