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Honiball T, Davis RS, Ntlokwana L, Venter JA. Lion lords and sharing hyaenas: Carnivore guild dynamics around elephant carcasses. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11373. [PMID: 38711489 PMCID: PMC11070635 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11373] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Megaherbivore carcasses represent sporadic but energetically rewarding resources for carnivores, offering a unique opportunity to study coexistence dynamics between facultative scavengers. South African fenced protected areas, such as Madikwe Game Reserve (Madikwe hereafter), host viable populations of large carnivores and high densities of elephants, Loxodonta africana. However, high carnivore densities can lead to potentially fatal interspecific encounters and increased competition, particularly around high-quality trophic resources. This study explores the temporal partitioning and co-detection strategies of carnivores at six elephant carcasses in Madikwe, aiming to understand how the increased carrion biomass available at elephant carcasses influences coexistence dynamics. Camera traps were deployed to monitor carcasses during two periods (2019 and 2020), revealing occurrences of six carnivore species. Carnivores, particularly black-backed jackals, Lupulella mesomelas, (hereafter jackal), lions, Panthera leo, and spotted hyaenas, Crocuta crocuta, comprised 56.7% of carcass observations, highlighting their pivotal roles in scavenging dynamics. Pairwise co-detection analysis demonstrated consistent association and shared peak activity periods between jackals and spotted hyaenas, indicating potential resource sharing. However, the minimal co-detection rates between lions and other carnivores highlight their resource domination. There was some evidence of temporal partitioning between carnivores, with most species exhibiting earlier peaks in nocturnal activity to avoid temporal overlap with lions. This study emphasises the importance of elephant carcasses in the diet of multiple species and coexistence techniques utilised to exploit this ephemeral resource. As fenced protected areas become crucial for conserving intact carnivore guilds globally, further research into carnivore behavioural adaptations at carcasses is recommended to shed light on their coexistence strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry‐Lee Honiball
- Department of Conservation Management, Natural Resource Science and Management Cluster, Faculty of ScienceNelson Mandela UniversityGeorgeSouth Africa
| | - Robert S. Davis
- Department of Conservation Management, Natural Resource Science and Management Cluster, Faculty of ScienceNelson Mandela UniversityGeorgeSouth Africa
| | - Liyabona Ntlokwana
- Department of Conservation Management, Natural Resource Science and Management Cluster, Faculty of ScienceNelson Mandela UniversityGeorgeSouth Africa
| | - Jan A. Venter
- Department of Conservation Management, Natural Resource Science and Management Cluster, Faculty of ScienceNelson Mandela UniversityGeorgeSouth Africa
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2
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Hayward MW, Mitchell CD, Kamler JF, Rippon P, Heit DR, Nams V, Montgomery RA. Diet selection in the Coyote Canis latrans. J Mammal 2023; 104:1338-1352. [PMID: 38059008 PMCID: PMC10697429 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyad094] [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: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Coyote (Canis latrans) is one of the most studied species in North America with at least 445 papers on its diet alone. While this research has yielded excellent reviews of what coyotes eat, it has been inadequate to draw deeper conclusions because no synthesis to date has considered prey availability. We accounted for prey availability by investigating the prey selection of coyotes across its distribution using the traditional Jacobs' index method, as well as the new iterative preference averaging (IPA) method on scats and biomass. We found that coyotes selected for Dall's Sheep (Ovis dalli), White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus), and California Vole (Microtus californicus), which yielded a predator-to-preferred prey mass ratio of 1:2. We also found that coyotes avoided preying on other small mammals, including carnivorans and arboreal species. There was strong concordance between the traditional and IPA method on scats, but this pattern was weakened when biomass was considered. General linear models revealed that coyotes preferred to prey upon larger species that were riskier to hunt, reflecting their ability to hunt in groups, and were least likely to hunt solitary species. Coyotes increasingly selected Mule Deer (O. hemionus) and Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) at higher latitudes, whereas Black-tailed Jackrabbit (L. californicus) were increasingly selected toward the tropics. Mule Deer were increasingly selected at higher coyote densities, while Black-tailed Jackrabbit were increasingly avoided at higher coyote densities. Coyote predation could constrain the realized niche of prey species at the distributional limits of the predator through their increased efficiency of predation reflected in increased prey selection values. These results are integral to improved understandings of Coyote ecology and can inform predictive analyses allowing for spatial variation, which ultimately will lead to better understandings about the ecological role of the coyote across different ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt W Hayward
- Conservation Science Research Group, College of Engineering, Science and the Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2207, Australia
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Tshwane X001, South Africa
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6213, South Africa
| | | | - Jan F Kamler
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX13 5QL, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Rippon
- School of Information and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2207, Australia
| | - David R Heit
- University of New Hampshire, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
| | - Vilis Nams
- Department of Plant, Food and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Campus, Dalhousie University, Truro, Nova Scotia B2N 5E3, Canada
| | - Robert A Montgomery
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX13 5QL, United Kingdom
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3
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Competitive interactions with dominant carnivores affect carrion acquisition of striped hyena in a semi-arid landscape of Rajasthan, India. MAMMAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-022-00663-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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4
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Way to big cats: Directional selection in body size evolution in living felids. J MAMM EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-022-09639-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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5
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Food availability alters community co-occurrence patterns at fine spatiotemporal scales in a tropical masting system. Oecologia 2022; 200:169-181. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05252-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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Malhotra R, Lima S, Harris NC. Temporal refuges of a subordinate carnivore vary across rural–urban gradient. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9310. [PMID: 36188497 PMCID: PMC9492470 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rumaan Malhotra
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
| | - Samantha Lima
- Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USA
| | - Nyeema C. Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab School of the Environment, Yale University New Haven Connecticut USA
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Sanglas A, Palomares F. Response of a mesocarnivore community to a new food resource: recognition, exploitation, and interspecific competition. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-022-01597-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMammalian carnivores with generalist feeding behaviour should trace and exploit new and predictable food resources quicker and more easily than more specialised species. On the other hand, if the new food resource is spatially and temporally predictable, interference or exploitation competition should arise among members of the carnivore guild, with the expectation that smaller species will not use the food resource or will change their foraging behaviour to avoid conflict with larger species. Here, we studied the response to a new food resource of a mammalian mesocarnivore community in south-western Iberian Peninsula. We installed artificial feeding points supplied with a novel food source and tracked them by camera trapping to investigate whether (1) the new artificial food resource was visited, recognised and exploited by the mesocarnivore guild species; (2) how frequently they used the food; and (3) in case of co-occurrence, if dominant species excluded or reduced the feeding options of subordinates. All target species except the badger recognised and exploited the novel food. More generalist species trended to visit feeding points more frequently and spent more time feeding than less generalist species, even though significant differences were not achieved in all cases. When co-occurring at the same feeding point, the arrival of larger species reduced either the visitation rates, feeding probability or time spent feeding of smaller species. Moreover, some smaller species showed a shift in their normal activity pattern at the feeding points when a larger competitor started to use the food source. Overall, we conclude that active avoidance combined with temporal segregation may help reduce agonistic interactions among competitors for shared resources.
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Pease BS, Pacifici K, Kays R, Reich B. What drives spatially varying ecological relationships in a wide‐ranging species? DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brent S. Pease
- Foresty Program Southern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois USA
| | - Krishna Pacifici
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA
| | - Roland Kays
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Raleigh North Carolina USA
| | - Brian Reich
- Department of Statistics North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA
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Karandikar H, Serota MW, Sherman WC, Green JR, Verta G, Kremen C, Middleton AD. Dietary patterns of a versatile large carnivore, the puma ( Puma concolor). Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9002. [PMID: 35784054 PMCID: PMC9240727 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Large carnivores play critical roles in terrestrial ecosystems but have suffered dramatic range contractions over the past two centuries. Developing an accurate understanding of large carnivore diets is an important first step towards an improved understanding of their ecological roles and addressing the conservation challenges faced by these species.The puma is one of seven large felid species in the world and the only one native to the non-tropical regions of the New World. We conducted a meta-analysis of puma diets across the species' range in the Americas and assessed the impact of varying environmental conditions, niche roles, and human activity on puma diets. Pumas displayed remarkable dietary flexibility, consuming at least 232 different prey species, including one Critically Endangered and five Endangered species.Our meta-analysis found clear patterns in puma diets with changing habitat and environmental conditions. Pumas consumed more larger-bodied prey species with increasing distance from the equator, but consumption of medium-sized species showed the opposite trend.Puma diets varied with their realized niche; however, contrary to our expectations, puma consumption of large species did not change with their trophic position, and pumas consumed more small prey and birds as apex predators. Consumption of domestic species was negatively correlated with consumption of medium-sized wild species, a finding which underscores the importance of maintaining intact native prey assemblages.The tremendous dietary flexibility displayed by pumas represents both an opportunity and a challenge for understanding the puma's role in ecosystems and for the species' management and conservation. Future studies should explore the linkages between availability and selection of primary and other wild prey, and consequent impacts on predation of domestic species, in order to guide conservation actions and reduce conflict between pumas and people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshad Karandikar
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management Mulford Hall University of California Berkeley California USA
| | - Mitchell W Serota
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management Mulford Hall University of California Berkeley California USA
| | - Wilson C Sherman
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management Mulford Hall University of California Berkeley California USA
| | - Jennifer R Green
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management Mulford Hall University of California Berkeley California USA
| | - Guadalupe Verta
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management Mulford Hall University of California Berkeley California USA
| | - Claire Kremen
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management Mulford Hall University of California Berkeley California USA.,Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada.,Department of Zoology Biodiversity Research Centre University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - Arthur D Middleton
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management Mulford Hall University of California Berkeley California USA
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Cristescu B, Elbroch LM, Forrester TD, Allen ML, Spitz DB, Wilmers CC, Wittmer HU. Standardizing protocols for determining the cause of mortality in wildlife studies. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9034. [PMID: 35784072 PMCID: PMC9219102 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9034] [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: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Mortality site investigations of telemetered wildlife are important for cause‐specific survival analyses and understanding underlying causes of observed population dynamics. Yet, eroding ecoliteracy and a lack of quality control in data collection can lead researchers to make incorrect conclusions, which may negatively impact management decisions for wildlife populations. We reviewed a random sample of 50 peer‐reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2019 on survival and cause‐specific mortality of ungulates monitored with telemetry devices. This concise review revealed extensive variation in reporting of field procedures, with many studies omitting critical information for the cause of mortality inference. Field protocols used to investigate mortality sites and ascertain the cause of mortality are often minimally described and frequently fail to address how investigators dealt with uncertainty. We outline a step‐by‐step procedure for mortality site investigations of telemetered ungulates, including evidence that should be documented in the field. Specifically, we highlight data that can be useful to differentiate predation from scavenging and more conclusively identify the predator species that killed the ungulate. We also outline how uncertainty in identifying the cause of mortality could be acknowledged and reported. We demonstrate the importance of rigorous protocols and prompt site investigations using data from our 5‐year study on survival and cause‐specific mortality of telemetered mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in northern California. Over the course of our study, we visited mortality sites of neonates (n = 91) and adults (n = 23) to ascertain the cause of mortality. Rapid site visitations significantly improved the successful identification of the cause of mortality and confidence levels for neonates. We discuss the need for rigorous and standardized protocols that include measures of confidence for mortality site investigations. We invite reviewers and journal editors to encourage authors to provide supportive information associated with the identification of causes of mortality, including uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Cristescu
- Environmental Studies Department University of California Santa Cruz California USA
| | | | - Tavis D. Forrester
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Wildlife Research La Grande Oregon USA
| | - Maximilian L. Allen
- Illinois Natural History Survey University of Illinois Champaign Illinois USA
| | - Derek B. Spitz
- Environmental Studies Department University of California Santa Cruz California USA
| | | | - Heiko U. Wittmer
- School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington Wellington New Zealand
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11
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Review of puma density estimates reveals sources of bias and variation, and the need for standardization. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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12
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Spatiotemporal co-occurrence of predators and prey in a neotropical mammal community in southern Mexico. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467422000189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions are one of the central themes in ecology due to their importance as a key mechanism in structuring biotic communities. In the predator-prey systems, the behaviours of persecution and avoidance impact on the ecosystem dynamics as much as the trophic interactions. We aimed to analyse the spatiotemporal co-occurrences between prey and predators in a community of medium- and large-sized mammals in southern Mexico. We predict prey will avoid sites where a predator previously passed. Contrarily, we expect a search behaviour by predators and a synchronization in activity patterns among them. We found prey does not occur either in time or space where predators have passed, suggesting an avoidance behaviour. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find significant search behaviours from predators to prey. Synchronization in the daily temporal overlap between predators was higher (Δ = 0.77–0.82) than with their prey (Δ = 0.43 – 0.81). The results suggest prey perceives the risk of predation and displays avoidance behaviour both spatially and temporally, which is consistent with the fear theory. This study provides a complementary approach to understanding the behaviour mechanism between predators and prey through camera-trapping or similar data of spatiotemporal co-occurrences.
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Cristescu B, Elbroch LM, Dellinger JA, Binder W, Wilmers CC, Wittmer HU. Kill rates and associated ecological factors for an apex predator. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00240-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractKill rates and functional responses are fundamental to the study of predator ecology and the understanding of predatory-prey dynamics. As the most widely distributed apex predator in the western hemisphere, pumas (Puma concolor) have been well studied, yet a synthesis of their kill rates is currently lacking. We reviewed the literature and compiled data on sex- and age-specific kill rate estimates of pumas on ungulates, and conducted analyses aimed at understanding ecological factors explaining the observed spatial variation. Kill rate studies on pumas, while numerous, were primarily conducted in Temperate Conifer Forests (< 10% of puma range), revealing a dearth of knowledge across much of their range, especially from tropical and subtropical habitats. Across studies, kill rates in ungulates/week were highest for adult females with kitten(s) (1.24 ± 0.41 ungulates/week) but did not vary significantly between adult males (0.84 ± 0.18) and solitary adult females (0.99 ± 0.26). Kill rates in kg/day differed only marginally among reproductive classes. Kill rates of adult pumas increased with ungulate density, particularly for males. Ungulate species richness had a weak negative association with adult male kill rates. Neither scavenger richness, puma density, the proportion of non-ungulate prey in the diet, nor regional human population density had a significant effect on ungulate kill rates, but additional studies and standardization would provide further insights. Our results had a strong temperate-ecosystem bias highlighting the need for further research across the diverse biomes pumas occupy to fully interpret kill rates for the species. Data from more populations would also allow for multivariate analyses providing deeper inference into the ecological and behavioural factors driving kill rates and functional responses of pumas, and apex predators in general.
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Brunet MJ, Monteith KL, Huggler KS, Clapp JG, Thompson DJ, Burke PW, Zornes M, Lionberger P, Valdez M, Holbrook JD. Cats and dogs: A mesopredator navigating risk and reward provisioned by an apex predator. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8641. [PMID: 35228863 PMCID: PMC8861835 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8641] [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: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Successfully perceiving risk and reward is fundamental to the fitness of an animal, and can be achieved through a variety of perception tactics. For example, mesopredators may "directly" perceive risk by visually observing apex predators, or may "indirectly" perceive risk by observing habitats used by predators. Direct assessments should more accurately characterize the arrangement of risk and reward; however, indirect assessments are used more frequently in studies concerning the response of GPS-marked animals to spatiotemporally variable sources of risk and reward. We investigated the response of a mesopredator to the presence of risk and reward created by an apex predator, where risk and reward likely vary in relative perceptibility (i.e., degree of being perceptible). First, we tested whether coyotes (Canis latrans) use direct or indirect assessments to navigate the presence of mountain lions (Puma concolor; risk) and kills made by mountain lions (reward) in an area where coyotes were a common prey item for mountain lions. Second, we assessed the behavioral response of coyotes to direct encounters with mountain lions. Third, we evaluated spatiotemporal use of carrion by coyotes at kills made by mountain lions. Indirect assessments generally outperformed direct assessments when integrating analyses into a unified framework; nevertheless, our ability to detect direct perception in navigating to mountain lion kills was likely restricted by scale and sampling limitations (e.g., collar fix rates, unsampled kill sites). Rather than responding to the risk of direct encounters with mountain lions, coyotes facilitated encounters by increasing their movement rate, and engaged in risky behavior by scavenging at mountain lion kills. Coyotes appear to mitigate risk by using indirect perception to avoid mountain lions. Our predator-predator interactions and insights are nuanced and counter to the conventional predator-prey systems that have generated much of the predation risk literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell J. Brunet
- Haub School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
- Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Haub School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
- Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
| | - Katey S. Huggler
- Haub School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
- Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
| | | | | | | | - Mark Zornes
- Wyoming Game and Fish DepartmentGreen RiverWyomingUSA
| | - Patrick Lionberger
- Bureau of Land ManagementRock Springs Field OfficeRock SpringsWyomingUSA
| | - Miguel Valdez
- Bureau of Land ManagementRock Springs Field OfficeRock SpringsWyomingUSA
| | - Joseph D. Holbrook
- Haub School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
- Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
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MacAulay KM, Spilker EG, Berg JE, Hebblewhite M, Merrill EH. Beyond the encounter: Predicting multi-predator risk to elk ( Cervus canadensis) in summer using predator scats. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8589. [PMID: 35222962 PMCID: PMC8843817 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8589] [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: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that prey perceive the risk of predation and alter their behavior in response, resulting in changes in spatial distribution and potential fitness consequences. Previous approaches to mapping predation risk across a landscape quantify predator space use to estimate potential predator-prey encounters, yet this approach does not account for successful predator attack resulting in prey mortality. An exception is a prey kill site that reflects an encounter resulting in mortality, but obtaining information on kill sites is expensive and requires time to accumulate adequate sample sizes.We illustrate an alternative approach using predator scat locations and their contents to quantify spatial predation risk for elk (Cervus canadensis) from multiple predators in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. We surveyed over 1300 km to detect scats of bears (Ursus arctos/U. americanus), cougars (Puma concolor), coyotes (Canis latrans), and wolves (C. lupus). To derive spatial predation risk, we combined predictions of scat-based resource selection functions (RSFs) weighted by predator abundance with predictions that a predator-specific scat in a location contained elk. We evaluated the scat-based predictions of predation risk by correlating them to predictions based on elk kill sites. We also compared scat-based predation risk on summer ranges of elk following three migratory tactics for consistency with telemetry-based metrics of predation risk and cause-specific mortality of elk.We found a strong correlation between the scat-based approach presented here and predation risk predicted by kill sites and (r = .98, p < .001). Elk migrating east of the Ya Ha Tinda winter range were exposed to the highest predation risk from cougars, resident elk summering on the Ya Ha Tinda winter range were exposed to the highest predation risk from wolves and coyotes, and elk migrating west to summer in Banff National Park were exposed to highest risk of encountering bears, but it was less likely to find elk in bear scats than in other areas. These patterns were consistent with previous estimates of spatial risk based on telemetry of collared predators and recent cause-specific mortality patterns in elk.A scat-based approach can provide a cost-efficient alternative to kill sites of quantifying broad-scale, spatial patterns in risk of predation for prey particularly in multiple predator species systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara M. MacAulay
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Eric G. Spilker
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Jodi E. Berg
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology ProgramDepartment of Ecosystem and Conservation SciencesW. A. Franke College of Forestry and ConservationUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
| | - Evelyn H. Merrill
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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16
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OUP accepted manuscript. J Mammal 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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17
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Variable strategies to solve risk-reward tradeoffs in carnivore communities. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2101614118. [PMID: 34429359 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101614118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesopredator release theory suggests that dominant predators suppress subordinate carnivores and ultimately shape community dynamics, but the assumption that subordinate species are only negatively affected ignores the possibility of facilitation through scavenging. We examined the interplay within a carnivore community consisting of cougars, coyotes, black bears, and bobcats using contemporaneous Global Positioning System telemetry data from 51 individuals; diet analysis from 972 DNA-metabarcoded scats; and data from 128 physical investigations of cougar kill sites, 28 of which were monitored with remote cameras. Resource provisioning from competitively dominant cougars to coyotes through scavenging was so prolific as to be an overwhelming determinant of coyote behavior, space use, and resource acquisition. This was evident via the strong attraction of coyotes to cougar kill sites, frequent scavenging of cougar-killed prey, and coyote diets that nearly matched cougars in the magnitude of ungulate consumption. Yet coyotes were often killed by cougars and used space to minimize encounters, complicating the fitness benefits gained from scavenging. We estimated that 23% (95% CI: 8 to 55%) of the coyote population in our study area was killed by cougars annually, suggesting that coyote interactions with cougars are a complex behavioral game of risk and reward. In contrast, we found no indication that bobcat space use or diet was influenced by cougars. Black bears avoided cougars, but there was no evidence of attraction to cougar kill sites and much lower levels of ungulate consumption and carcass visitation than for coyotes. Interspecific interactions among carnivores are multifaceted, encompassing both suppression and facilitation.
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18
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Palei HS, Pradhan T, Sahu HK, Nayak AK. Diet and activity pattern of leopard in relation to prey in tropical forest ecosystem. MAMMALIA 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2021-0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Understanding the predator–prey relationship is essential for implementing effective conservation management practices on threatened species. Leopard is a threatened apex mammalian predator that plays a crucial role in ecosystem functions in India’s tropical forest. We assessed the diet and activity pattern of leopards in relation to their prey using diet analysis and camera trapping data from Similipal Tiger Reserve, eastern India. Our results indicated that leopard prefers medium-sized prey such as wild pig, common langur and barking deer represented 60% of the total biomass consumed collectively. Results of 6413 camera trap night in 187 locations revealed that leopards showed cathemeral activity pattern and exhibited positive co-occurrence pattern and significant spatial and temporal overlap with their main prey, the wild pig. However, leopards showed very low spatial and temporal overlap with the second main prey, the common langur. Leopards avoided humans and showed low spatial and temporal overlap with humans. Our findings reveal that a trade-off might drive leopard activity between consuming prey and avoiding anthropogenic disturbances like human activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Shekhar Palei
- Department of Zoology , North Orissa University , Baripada , Mayurbhanj , Odisha 757003 , India
| | - Tilak Pradhan
- Assam Wildlife Rescue and Research Organization , Harmoti , Lakhimpur , Assam , India
| | - Hemanta Kumar Sahu
- Department of Zoology , North Orissa University , Baripada , Mayurbhanj , Odisha 757003 , India
| | - Anup Kumar Nayak
- Office of the RCCF cum Field Director, Similipal Tiger Reserve , Bhanjapur , Odisha 757003 , India
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19
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Bianchi R, Jenkins JMA, Lesmeister DB, Gouvea JA, Cesário CS, Fornitano L, de Oliveira MY, de Morais KDR, Ribeiro RLA, Gompper ME. Tayra (
Eira barbara
) landscape use as a function of cover types, forest protection, and the presence of puma and free‐ranging dogs. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rita Bianchi
- Departamento de Biologia Aplicada à Agropecuária Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp Jaboticabal SP Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biodiversidade Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp São José do Rio Preto SP Brazil
| | | | | | - Jéssica Abonízio Gouvea
- Departamento de Biologia Aplicada à Agropecuária Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp Jaboticabal SP Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biodiversidade Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp São José do Rio Preto SP Brazil
| | - Clarice Silva Cesário
- Departamento de Biologia Aplicada à Agropecuária Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp Jaboticabal SP Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biodiversidade Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp São José do Rio Preto SP Brazil
| | - Larissa Fornitano
- Departamento de Biologia Aplicada à Agropecuária Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp Jaboticabal SP Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biodiversidade Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp São José do Rio Preto SP Brazil
| | - Mateus Yan de Oliveira
- Departamento de Biologia Aplicada à Agropecuária Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp Jaboticabal SP Brazil
| | - Kimberly Danielle Rodrigues de Morais
- Departamento de Biologia Aplicada à Agropecuária Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp Jaboticabal SP Brazil
| | - Renan Lieto Alves Ribeiro
- Departamento de Biologia Aplicada à Agropecuária Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Universidade Estadual Paulista‐Unesp Jaboticabal SP Brazil
| | - Matthew E. Gompper
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico USA
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20
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Structure and inter-specific relationships of a felid community of the upper Amazonian basin under different scenarios of human impact. Mamm Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00149-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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21
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Contreras-Díaz CA, Soria-Díaz L, Gómez-Ortiz Y, Carrera-Treviño R, Astudillo-Sánchez CC, Chacón-Hernández JC, Martínez-García LF. Temporal and spatial segregation of top predators (Felidae) in a Mexican tropical Biosphere Reserve. ZOOLOGIA 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/zoologia.38.e63231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Jaguars, Panthera onca (Linnaeus, 1758), and pumas, Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) are the largest felids in the neotropics. Both can overlap in niche axes (time, space and prey), and are therefore potentially competing species. Segregation mechanisms presented by a low overlap in one of these axes of niche can facilitate the coexistence. Our aim was to analyze jaguar and puma temporal and spatial overlap for understanding their segregation mechanisms. Between 2015 and 2017, twenty-six camera trap stations were located in five habitat types of El Cielo Biosphere Reserve (ECBR) in northeastern Mexico. Temporal activity was analyzed using circular statistics and time overlap analysis. Spatial overlap was calculated with the Pianka index and a selectivity habitat analysis. Our results showed that jaguars and pumas were nocturnal and that the temporal overlap was high (∆4 = 0.77). We found an intermediate spatial overlap (Pianka index = 0.61). Jaguars were more selective and preferred the deciduous forest. In comparison, pumas preferred oak-pine forest, but also used oak and deciduous forest. Our results indicate that spatial segregation best explains the coexistence of jaguars and pumas in our study area, probably due to both habitat diversity in the reserve and the generalist habits of the puma.
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22
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Davis RS, Yarnell RW, Gentle LK, Uzal A, Mgoola WO, Stone EL. Prey availability and intraguild competition regulate the spatiotemporal dynamics of a modified large carnivore guild. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:7890-7904. [PMID: 34188859 PMCID: PMC8216965 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective conservation management requires an understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics driving large carnivore density and resource partitioning. In African ecosystems, reduced prey populations and the loss of competing guild members, most notably lion (Panthera leo), are expected to increase the levels of competition between remaining carnivores. Consequently, intraguild relationships can be altered, potentially increasing the risk of further population decline. Kasungu National Park (KNP), Malawi, is an example of a conservation area that has experienced large-scale reductions in both carnivore and prey populations, leaving a resident large carnivore guild consisting of only leopard (Panthera pardus) and spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Here, we quantify the spatiotemporal dynamics of these two species and their degree of association, using a combination of co-detection modeling, time-to-event analyses, and temporal activity patterns from camera trap data. The detection of leopard and spotted hyena was significantly associated with the detection of preferred prey and competing carnivores, increasing the likelihood of species interaction. Temporal analyses revealed sex-specific differences in temporal activity, with female leopard activity patterns significantly different to those of spotted hyena and male conspecifics. Heightened risk of interaction with interspecific competitors and male conspecifics may have resulted in female leopards adopting temporal avoidance strategies to facilitate coexistence. Female leopard behavioral adaptations increased overall activity levels and diurnal activity rates, with potential consequences for overall fitness and exposure to sources of mortality. As both species are currently found at low densities in KNP, increased risk of competitive interactions, which infer a reduction in fitness, could have significant implications for large carnivore demographics. The protection of remaining prey populations is necessary to mitigate interspecific competition and avoid further alterations to the large carnivore guild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S. Davis
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental SciencesNottingham Trent UniversityBrackenhurst CampusSouthwellUK
- Conservation Research Africa & Carnivore Research MalawiLilongweMalawi
| | - Richard W. Yarnell
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental SciencesNottingham Trent UniversityBrackenhurst CampusSouthwellUK
| | - Louise K. Gentle
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental SciencesNottingham Trent UniversityBrackenhurst CampusSouthwellUK
| | - Antonio Uzal
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental SciencesNottingham Trent UniversityBrackenhurst CampusSouthwellUK
| | | | - Emma L. Stone
- Conservation Research Africa & Carnivore Research MalawiLilongweMalawi
- Department of Applied SciencesUniversity of the West of EnglandBristolUK
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23
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Moll RJ, Jackson PJ, Wakeling BF, Lackey CW, Beckmann JP, Millspaugh JJ, Montgomery RA. An apex carnivore's life history mediates a predator cascade. Oecologia 2021; 196:223-234. [PMID: 33934223 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04927-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Apex predators can shape communities via cascading top-down effects, but the degree to which such effects depend on predator life history traits is largely unknown. Within carnivore guilds, complex hierarchies of dominance facilitate coexistence, whereby subordinate species avoid dominant counterparts by partitioning space, time, or both. We investigated whether a major life history trait (hibernation) in an apex carnivore (black bears Ursus americanus) mediated its top-down effects on the spatio-temporal dynamics of three sympatric mesocarnivore species (coyotes Canis latrans, bobcats Lynx rufus, and gray foxes Urocyon cinereoargenteus) across a 15,000 km2 landscape in the western USA. We compared top-down, bottom-up, and environmental effects on these mesocarnivores using an integrated modeling approach. Black bears exerted top-down effects that varied as a function of hibernation and were stronger than bottom-up or environmental impacts. High black bear activity in summer and fall appeared to buffer the most subordinate mesocarnivore (gray foxes) from competition with dominant mesocarnivores (coyotes and bobcats), which were in turn released by black bear hibernation in winter and early spring. The mesocarnivore responses occurred in space (i.e., altered occupancy and site visitation intensity) rather than time (i.e., diel activity patterns unaffected). These results suggest that the spatio-temporal dynamics of mesocarnivores in this system were principally shaped by a spatial predator cascade of interference competition mediated by black bear hibernation. Thus, certain life history traits of apex predators might facilitate coexistence among competing species over broad time scales, with complex implications for lower trophic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remington J Moll
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, 56 College Road, Durham, NH, 03824, USA. .,Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| | - Patrick J Jackson
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 6980 Sierra Center Parkway, Suite 120, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - Brian F Wakeling
- Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Wildlife Division, PO Box 200701, Helena, MT, 59620-0701, USA
| | - Carl W Lackey
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 6980 Sierra Center Parkway, Suite 120, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - Jon P Beckmann
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Rockies Program, 1050 E Main, Suite 2, Bozeman, MT, 59715, USA
| | - Joshua J Millspaugh
- Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Robert A Montgomery
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
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24
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Engebretsen KN, Beckmann JP, Lackey CW, Andreasen A, Schroeder C, Jackson P, Young JK. Recolonizing carnivores: Is cougar predation behaviorally mediated by bears? Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5331-5343. [PMID: 34026010 PMCID: PMC8131799 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation and management efforts have resulted in population increases and range expansions for some apex predators, potentially changing trophic cascades and foraging behavior. Changes in sympatric carnivore and dominant scavenger populations provide opportunities to assess how carnivores affect one another. Cougars (Puma concolor) were the apex predator in the Great Basin of Nevada, USA, for over 80 years. Black bears (Ursus americanus) have recently recolonized the area and are known to heavily scavenge on cougar kills. To evaluate the impacts of sympatric, recolonizing bears on cougar foraging behavior in the Great Basin, we investigated kill sites of 31 cougars between 2009 and 2017 across a range of bear densities. We modeled the variation in feeding bout duration (number of nights spent feeding on a prey item) and the proportion of primary prey, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), in cougar diets using mixed-effects models. We found that feeding bout duration was driven primarily by the size of the prey item being consumed, local bear density, and the presence of dependent kittens. The proportion of mule deer in cougar diet across all study areas declined over time, was lower for male cougars, increased with the presence of dependent kittens, and increased with higher bear densities. In sites with feral horses (Equus ferus), a novel large prey, cougar consumption of feral horses increased over time. Our results suggest that higher bear densities over time may reduce cougar feeding bout durations and influence the prey selection trade-off for cougars when alternative, but more dangerous, large prey are available. Shifts in foraging behavior in multicarnivore systems can have cascading effects on prey selection. This study highlights the importance of measuring the impacts of sympatric apex predators and dominant scavengers on a shared resource base, providing a foundation for monitoring dynamic multipredator/scavenger systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jon P. Beckmann
- Wildlife Conservation SocietyBozemanMTUSA
- Present address:
Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and TourismPrattKSUSA
| | | | - Alyson Andreasen
- Natural Resources and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Nevada‐RenoRenoNVUSA
| | | | - Pat Jackson
- Game DivisionNevada Department of WildlifeRenoNVUSA
| | - Julie K. Young
- Deparment of Wildland ResourcesUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
- USDA‐NWRC‐Predator Research FacilityMillvilleUTUSA
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25
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Figel JJ, Botero-Cañola S, Sánchez-Londoño JD, Racero-Casarrubia J. Jaguars and pumas exhibit distinct spatiotemporal responses to human disturbances in Colombia’s most imperiled ecoregion. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Coexistence of sympatric felids is facilitated by mutual avoidance and the partitioning of habitats, prey, and time. Anthropogenic disturbances disrupt this coexistence in fragmented landscapes, potentially triggering cascading influences in ecological communities. We used photographic data from 8,717 trap nights (November 2014–June 2016) at 87 camera trap sites in Colombia’s middle Magdalena River basin to compare spatiotemporal overlap among jaguars (Panthera onca), pumas (Puma concolor), their prey, and humans, at sites of high and low disturbance, as determined by the human influence index. Human disturbance events (e.g., domestic dogs, livestock, and humans, including armed hunters) comprised 38% of all photographs at high disturbance sites and 29% of all photographs at low disturbance sites. Differential spatiotemporal overlaps were recorded between felids and their prey at high versus low disturbance sites, with jaguars exhibiting only 13% temporal overlap with humans at high disturbance sites. Among prey, temporal overlap was greater than spatial overlap for both felids across the study area. Compared to jaguars, pumas displayed more temporal overlap with all anthropogenic variables and more spatial overlap with most anthropogenic variables, suggesting lesser sensitivity to human disturbances. This study provides the first insights into the responses of a threatened large carnivore, jaguar, to camera trap-derived human disturbance variables in an unprotected landscape. It also highlights the importance of using multiple disturbance types for evaluating human impacts on large carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe J Figel
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Sebastián Botero-Cañola
- Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
- Instituto de Biología, Grupo de Mastozoología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Juan David Sánchez-Londoño
- Facultad de Ciencias y Biotecnología, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia
- Fundación BioDiversa Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Javier Racero-Casarrubia
- Fundación Hidrobiológica George Dahl, Barranquilla, Colombia
- Grupo de Investigación Biodiversidad, Universidad de Córdoba, Montería, Colombia
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26
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Smereka CA, Frame PF, Edwards MA, Frame DD, Slater OM, Derocher AE. Seasonal habitat selection of cougars Puma concolor by sex and reproductive state in west-central Alberta, Canada. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00735] [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)
- Corey A. Smereka
- C. A. Smereka (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1216-4622) ✉ and A. E Derocher, Dept of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Paul F. Frame
- P. F. Frame, Alberta Environment and Parks, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Mark A. Edwards
- M. A. Edwards, Dept of Renewable Resources, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, and: Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Delaney D. Frame
- D. D. Frame, Alberta Environment and Parks, Spruce Grove, AB, Canada
| | - Owen M. Slater
- O. M. Slater, Dept of Ecosystem and Public Health, Univ. of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Andrew E. Derocher
- C. A. Smereka (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1216-4622) ✉ and A. E Derocher, Dept of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
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27
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Elbroch LM, Ferguson JM, Quigley H, Craighead D, Thompson DJ, Wittmer HU. Reintroduced wolves and hunting limit the abundance of a subordinate apex predator in a multi-use landscape. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202202. [PMID: 33171087 PMCID: PMC7735271 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Top-down effects of apex predators are modulated by human impacts on community composition and species abundances. Consequently, research supporting top-down effects of apex predators occurs almost entirely within protected areas rather than the multi-use landscapes dominating modern ecosystems. Here, we developed an integrated population model to disentangle the concurrent contributions of a reintroduced apex predator, the grey wolf, human hunting and prey abundances on vital rates and abundance of a subordinate apex predator, the puma. Increasing wolf numbers had strong negative effects on puma fecundity, and subadult and adult survival. Puma survival was also influenced by density dependence. Overall, puma dynamics in our multi-use landscape were more strongly influenced by top-down forces exhibited by a reintroduced apex predator, than by human hunting or bottom-up forces (prey abundance) subsidized by humans. Quantitatively, the average annual impact of human hunting on equilibrium puma abundance was equivalent to the effects of 20 wolves. Historically, wolves may have limited pumas across North America and dictated puma scarcity in systems lacking sufficient refugia to mitigate the effects of competition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jake M. Ferguson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel J. Thompson
- Large Carnivore Section, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, 260 Buena Vista Dr., Lander, WY 82520, USA
| | - Heiko U. Wittmer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
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28
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Guerisoli MDLM, Luengos Vidal E, Caruso N, Giordano AJ, Lucherini M. Puma–livestock conflicts in the Americas: a review of the evidence. Mamm Rev 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria de las Mercedes Guerisoli
- GECOBI (Grupo de Genética y Ecología en Conservación y Biodiversidad) División Mastozoología Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” Angel Gallardo 490 Buenos Aires1405Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia e Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur Universidad Nacional del Sur ‐ CONICET San Juan 670 Bahía Blanca8000Argentina
- S.P.E.C.I.E.S P.O. Box 7403 Ventura California USA
| | - Estela Luengos Vidal
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia e Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur Universidad Nacional del Sur ‐ CONICET San Juan 670 Bahía Blanca8000Argentina
| | - Nicolás Caruso
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia e Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur Universidad Nacional del Sur ‐ CONICET San Juan 670 Bahía Blanca8000Argentina
| | | | - Mauro Lucherini
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia e Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur Universidad Nacional del Sur ‐ CONICET San Juan 670 Bahía Blanca8000Argentina
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29
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Sévêque A, Gentle LK, López-Bao JV, Yarnell RW, Uzal A. Human disturbance has contrasting effects on niche partitioning within carnivore communities. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:1689-1705. [PMID: 32666614 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Among species, coexistence is driven partly by the partitioning of available resources. The mechanisms of coexistence and competition among species have been a central topic within community ecology, with particular focus on mammalian carnivore community research. However, despite growing concern regarding the impact of humans on the behaviour of species, very little is known about the effect of humans on species interactions. The aim of this review is to establish a comprehensive framework for the impacts of human disturbance on three dimensions (spatial, temporal and trophic) of niche partitioning within carnivore communities and subsequent effects on both intraguild competition and community structure. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on carnivore niche partitioning (246 studies) and extracted 46 reported effects of human disturbance. We found evidence that human disturbance impacts resource partitioning, either positively or negatively, in all three niche dimensions. The repercussions of such variations are highly heterogeneous and differ according to both the type of human disturbance and how the landscape and/or availability of resources are affected. We propose a theoretical framework of the three main outcomes for the impacts of human disturbance on intraguild competition and carnivore community structure: (i) human disturbance impedes niche partitioning, increasing intraguild competition and reducing the richness and diversity of the community; (ii) human disturbance unbalances niche partitioning and intraguild competition, affecting community stability; and (iii) human disturbance facilitates niche partitioning, decreasing intraguild competition and enriching the community. We call for better integration of the impact of humans on carnivore communities in future research on interspecific competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Sévêque
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF, UK
| | - Louise K Gentle
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF, UK
| | - José V López-Bao
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO/CSIC/PA), Oviedo University, Mieres, 33600, Spain
| | - Richard W Yarnell
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF, UK
| | - Antonio Uzal
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF, UK
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30
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Kafley H, Lamichhane BR, Maharjan R, Khadka M, Bhattarai N, Gompper ME. Tiger and leopard co-occurrence: intraguild interactions in response to human and livestock disturbance. Basic Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2019.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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31
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Saremi NF, Supple MA, Byrne A, Cahill JA, Coutinho LL, Dalén L, Figueiró HV, Johnson WE, Milne HJ, O'Brien SJ, O'Connell B, Onorato DP, Riley SPD, Sikich JA, Stahler DR, Villela PMS, Vollmers C, Wayne RK, Eizirik E, Corbett-Detig RB, Green RE, Wilmers CC, Shapiro B. Puma genomes from North and South America provide insights into the genomic consequences of inbreeding. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4769. [PMID: 31628318 PMCID: PMC6800433 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12741-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pumas are the most widely distributed felid in the Western Hemisphere. Increasingly, however, human persecution and habitat loss are isolating puma populations. To explore the genomic consequences of this isolation, we assemble a draft puma genome and a geographically broad panel of resequenced individuals. We estimate that the lineage leading to present-day North American pumas diverged from South American lineages 300-100 thousand years ago. We find signatures of close inbreeding in geographically isolated North American populations, but also that tracts of homozygosity are rarely shared among these populations, suggesting that assisted gene flow would restore local genetic diversity. The genome of a Florida panther descended from translocated Central American individuals has long tracts of homozygosity despite recent outbreeding. This suggests that while translocations may introduce diversity, sustaining diversity in small and isolated populations will require either repeated translocations or restoration of landscape connectivity. Our approach provides a framework for genome-wide analyses that can be applied to the management of similarly small and isolated populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nedda F Saremi
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Megan A Supple
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Ashley Byrne
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - James A Cahill
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA.,Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language, Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Luiz Lehmann Coutinho
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Animal, Departamento de Zootecnia, ESALQ, Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 09, Piracicaba, SP, 13418-900, Brazil
| | - Love Dalén
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, Stockholm, 10405, Sweden
| | - Henrique V Figueiró
- Escola de Ciências, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 6681-Partenon, Porto Alegre-RS, 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Warren E Johnson
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian Institution, 600 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC, 20002, USA.,Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD, 20746, USA
| | - Heather J Milne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Stephen J O'Brien
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, Saint Petersburg State University, 41 Sredniy Prospekt, Saint Petersburg, 199004, Russia
| | - Brendan O'Connell
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA.,Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239-3098, USA
| | - David P Onorato
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 298 Sabal Palm Road, Naples, FL, 34114, USA
| | - Seth P D Riley
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 401 West Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1601, USA
| | - Jeff A Sikich
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 401 West Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360, USA
| | - Daniel R Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY, 82190, USA
| | | | - Christopher Vollmers
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Robert K Wayne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1601, USA
| | - Eduardo Eizirik
- Escola de Ciências, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 6681-Partenon, Porto Alegre-RS, 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Russell B Corbett-Detig
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Richard E Green
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Christopher C Wilmers
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Beth Shapiro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA. .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 400 Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA.
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Logan KA. Puma population limitation and regulation: What matters in puma management? J Wildl Manage 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth A. Logan
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife 2300 S. Townsend Avenue Montrose CO 81401 USA
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O’Malley C, Elbroch LM, Lendrum PE, Quigley H. Motion-triggered video cameras reveal spatial and temporal patterns of red fox foraging on carrion provided by mountain lions. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5324. [PMID: 30083459 PMCID: PMC6074758 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Carrion is a rich, ephemeral resource vital to biodiversity and ecosystem health. In temperate ecosystems in which cold temperatures and snowfall influence the accessibility and availability of small prey and seasonal mast crops, carrion may also be a limiting resource for mesocarnivores like red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), which are too small to predate ungulates. Using motion-triggered video cameras and generalized linear mixed models, we studied the spatial and temporal patterns of red fox scavenging at 232 mountain lion kills in the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) from 2012-2015. We found that red foxes scavenged mountain lion kills across all habitats throughout the year, however, red fox behaviors varied with season. In winter, we documented red foxes at a greater proportion of mountain lion kills (70.3% in winter vs. 48.9% in summer), and in greater numbers (1.83 foxes per kill in winter vs. 1.16 in summer). In winter, red foxes fed longer (= 102.7 ± 138.3 minutes feeding in winter vs. = 39.7 ± 74.0 in summer), and they more often scavenged while the mountain lion was nearby. We speculated that red foxes may have increased risk taking in winter due to hunger driven by resource scarcity. Our research highlighted an important ecological relationship between red foxes and mountain lions in the GYE. Mountain lions tolerate high levels of scavenging, so the frequency and intensity of red fox scavenging at their kills may not impact mountain lions, but instead facilitate the dispersion and benefits of resources created by this apex predator. Large carnivores, and mid-trophic felids like mountain lions in particular, are essential producers of carrion vital to biodiversity and ecosystem health. In turn, scavengers play critical roles in distributing these resources and increasing the heterogeneity of resources that support biodiversity and ecosystem structure, as well as ecological resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Patrick E. Lendrum
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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