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West L, Rafiq K, Converse SJ, Wilson AM, Jordan NR, Golabek KA, McNutt JW, Abrahms B. Droughts reshape apex predator space use and intraguild overlap. J Anim Ecol 2024. [PMID: 39367545 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 10/06/2024]
Abstract
Droughts are increasing in frequency and severity globally due to climate change, leading to changes in resource availability that may have cascading effects on animal ecology. Resource availability is a key driver of animal space use, which in turn influences interspecific interactions like intraguild competition. Understanding how climate-induced changes in resource availability influence animal space use, and how species-specific responses scale up to affect intraguild dynamics, is necessary for predicting broader community-level responses to climatic changes. Although several studies have demonstrated the ecological impacts of drought, the behavioural responses of individuals that scale up to these broader-scale effects are not well known, particularly among animals in top trophic levels like large carnivores. Furthermore, we currently lack understanding of how the impacts of climate variability on individual carnivore behaviour are linked to intraguild dynamics, in part because multi-species datasets collected at timescales relevant to climatic changes are rare. Using 11 years of GPS data from four sympatric large carnivore species in southern Africa-lions (Panthera leo), leopards (Panthera pardus), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) and cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)-spanning 4 severe drought events, we test whether drought conditions impact (1) large carnivore space use, (2) broad-scale intraguild spatial overlap and (3) fine-scale intraguild interactions. Drought conditions expanded space use across species, with carnivores increasing their monthly home range sizes by 35% (wild dogs) to 66% (leopards). Drought conditions increased the amount of spatial overlap between lions and subordinate felids (cheetahs and leopards) by up to 119%, but only lion-cheetah encounter rates were affected by these changes, declining in response to drought. Our findings reveal that drought has a clear signature on the space use of multiple sympatric large carnivore species, which can alter spatiotemporal partitioning between competing species. Our study thereby illuminates the links between environmental change, animal behaviour and intraguild dynamics. While fine-scale avoidance strategies may facilitate intraguild coexistence during periodic droughts, large carnivore conservation may require considerable expansion of protected areas or revised human-carnivore coexistence strategies to accommodate the likely long-term increased space demands of large carnivores under projected increases in drought intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh West
- Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Botswana Predator Conservation, Wild Entrust, Maun, Botswana
| | - Kasim Rafiq
- Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Botswana Predator Conservation, Wild Entrust, Maun, Botswana
| | - Sarah J Converse
- U.S. Geological Survey, Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences & School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Alan M Wilson
- Structure and Motion Lab, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK
| | - Neil R Jordan
- Botswana Predator Conservation, Wild Entrust, Maun, Botswana
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of BEES, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Krystyna A Golabek
- Botswana Predator Conservation, Wild Entrust, Maun, Botswana
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of BEES, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - J Weldon McNutt
- Botswana Predator Conservation, Wild Entrust, Maun, Botswana
| | - Briana Abrahms
- Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Botswana Predator Conservation, Wild Entrust, Maun, Botswana
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Norris D, Michalski F. Carnivore coexistence without competition: giant otters are more nocturnal around dens than sympatric neotropical otters. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17244. [PMID: 38590704 PMCID: PMC11000638 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Nocturnal activity of tropical otters is rarely reported. To date no studies have documented den use by sympatric giant (Pteronura brasiliensis) and neotropical otters (Lontra longicaudis). We used camera-traps to monitor den use by sympatric otters along an equatorial Amazonian river. Camera-traps provided evidence that giant otters were more nocturnal around dens than sympatric neotropical otters. Nocturnal activity was recorded in 11% of giant otter photos (n = 14 of 125 photos), but was recorded only once for neotropical otters. Den use by giant and neotropical otters overlapped spatially and temporally but not concurrently. We hypothesize that previously reported nocturnal activity in neotropical otters is facilitated by the absence or low density of giant otters. Our results also underscore the need to use complementary techniques together with den counts for monitoring otters as sympatric species can use the same dens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Norris
- Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macpá, Brazil
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Michalski
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
- Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapa, Brazil
- Pro-Carnivores Institute, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil
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Delgado‐Martínez CM, Kolb M, Pascual‐Ramírez F, Mendoza E. Differential utilization of surface and arboreal water bodies by birds and mammals in a seasonally dry Neotropical forest in southern Mexico. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10781. [PMID: 38034340 PMCID: PMC10682877 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Water availability significantly influences bird and mammal ecology in terrestrial ecosystems. However, our understanding of the role of water as a limiting resource for birds and mammals remains partial because most of the studies have focused on surface water bodies in desert and semi-desert ecosystems. This study assessed the use of two types of surface water bodies (waterholes and epikarst rock pools) and one arboreal (water-filled tree holes) by birds and mammals in the seasonally dry tropical forests of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in southern Mexico. We deployed camera traps in 23 waterholes, 22 rock pools, and 19 water-filled tree holes in this karstic region to record visits by small, medium, and large-bodied birds and mammals during the dry and rainy seasons. These cameras were set up for recording videos documenting when animals were making use of water for drinking, bathing, or both. We compared the species diversity and composition of bird and mammal assemblages using the different types of water bodies by calculating Hill numbers and conducting nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), indicator species, and contingency table analyses. There was a greater species richness of birds and mammals using surface water bodies than tree holes during both seasons. There were significant differences in species composition among bird assemblages using the different water bodies, but dominant species and diversity remained the same. Terrestrial and larger mammalian species preferentially used surface water bodies, whereas arboreal and scansorial small and medium mammals were more common in arboreal water bodies. These findings suggest that differences in water body characteristics might favor segregation in mammal activity. The different water bodies may act as alternative water sources for birds and complementary sources for mammals, potentially favoring species coexistence and increasing community resilience to environmental variation (e.g., fluctuations in water availability). Understanding how differences in water bodies favor species coexistence and community resilience is of great relevance from a basic ecological perspective but is also crucial for anticipating the effects that the increased demand for water by humans and climate change can have on wildlife viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M. Delgado‐Martínez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoUnidad de Posgrado, Edificio D, 1er PisoCiudad de MéxicoCoyoacánMexico
- Instituto de Geografía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCircuito exterior s/n, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoCoyoacánMexico
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos NaturalesUniversidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de HidalgoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Melanie Kolb
- Instituto de Geografía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCircuito exterior s/n, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoCoyoacánMexico
| | - Fermín Pascual‐Ramírez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y SustentabilidadUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Eduardo Mendoza
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos NaturalesUniversidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de HidalgoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
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Champagne PS, Pitman RL, Lescano J, Payne CJ. An unprecedented and unprovoked attack by a free‐ranging ocelot (
Leopardus pardalis
) in the Peruvian Amazon. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S. Champagne
- Acadia University Wolfville Nova Scotia Canada
- Amazon Rainforest Conservancy Orangeville Ontario Canada
| | | | - Jesús Lescano
- Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre (SERFOR) Lima Peru
| | - Carter J. Payne
- Alliance for Research and Conservation in the Amazon Puerto Maldonado Madre de Dios Peru
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Jaguars in the matrix: population, prey abundance and land-cover change in a fragmented landscape in western Mexico. ORYX 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605321001617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation threatens biodiversity worldwide, particularly affecting large-bodied species that require vast territories and move across long distances, including most large felids. The jaguar Panthera onca has lost more than half of its habitat throughout its range and its subpopulations are becoming isolated, making them susceptible to local extinction. Knowledge about the status of its subpopulations in highly fragmented environments is lacking but urgently needed. Using camera traps during 2019–2020, we estimated number of individuals, age classes and sex ratio, occupancy, relative abundance and density of jaguars in Nayarit, western Mexico. We also determined the relative abundance of potential prey and estimated the land-cover change rate during 1999–2019, using GIS. We found that a resident subpopulation of five adult females, two adult males and one cub, at a high density (5.3 individuals/100 km2), is supported by at least 14 wild prey species. Natural habitat in the area is rapidly decreasing because of expanding agriculture and shrimp farming: agricultural areas increased from 39 to 50% and mangroves decreased from 35 to 26% of the study area over 20 years. The high jaguar population density and the diversity and relative abundance of remaining wild prey are remarkable, considering that natural habitat in the area is highly fragmented, shrinking rapidly and embedded in a matrix of human-dominated land-cover types. Effective conservation actions are needed urgently, including the protection of patches with native vegetation, reforestation to maintain connectivity between these patches, and the involvement of local communities.
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Delgado‐Martínez CM, Cudney‐Valenzuela SJ, Mendoza E. Camera trapping reveals multispecies use of water‐filled tree holes by birds and mammals in a neotropical forest. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M. Delgado‐Martínez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria Coyoacán, Ciudad de México México
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo Morelia Michoacán México
- Instituto de Geografía Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria Coyoacán, Ciudad de México México
| | - Sabine J. Cudney‐Valenzuela
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Morelia Michoacán México
| | - Eduardo Mendoza
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo Morelia Michoacán México
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Powers JS, Carlo TA, Slade EM, Slik F. Biotropica
announces a new paper category: Natural History Field Notes. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer S. Powers
- Departments of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior and Plant and Microbial Biology University of Minnesota St. Paul MN USA
| | - Tomás A. Carlo
- Department of Biology The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA
| | - Eleanor M. Slade
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Ferry Slik
- Environmental and Life Sciences Universiti Brunei Darussalam Gadong Brunei
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