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Franchini M, Atzeni L, Lovari S, Nasanbat B, Ravchig S, Herrador FC, Bombieri G, Augugliaro C. Spatiotemporal behavior of predators and prey in an arid environment of Central Asia. Curr Zool 2023; 69:670-681. [PMID: 37876635 PMCID: PMC10591146 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms of interactions between apex and smaller carnivores may range from competition to facilitation. Conversely, interactions between predators and prey are mainly driven by the prey reducing the likelihood of encounters with predators. In this study, we investigated (1) the spatiotemporal interactions between an apex (the snow leopard) and a meso-predator (the red fox), and (2) the temporal interactions between the snow leopard and its potential prey (Siberian ibex, argali, Asian wild ass, Tolai hare) through camera trapping in the Mongolian Great Gobi-A. The probability of occurrence for the red fox was higher in the presence of the snow leopard than in its absence. Moreover, the red fox activity pattern matched that of the snow leopard, with both species mostly active at sunset. This positive spatiotemporal interaction suggests that the presence of the snow leopard may be beneficial for the red fox in terms of scavenging opportunities. However, other explanations may also be possible. Amongst prey, the Siberian ibex and the argali were mainly active during the day, whereas the Asian wild ass and the Tolai hare were more nocturnal. These findings suggest that potential prey (especially the Siberian ibex and the argali) may shape their behavior to decrease the opportunity for encounters with the snow leopard. Our results have revealed complex interactions between apex and smaller predators and between apex predator and its potential prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Franchini
- Department of Research and Conservation, Wildlife Initiative Italia, Via Rovigo, 12, 31040 Pederobba (TV), Italy
- Department of Agri-Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Via Sondrio 2/A, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - Luciano Atzeni
- Department of Research and Conservation, Wildlife Initiative Italia, Via Rovigo, 12, 31040 Pederobba (TV), Italy
- Wildlife Institute, School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Sandro Lovari
- Maremma Natural History Museum, Grosseto, and Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Battogtokh Nasanbat
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Samiya Ravchig
- School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Giovanni Bombieri
- Department of Research and Conservation, Wildlife Initiative Italia, Via Rovigo, 12, 31040 Pederobba (TV), Italy
- World Biodiversity Association—C/o Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Lungadige Porta Vittoria, 9 37129 Verona, Italia
| | - Claudio Augugliaro
- Wildlife Initiative, Bayangol, 6th Khoroo, Micro District 10, Ulaanbaatar 210349, Mongolia
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Biophore, Quartier Sorge, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
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Chen Y, Liu B, Fan D, Li S. Temporal Response of Mesocarnivores to Human Activity and Infrastructure in Taihang Mountains, Central North China: Shifts in Activity Patterns and Their Overlap. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040688. [PMID: 36830475 PMCID: PMC9952777 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesocarnivores play essential roles in terrestrial ecosystems, but anthropocentric disturbances have profoundly transformed their intraguild interactions worldwide. In this study, we explored how a guild of four mesocarnivores (red fox Vulpes vulpes, leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis, Asian badger Meles leucurus, and hog badger Arctonyx collaris) partition their temporal niche in the temperate montane forests in North China under different human influences. We conducted a systemic camera-trapping survey on the study species in the central Taihang Mountains from 2016 to 2020. With an extensive survey effort of 111,063 camera-days from 187 camera stations, we obtained 10,035 independent detections of the four mesocarnivores and examined the activity patterns of each species under different levels of human disturbance and their overlaps. The results showed that, while the leopard cat and the badgers shifted their activity towards nocturnality, the red fox showed no significant change. The leopard cat's degree of nocturnality varied between growing and non-growing seasons, likely a response to avoid humans and other competitors. However, the activity overlaps between species pairs demonstrated no statistically significant difference, indicating a long-developed coexistence mechanism that is homogenous across the landscape. Demonstrating how mesocarnivores shift activity patterns in response to human risks while partitioning resources, this study enhances our understanding of mesocarnivore behavioral changes and interspecific interactions at human-nature interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Beibei Liu
- Chinese Felid Conservation Alliance, Beijing 101121, China
| | - Deqing Fan
- Tieqiaoshan Provincial Nature Reserve, Jinzhong 032704, China
| | - Sheng Li
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-10-6276-0522
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Bandyopadhyay M, Biswas S, Dasgupta T, Krishnamurthy R. Patterns of coexistence between two mesocarnivores in presence of anthropogenic disturbances in Western Himalaya. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:397. [PMID: 36781547 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11003-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Species' coexistence depends on species-specific resource utilization in a given habitat. Human disturbances in this context can constrain the realized niche by altering their community dynamics. In this study, we considered Western Himalaya as a case study to test the hypothesis that human disturbances influence mesocarnivore coexistence patterns. We regarded red fox and leopard cat as the focal species and assessed the coexistence patterns in low and high human disturbance areas in three dimensions: spatial, temporal, and dietary habit. We used camera trap detections and mitochondrial DNA-based species identification of fecal samples. We used generalized linear mixed-effect modelling (GLMM), activity overlap, Levin's niche breadth, and Pianka's overlap index to capture the spatial, temporal, and dietary interactions respectively. We found that red fox and leopard cat coexisted by spatial segregation in low human disturbance area, whereas dietary segregation was the means of coexistence in high human disturbance area. We observed a broader dietary breadth for red fox and a narrower for leopard cat in high human disturbance area. The altered coexistence pattern due to differential human disturbances indicates intensive anthropogenic activities adjacent to natural forests. It can link to increased opportunities for shared spaces between mesocarnivores and humans, leading to future disease spread and conflicts. Our study contributes to scant ecological knowledge of these mesocarnivores and adds to our understanding of community dynamics in human-altered ecosystems. The study elucidates the need for long-term monitoring of wildlife inhabiting interface areas to ensure human and wildlife coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghna Bandyopadhyay
- Department of Landscape Level Planning and Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Suvankar Biswas
- Department of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Tryambak Dasgupta
- Department of Landscape Level Planning and Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Ramesh Krishnamurthy
- Department of Landscape Level Planning and Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
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Dar JA, Bhat BA. Seasonal diet composition of Leopard (Panthera pardus) in and around Kazinag National Park, Kashmir, India. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-022-01242-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Zaman M, Roberts NJ, Zhu M, Vitekere K, Wang M, Jiang G. Temporal activity patterns of North China leopards and their prey in response to moonlight and habitat factors. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9032. [PMID: 35784060 PMCID: PMC9219109 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The nocturnal activities of predators and prey are influenced by several factors, including physiological adaptations, habitat quality and, we suspect, corresponds to changes in brightness of moonlight according to moon phase. In this study, we used a dataset from 102 camera traps to explore which factors are related to the activity pattern of North China leopards (Panthera pardus japonensis) in Shanxi Tieqiaoshan Provincial Nature Reserve (TPNR), China. We found that nocturnal activities of leopards were irregular during four different lunar phases, and while not strictly lunar philic or lunar phobic, their temporal activity was highest during the brighter moon phases (especially the last quarter) and lower during the new moon phase. On the contrary, roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) exhibited lunar philic activity, while wild boar (Sus scrofa) and tolai hare (Lepus tolai) were evidently lunar phobic, with high and low temporal activity during the full moon, respectively. In terms of temporal overlap, there was positive overlap between leopards and their prey species, including roe deer and tolai hare, while leopard activity did not dip to the same low level of wild boar during the full moon phase. Human activities also more influenced the temporal activity of leopards and wild boar than other species investigated. Generally, our results suggested that besides moonlight risk index (MRI), cloud cover and season have diverse effects on leopard and prey nocturnal activity. Finally, distinct daytime and nighttime habitats were identified, with leopards, wild boar, and tolai hare all using lower elevations at night and higher elevations during the day, while leopards and roe deer were closer to secondary roads during the day than at night.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Zaman
- Feline Research Center of China National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Nathan James Roberts
- Feline Research Center of China National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Mengyan Zhu
- Feline Research Center of China National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
- College of Life Science Yanan University Yanan China
| | - Kasereka Vitekere
- Feline Research Center of China National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
- University of Goma Goma Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Meng Wang
- Feline Research Center of China National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
- Chengdu Zoo Chengdu China
| | - Guangshun Jiang
- Feline Research Center of China National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
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Vitekere K, Wang J, Karanja H, Consolée KT, Jiang G, Hua Y. Dynamic in Species Estimates of Carnivores (Leopard Cat, Red Fox, and North Chinese Leopard): A Multi-Year Assessment of Occupancy and Coexistence in the Tieqiaoshan Nature Reserve, Shanxi Province, China. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1333. [PMID: 32752223 PMCID: PMC7459919 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife populations are spatially controlled and undergo frequent fluctuations in abundance and site occupation. A comprehensive understanding of dynamic species processes is essential for making appropriate wildlife management plans. Here, we used a multi-season model to describe the dynamics of occupancy estimates of the carnivores: North Chinese leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis, Gray, 1862), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis, Kerr, 1792), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes, Linnaeus, 1758) in the Tieqiaoshan Nature Reserve, Shanxi Province, China, over a three-year study period using camera traps data. The occupancy probability of the North Chinese leopard did not markedly change with time as the occupancy equilibrium was constant or slightly enhanced. The occupancy of the leopard cat decreased with time. The occupancy equilibrium of the red fox alternately increased and decreased. However, all species presented a slight level of occupancy stability due to their small values of the rate of change in occupancy. Environmental factor and anthropogenic disturbances slightly influenced the occupancy of all species and the colonization and extirpation probability of the red fox. The colonization and extirpation for all species were relatively more strongly affected by the distances to villages and roads. Moreover, elevation increased the colonization and decreased the extirpation for the leopard cat. Species interaction factors increased with time for all species. The North Chinese leopard and the leopard cat avoided each other. The leopard cat and the red fox independently co-occurred. There was true coexistence between the North Chinese leopard and the red fox. This research confirmed that environmental factors and human perturbations are vital factors to consider in wild carnivores' conservation and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasereka Vitekere
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Department of Natural Resources, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536-20115 Egerton, Kenya
| | - Jiao Wang
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Henry Karanja
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Tayna Center for Conservation Biology, University of Nature Conservation and Development at Kasugho, Goma 167, North-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Kahindo Tulizo Consolée
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Guangshun Jiang
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yan Hua
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization, Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
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