Interactions between carnivore species: limited spatiotemporal partitioning between apex predator and smaller carnivores in a Mediterranean protected area
Abstract Background There is need of information on ecological interactions that keystone species such as apex predators establish in ecosystems recently recolonised. Interactions among carnivore species have the potential to influence community-level processes, with consequences for ecosystem dynam...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:25c321aaed3a49899a7b69b15325656a 2023-06-18T03:40:09+02:00 Interactions between carnivore species: limited spatiotemporal partitioning between apex predator and smaller carnivores in a Mediterranean protected area Francesco Ferretti Raquel Oliveira Mariana Rossa Irene Belardi Giada Pacini Sara Mugnai Niccolò Fattorini Lorenzo Lazzeri 2023-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-023-00489-w https://doaj.org/article/25c321aaed3a49899a7b69b15325656a EN eng BMC https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-023-00489-w https://doaj.org/toc/1742-9994 doi:10.1186/s12983-023-00489-w 1742-9994 https://doaj.org/article/25c321aaed3a49899a7b69b15325656a Frontiers in Zoology, Vol 20, Iss 1, Pp 1-15 (2023) Interspecific coexistence Interspecific interactions Temporal partitioning Carnivores Competition Zoology QL1-991 article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-023-00489-w 2023-06-04T00:40:28Z Abstract Background There is need of information on ecological interactions that keystone species such as apex predators establish in ecosystems recently recolonised. Interactions among carnivore species have the potential to influence community-level processes, with consequences for ecosystem dynamics. Although avoidance of apex predators by smaller carnivores has been reported, there is increasing evidence that the potential for competitive-to-facilitative interactions is context-dependent. In a protected area recently recolonised by the wolf Canis lupus and hosting abundant wild prey (3 ungulate species, 20–30 individuals/km2, together), we used 5-year food habit analyses and 3-year camera trapping to (i) investigate the role of mesocarnivores (4 species) in the wolf diet; (ii) test for temporal, spatial, and fine-scale spatiotemporal association between mesocarnivores and the wolf. Results Wolf diet was dominated by large herbivores (86% occurrences, N = 2201 scats), with mesocarnivores occurring in 2% scats. We collected 12,808 carnivore detections over > 19,000 camera trapping days. We found substantial (i.e., generally ≥ 0.75, 0–1 scale) temporal overlap between mesocarnivores—in particular red fox—and the wolf, with no support for negative temporal or spatial associations between mesocarnivore and wolf detection rates. All the species were nocturnal/crepuscular and results suggested a minor role of human activity in modifying interspecific spatiotemporal partitioning. Conclusions Results suggest that the local great availability of large prey to wolves limited negative interactions towards smaller carnivores, thus reducing the potential for spatiotemporal avoidance. Our study emphasises that avoidance patterns leading to substantial spatiotemporal partitioning are not ubiquitous in carnivore guilds. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Frontiers in Zoology 20 1 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Interspecific coexistence Interspecific interactions Temporal partitioning Carnivores Competition Zoology QL1-991 |
spellingShingle |
Interspecific coexistence Interspecific interactions Temporal partitioning Carnivores Competition Zoology QL1-991 Francesco Ferretti Raquel Oliveira Mariana Rossa Irene Belardi Giada Pacini Sara Mugnai Niccolò Fattorini Lorenzo Lazzeri Interactions between carnivore species: limited spatiotemporal partitioning between apex predator and smaller carnivores in a Mediterranean protected area |
topic_facet |
Interspecific coexistence Interspecific interactions Temporal partitioning Carnivores Competition Zoology QL1-991 |
description |
Abstract Background There is need of information on ecological interactions that keystone species such as apex predators establish in ecosystems recently recolonised. Interactions among carnivore species have the potential to influence community-level processes, with consequences for ecosystem dynamics. Although avoidance of apex predators by smaller carnivores has been reported, there is increasing evidence that the potential for competitive-to-facilitative interactions is context-dependent. In a protected area recently recolonised by the wolf Canis lupus and hosting abundant wild prey (3 ungulate species, 20–30 individuals/km2, together), we used 5-year food habit analyses and 3-year camera trapping to (i) investigate the role of mesocarnivores (4 species) in the wolf diet; (ii) test for temporal, spatial, and fine-scale spatiotemporal association between mesocarnivores and the wolf. Results Wolf diet was dominated by large herbivores (86% occurrences, N = 2201 scats), with mesocarnivores occurring in 2% scats. We collected 12,808 carnivore detections over > 19,000 camera trapping days. We found substantial (i.e., generally ≥ 0.75, 0–1 scale) temporal overlap between mesocarnivores—in particular red fox—and the wolf, with no support for negative temporal or spatial associations between mesocarnivore and wolf detection rates. All the species were nocturnal/crepuscular and results suggested a minor role of human activity in modifying interspecific spatiotemporal partitioning. Conclusions Results suggest that the local great availability of large prey to wolves limited negative interactions towards smaller carnivores, thus reducing the potential for spatiotemporal avoidance. Our study emphasises that avoidance patterns leading to substantial spatiotemporal partitioning are not ubiquitous in carnivore guilds. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Francesco Ferretti Raquel Oliveira Mariana Rossa Irene Belardi Giada Pacini Sara Mugnai Niccolò Fattorini Lorenzo Lazzeri |
author_facet |
Francesco Ferretti Raquel Oliveira Mariana Rossa Irene Belardi Giada Pacini Sara Mugnai Niccolò Fattorini Lorenzo Lazzeri |
author_sort |
Francesco Ferretti |
title |
Interactions between carnivore species: limited spatiotemporal partitioning between apex predator and smaller carnivores in a Mediterranean protected area |
title_short |
Interactions between carnivore species: limited spatiotemporal partitioning between apex predator and smaller carnivores in a Mediterranean protected area |
title_full |
Interactions between carnivore species: limited spatiotemporal partitioning between apex predator and smaller carnivores in a Mediterranean protected area |
title_fullStr |
Interactions between carnivore species: limited spatiotemporal partitioning between apex predator and smaller carnivores in a Mediterranean protected area |
title_full_unstemmed |
Interactions between carnivore species: limited spatiotemporal partitioning between apex predator and smaller carnivores in a Mediterranean protected area |
title_sort |
interactions between carnivore species: limited spatiotemporal partitioning between apex predator and smaller carnivores in a mediterranean protected area |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-023-00489-w https://doaj.org/article/25c321aaed3a49899a7b69b15325656a |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_source |
Frontiers in Zoology, Vol 20, Iss 1, Pp 1-15 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-023-00489-w https://doaj.org/toc/1742-9994 doi:10.1186/s12983-023-00489-w 1742-9994 https://doaj.org/article/25c321aaed3a49899a7b69b15325656a |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-023-00489-w |
container_title |
Frontiers in Zoology |
container_volume |
20 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1769004959526813696 |