Comparative Patterns of Predation by Cougars and Recolonizing Wolves in Montana’s Madison Range
Numerous studies have documented how prey may use antipredator strategies to reduce the risk of predation from a single predator. However, when a recolonizing predator enters an already complex predator–prey system, specific antipredator behaviors may conflict and avoidance of one predator may enhan...
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ftunivnebraskali:oai:digitalcommons.unl.edu:icwdm_usdanwrc-1691 2023-11-12T04:15:41+01:00 Comparative Patterns of Predation by Cougars and Recolonizing Wolves in Montana’s Madison Range Atwood, Todd C. Gese, Eric M. Kunkel, Kyran E. 2007-05-18T07:00:00Z application/pdf https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc/696 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/icwdm_usdanwrc/article/1691/viewcontent/gese072.pdf unknown DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc/696 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/icwdm_usdanwrc/article/1691/viewcontent/gese072.pdf USDA Wildlife Services - Staff Publications antipredator behavior canid cougar felid habitat refugia risk wolf Environmental Sciences text 2007 ftunivnebraskali 2023-10-30T10:21:32Z Numerous studies have documented how prey may use antipredator strategies to reduce the risk of predation from a single predator. However, when a recolonizing predator enters an already complex predator–prey system, specific antipredator behaviors may conflict and avoidance of one predator may enhance vulnerability to another. We studied the patterns of prey selection by recolonizing wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars (Puma concolor) in response to prey resource selection in the northern Madison Range, Montana, USA. Elk (Cervus elaphus) were the primary prey for wolves, and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) were the primary prey for cougars, but elk made up an increasingly greater proportion of cougar kills annually. Although both predators preyed disproportionately on male elk, wolves were most likely to prey on males in poor physical condition. Although we found that the predators partitioned hunting habitats, structural complexity at wolf kill sites increased over time, whereas complexity of cougar kill sites decreased. We concluded that shifts by prey to structurally complex refugia were attempts by formerly naive prey to lessen predation risk from wolves; nevertheless, shifting to more structurally complex refugia might have made prey more vulnerable to cougars. After a change in predator exposure, use of refugia may represent a compromise to minimize overall risk. As agencies formulate management strategies relative to wolf recolonization, the potential for interactive predation effects (i.e., facilitation or antagonism) should be considered. Text Canis lupus University of Nebraska-Lincoln: DigitalCommons@UNL |
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Open Polar |
collection |
University of Nebraska-Lincoln: DigitalCommons@UNL |
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ftunivnebraskali |
language |
unknown |
topic |
antipredator behavior canid cougar felid habitat refugia risk wolf Environmental Sciences |
spellingShingle |
antipredator behavior canid cougar felid habitat refugia risk wolf Environmental Sciences Atwood, Todd C. Gese, Eric M. Kunkel, Kyran E. Comparative Patterns of Predation by Cougars and Recolonizing Wolves in Montana’s Madison Range |
topic_facet |
antipredator behavior canid cougar felid habitat refugia risk wolf Environmental Sciences |
description |
Numerous studies have documented how prey may use antipredator strategies to reduce the risk of predation from a single predator. However, when a recolonizing predator enters an already complex predator–prey system, specific antipredator behaviors may conflict and avoidance of one predator may enhance vulnerability to another. We studied the patterns of prey selection by recolonizing wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars (Puma concolor) in response to prey resource selection in the northern Madison Range, Montana, USA. Elk (Cervus elaphus) were the primary prey for wolves, and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) were the primary prey for cougars, but elk made up an increasingly greater proportion of cougar kills annually. Although both predators preyed disproportionately on male elk, wolves were most likely to prey on males in poor physical condition. Although we found that the predators partitioned hunting habitats, structural complexity at wolf kill sites increased over time, whereas complexity of cougar kill sites decreased. We concluded that shifts by prey to structurally complex refugia were attempts by formerly naive prey to lessen predation risk from wolves; nevertheless, shifting to more structurally complex refugia might have made prey more vulnerable to cougars. After a change in predator exposure, use of refugia may represent a compromise to minimize overall risk. As agencies formulate management strategies relative to wolf recolonization, the potential for interactive predation effects (i.e., facilitation or antagonism) should be considered. |
format |
Text |
author |
Atwood, Todd C. Gese, Eric M. Kunkel, Kyran E. |
author_facet |
Atwood, Todd C. Gese, Eric M. Kunkel, Kyran E. |
author_sort |
Atwood, Todd C. |
title |
Comparative Patterns of Predation by Cougars and Recolonizing Wolves in Montana’s Madison Range |
title_short |
Comparative Patterns of Predation by Cougars and Recolonizing Wolves in Montana’s Madison Range |
title_full |
Comparative Patterns of Predation by Cougars and Recolonizing Wolves in Montana’s Madison Range |
title_fullStr |
Comparative Patterns of Predation by Cougars and Recolonizing Wolves in Montana’s Madison Range |
title_full_unstemmed |
Comparative Patterns of Predation by Cougars and Recolonizing Wolves in Montana’s Madison Range |
title_sort |
comparative patterns of predation by cougars and recolonizing wolves in montana’s madison range |
publisher |
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc/696 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/icwdm_usdanwrc/article/1691/viewcontent/gese072.pdf |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_source |
USDA Wildlife Services - Staff Publications |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc/696 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/icwdm_usdanwrc/article/1691/viewcontent/gese072.pdf |
_version_ |
1782332962094710784 |