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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.
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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
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Abstract
The conservation field is experiencing a rapid increase in the amount, variety, and quality of spatial data that can help us understand species movement and landscape connectivity patterns. As interest grows in more dynamic representations of movement potential, modelers are often limited by the capacity of their analytic tools to handle these datasets. Technology developments in software and high-performance computing are rapidly emerging in many fields, but uptake within conservation may lag, as our tools or our choice of computing language can constrain our ability to keep pace. We recently updated Circuitscape, a widely used connectivity analysis tool developed by Brad McRae and Viral Shah, by implementing it in Julia, a high-performance computing language. In this initial re-code (Circuitscape 5.0) and later updates, we improved computational efficiency and parallelism, achieving major speed improvements, and enabling assessments across larger extents or with higher resolution data. Here, we reflect on the benefits to conservation of strengthening collaborations with computer scientists, and extract examples from a collection of 572 Circuitscape applications to illustrate how through a decade of repeated investment in the software, applications have been many, varied, and increasingly dynamic. Beyond empowering continued innovations in dynamic connectivity, we expect that faster run times will play an important role in facilitating co-production of connectivity assessments with stakeholders, increasing the likelihood that connectivity science will be incorporated in land use decisions.
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Haidir IA, Macdonald DW, Wong WM, Lubis MI, Linkie M. Population dynamics of threatened felids in response to forest cover change in Sumatra. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236144. [PMID: 32785217 PMCID: PMC7423073 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss caused by deforestation is a global driver of predator population declines. However, few studies have focussed on these effects for mesopredator populations, particularly the cryptic and elusive species inhabiting tropical rainforests. We conducted camera trapping from 2009-11 and 2014-16, and used occupancy modelling to understand trends of Sumatran mesopredator occupancy in response to forest loss and in the absence of threats from poaching. By comparing the two survey periods we quantify the trend of occupancy for three sympatric felid species in the tropical rainforest landscape of Kerinci Seblat National Park. Between 2000 and 2014, forest loss across four study sites ranged from 2.6% to 8.4%. Of three threatened felid species, overall occupancy by Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) and Asiatic golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) remained stable across all four areas between the two survey periods, whilst marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) occupancy increased. In general occupancy estimates for the three species were: lower in lowland forest and increased to attain their highest values in hill forest, where they declined thereafter; increased further from the forest edge; positively correlated with distance to river, except for golden cat in the second survey where the relationship was negative; and, increased further from active deforestation, especially for clouded leopard in the second survey, but this was some 10-15km away. Our study offers fresh insights into these little known mesopredators in Sumatra and raises the practically important question of how far-reaching is the shadow of the encroachment and road development that typified this deforestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iding A. Haidir
- Kerinci Seblat National Park, Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Jambi, Indonesia
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, United Kingdom
| | - Wai-Ming Wong
- Panthera Foundation, New York, New York, United States of America
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | | | - Matthew Linkie
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
- Wildlife Conservation Society Indonesia Programme, Bogor, Indonesia
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Harihar A, Chanchani P, Borah J, Crouthers RJ, Darman Y, Gray TNE, Mohamad S, Rawson BM, Rayan MD, Roberts JL, Steinmetz R, Sunarto S, Widodo FA, Anwar M, Bhatta SR, Chakravarthi JPP, Chang Y, Congdon G, Dave C, Dey S, Durairaj B, Fomenko P, Guleria H, Gupta M, Gurung G, Ittira B, Jena J, Kostyria A, Kumar K, Kumar V, Lhendup P, Liu P, Malla S, Maurya K, Moktan V, Van NDN, Parakkasi K, Phoonjampa R, Phumanee W, Singh AK, Stengel C, Subba SA, Thapa K, Thomas TC, Wong C, Baltzer M, Ghose D, Worah S, Vattakaven J. Recovery planning towards doubling wild tiger Panthera tigris numbers: Detailing 18 recovery sites from across the range. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207114. [PMID: 30408090 PMCID: PMC6224104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
With less than 3200 wild tigers in 2010, the heads of 13 tiger-range countries committed to doubling the global population of wild tigers by 2022. This goal represents the highest level of ambition and commitment required to turn the tide for tigers in the wild. Yet, ensuring efficient and targeted implementation of conservation actions alongside systematic monitoring of progress towards this goal requires that we set site-specific recovery targets and timelines that are ecologically realistic. In this study, we assess the recovery potential of 18 sites identified under WWF's Tigers Alive Initiative. We delineated recovery systems comprising a source, recovery site, and support region, which need to be managed synergistically to meet these targets. By using the best available data on tiger and prey numbers, and adapting existing species recovery frameworks, we show that these sites, which currently support 165 (118-277) tigers, have the potential to harbour 585 (454-739) individuals. This would constitute a 15% increase in the global population and represent over a three-fold increase within these specific sites, on an average. However, it may not be realistic to achieve this target by 2022, since tiger recovery in 15 of these 18 sites is contingent on the initial recovery of prey populations, which is a slow process. We conclude that while sustained conservation efforts can yield significant recoveries, it is critical that we commit our resources to achieving the biologically realistic targets for these sites even if the timelines are extended.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jimmy Borah
- WWF-India, Assam, India
- WWF-Greater Mekong Program, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | | | - Yury Darman
- WWF-Russia, Amur branch, Vladivostok, Russia
| | | | | | | | - Mark Darmaraj Rayan
- WWF-Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Malaysia
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Meraj Anwar
- WWF-India, Terai Arc Landscape Office, Haldwani, Uttarakhand, India
| | | | | | - Youde Chang
- WWF-China, Changchun, Jilin Province, P. R. China
| | | | - Chittaranjan Dave
- WWF-India, Satpura Maikal Landscape Office, Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Soumen Dey
- WWF-India, Satpura Maikal Landscape Office, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Boominathan Durairaj
- WWF-India, Western Ghats Nilgiris Landscape Office, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Harish Guleria
- WWF-India, Terai Arc Landscape Office, Haldwani, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Mudit Gupta
- WWF-India Terai Arc Landscape Office, Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | - Bopanna Ittira
- WWF-India, Programme Office, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Jyotirmay Jena
- WWF-India, Satpura Maikal Landscape Office, Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | | | - Krishna Kumar
- WWF-India, Western Ghats Nilgiris Landscape Office, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Vijay Kumar
- WWF-India, Western Ghats Nilgiris Landscape Office, Bhavanisagar, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Peiqi Liu
- WWF-China, Changchun, Jilin Province, P. R. China
| | | | - Kamlesh Maurya
- WWF-India Terai Arc Landscape Office, Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carrie Stengel
- WWF-Tigers Alive Initiative, Washington-D.C., United States of America
| | | | | | - Tiju C. Thomas
- WWF-India, Western Ghats Nilgiris Landscape Office, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
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