1
|
Allen ML, Avrin AC, Wittmer HU, Wang Y, Wilmers CC. Mesocarnivores vary in their spatiotemporal avoidance strategies at communications hubs of an apex carnivore. Oecologia 2024; 204:805-813. [PMID: 38564073 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05541-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Mesocarnivores face interspecific competition and risk intraguild predation when sharing resources with apex carnivores. Within a landscape, carnivores across trophic levels may use the same communication hubs, which provide a mix of risks (injury/death) and rewards (gaining information) for subordinate species. We predicted that mesocarnivores would employ different strategies to avoid apex carnivores at shared communication hubs, depending on their trophic position. To test our prediction, we examined how different subordinate carnivore species in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, USA, manage spatial overlap with pumas (Puma concolor), both at communication hubs and across a landscape-level camera trap array. We estimated species-specific occurrence, visitation rates, temporal overlap, and Avoidance-Attraction Ratios from camera traps and tested for differences between the two types of sites. We found that mesocarnivores generally avoided pumas at communication hubs, and this became more pronounced when pumas scent-marked during their most recent visit. Coyotes (Canis latrans), the pumas' closest subordinate competitor in our system, exhibited the strongest avoidance at communication hubs. Gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) avoided pumas the least, which may suggest possible benefits from pumas suppressing coyotes. Overall, mesocarnivores exhibited various spatiotemporal avoidance strategies at communication hubs rather than outright avoidance, likely because they benefit from information gained while 'eavesdropping' on puma activity. Variability in avoidance strategies may be due to differential predation risks, as apex carnivores often interact more aggressively with their closest competitors. Combined, our results show how apex carnivores trigger complex species interactions across the entire carnivore guild and how trophic position determines behavioral responses and subsequent space use of subordinate mesocarnivores across the landscape.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian L Allen
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, 1816 S. Oak Street, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA.
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, 1102 S. Goodwin, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Alexandra C Avrin
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, 1102 S. Goodwin, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Heiko U Wittmer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P. O. Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Yiwei Wang
- Environmental Studies Department, Center for Integrated Spatial Research, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Christopher C Wilmers
- Environmental Studies Department, Center for Integrated Spatial Research, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Nicvert L, Donnet S, Keith M, Peel M, Somers MJ, Swanepoel LH, Venter J, Fritz H, Dray S. Using the multivariate Hawkes process to study interactions between multiple species from camera trap data. Ecology 2024; 105:e4237. [PMID: 38369779 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Interspecific interactions can influence species' activity and movement patterns. In particular, species may avoid or attract each other through reactive responses in space and/or time. However, data and methods to study such reactive interactions have remained scarce and were generally limited to two interacting species. At this time, the deployment of camera traps opens new opportunities but adapted statistical techniques are still required to analyze interaction patterns with such data. We present the multivariate Hawkes process (MHP) and show how it can be used to analyze interactions between several species using camera trap data. Hawkes processes use flexible pairwise interaction functions, allowing us to consider asymmetries and variations over time when depicting reactive temporal interactions. After describing the theoretical foundations of the MHP, we outline how its framework can be used to study interspecific interactions with camera trap data. We design a simulation study to evaluate the performance of the MHP and of another existing method to infer interactions from camera trap-like data. We also use the MHP to infer reactive interactions from real camera trap data for five species from South African savannas (impala Aepyceros melampus, greater kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros, lion Panthera leo, blue wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus and Burchell's zebra Equus quagga burchelli). The simulation study shows that the MHP can be used as a tool to benchmark other methods of interspecific interaction inference and that this model can reliably infer interactions when enough data are considered. The analysis of real data highlights evidence of predator avoidance by prey and herbivore-herbivore attraction. Lastly, we present the advantages and limits of the MHP and discuss how it can be improved to infer attraction/avoidance patterns more reliably. As camera traps are increasingly used, the multivariate Hawkes process provides a promising framework to decipher the complexity of interactions structuring ecological communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Nicvert
- Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, LBBE, UMR 5558, CNRS, VAS, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Sophie Donnet
- Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR MIA Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau, France
| | - Mark Keith
- Eugène Marais Chair of Wildlife Management, Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mike Peel
- Agricultural Research Council, Animal Production Institute, Rangeland Ecology, Pretoria, South Africa
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research Unit, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa
| | - Michael J Somers
- Eugène Marais Chair of Wildlife Management, Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lourens H Swanepoel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Jan Venter
- Department of Conservation Management, Faculty of Science, George Campus, Nelson Mandela University, George, South Africa
- REHABS, International Research Laboratory, CNRS-NMU-UCBL, Nelson Mandela University, George, South Africa
| | - Hervé Fritz
- REHABS, International Research Laboratory, CNRS-NMU-UCBL, Nelson Mandela University, George, South Africa
- Sustainability Research Unit, Nelson Mandela University, George, South Africa
| | - Stéphane Dray
- Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, LBBE, UMR 5558, CNRS, VAS, Villeurbanne, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Patel SK, Ruhela S, Biswas S, Bhatt S, Pandav B, Mondol S. The cost of sympatry: spatio-temporal patterns in leopard dietary and physiological responses to tiger competition gradient in Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand, India. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad039. [PMID: 38026804 PMCID: PMC10660413 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Apex predators have critical roles in maintaining the structure of ecosystem functioning by controlling intraguild subordinate populations. Such dominant-subordinate interactions involve agonistic interactions including direct or indirect impacts on the subordinates. As these indirect effects are often mediated through physiological processes, it is important to quantify such responses to better understand population parameters. We used a large carnivore intraguild system involving tiger (Panthera tigris) and leopard (Panthera pardus) to understand the dietary and physiological responses under a spatio-temporal gradient of tiger competition pressures in Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR) between 2015 and 2020. We conducted systematic faecal sampling in the winters of 2015 and 2020 from the park to assess diet and physiological measures. Analyses of leopard-confirmed faeces suggest a dietary-niche separation as a consequence of tiger competition. In 2020, we found an increased occurrence of large-bodied prey species without tiger competition in western-RTR. Physiological measures followed the dietary responses where leopards with large-sized prey in the diet showed higher fT3M and lower fGCM measures in western-RTR. In contrast, eastern-RTR leopards showed lower levels of fT3M and fGCM in 2020, possibly due to intense competition from tigers. Overall, these patterns strongly indicate a physiological cost of sympatry where competition with dominant tigers resulted in elevated nutritional stress. We recommend expansion of leopard monitoring and population estimation efforts to buffers, developing appropriate plans for human-leopard conflict mitigation and intensive efforts to understand leopard population dynamics patterns to ensure their persistence during the ongoing Anthropocene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shiv Kumari Patel
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Sourabh Ruhela
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Suvankar Biswas
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Supriya Bhatt
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Bivash Pandav
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Samrat Mondol
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kinoshita K, Suzuki M, Sasaki Y, Yonezawa A, Kamitani H, Okuda R, Ishikawa T, Tsukui K, Kohshima S. Characteristics of urine spraying and scraping the ground with hind paws as scent-marking of captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). Sci Rep 2022; 12:15594. [PMID: 36114203 PMCID: PMC9481607 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19257-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfactory communication is common in felids. We observed two scent-markings, urine spraying and scraping the ground with hind paws during excretion, of 25 captive cheetahs. We analyzed the association of sniffing with the timing of urine spraying and scraping, and differences in these behaviors based on sex, age, and captive environment to understand the olfactory communication among cheetahs. Both scent-markings were strongly associated with sniffing, especially scraping, and the presence or absence of scent was thought to be a trigger. Both behaviors were observed only in adults; scraping was observed only in males. To our knowledge, this study was first to confirm the discharge of secretions from the anal glands during scraping. The frequencies of both behaviors were significantly higher in males kept in shared enclosures containing other individuals than in males kept in monopolized enclosures, while there was no difference in the frequencies among females. Female cheetahs are solitary and have non-exclusive home range, whereas male cheetahs are either solitary or live in coalition groups and there are territorial and non-territorial males. Our results could be attributed to the differences in sociality between the sexes and effect of the living environment.
Collapse
|
5
|
Wemer N, Naude VN, Merwe VC, Smit M, Lange G, Komdeur J. Successful predatory‐avoidance behaviour to lion auditory cues during soft‐release from captivity in cheetah. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nynke Wemer
- Behavioral Physiology and Ecology Group Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen the Netherlands
| | - Vincent N. Naude
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Rondebosch South Africa
| | - Vincent C. Merwe
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Rondebosch South Africa
- Endangered Wildlife Trust Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Marna Smit
- Ashia Cheetah Conservation Paarl South Africa
| | - Gerhard Lange
- Kuzuko Lodge Private Game Reserve Greater Addo Area South Africa
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioral Physiology and Ecology Group Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ortiz-Jiménez L, Barja I. Surrounded by challenges: The simulated presence of competitors and predators modulates perianal secretion marking behaviour in the European mink (Mustela lutreola). Behav Processes 2021; 193:104508. [PMID: 34551363 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Animals face a variety of daily challenges to their reproduction and survival that can detect in time through to the environment cues. By using an individual focal sampling, we evaluated the variations in the time devoted to the perianal secretion marking behaviour (PSMB) of European mink when they were exposed to the simulated presence of conspecifics and two potential predators. Model results indicated that males and adult individuals dedicated more time to PSMB than females and subadults. The presence of conspecifics increased PSMB time only in adult and males, probably as an intrasexual territorial competence response. The heightened decrease in PSMB time in presence of a dog suggests an innate response due to the detection of volatile substances from faeces of carnivorous. In addition, simulated conspecific presence increased PSMB in absence of odours (control) and with owl faeces. However, when facing dog faeces, the simulated conspecific presence had no effects on PSMB. Thus, minks seem to prioritize the imminent risk of predation to avoid being detected. The stimulation of PSMB in captivity by simulated cues from conspecifics and potential predators could be useful to facilitate the reintroduction of individuals into nature, as well as their adaptation and survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabel Barja
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Biodiversity and Global Change Research Center (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Cornhill KL, Kelly C, Kerley GIH. Lion reintroduction demonstrates that resident cheetah have a spatially reactive response to lion. Afr J Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina L. Cornhill
- Department of Zoology Centre for African Conservation Ecology Nelson Mandela University Gqeberha South Africa
| | | | - Graham I. H. Kerley
- Department of Zoology Centre for African Conservation Ecology Nelson Mandela University Gqeberha South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Gigliotti LC, Slotow R, Sholto-Douglas C, de Vos C, Jachowski DS. Short-term predation risk and habitat complexity influence cheetah antipredator behaviours. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
9
|
Verschueren S, Briers‐Louw WD, Cristescu B, Fabiano E, Nghikembua M, Torres‐Uribe C, Walker EH, Marker L. Spatiotemporal sharing and partitioning of scent‐marking sites by cheetahs and leopards in north‐central Namibia. Afr J Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stijn Verschueren
- Cheetah Conservation Fund Otjiwarongo Namibia
- Evolutionary Ecology Group University of Antwerp Antwerp Belgium
| | - Willem D. Briers‐Louw
- Cheetah Conservation Fund Otjiwarongo Namibia
- Zambeze Delta Conservation Marromeu Mozambique
| | | | - Ezequiel Fabiano
- Department of Wildlife Management and Ecotourism University of Namibia Katima Mulilo Namibia
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Visual analytics of sensor movement data for cheetah behaviour analysis. J Vis (Tokyo) 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12650-021-00742-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Current tracking technology such as GPS data loggers allows biologists to remotely collect large amounts of movement data for a large variety of species. Extending, and often replacing interpretation based on observation, the analysis of the collected data supports research on animal behaviour, on impact factors such as climate change and human intervention on the globe, as well as on conservation programs. However, this analysis is difficult, due to the nature of the research questions and the complexity of the data sets. It requires both automated analysis, for example, for the detection of behavioural patterns, and human inspection, for example, for interpretation, inclusion of previous knowledge, and for conclusions on future actions and decision making. For this analysis and inspection, the movement data needs to be put into the context of environmental data, which helps to interpret the behaviour. Thus, a major challenge is to design and develop methods and intuitive interfaces that integrate the data for analysis by biologists. We present a concept and implementation for the visual analysis of cheetah movement data in a web-based fashion that allows usage both in the field and in office environments.
Graphic abstract
Collapse
|
11
|
Cornhill KL, Kerley GI. Does Competition Shape Cheetah Prey Use Following African Wild Dog Reintroductions? AFRICAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.3957/056.050.0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina L. Cornhill
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa
| | - Graham I.H. Kerley
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|