Attraction-repulsion among top predators following reintroduction efforts

Elbroch, L. Mark; López‐González, Carlos A.; Fitzgerald, Jenny; Kusler, Anna; Quigley, Howard

doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2017.04.003

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Pumas exhibit habitat ( Riley, Nesslage & Maurer, 2004 ) and dietary shifts ( Elbroch et al, 2015 ) in the presence of wolves, and experience increased starvation as wolves re-establish in systems in which they were absent for some time (e.g., Kortello, Hurd & Murray, 2007 ; Elbroch et al, 2015 ). Wolves also harass pumas, the energy expense of which is approximately five times greater than the energy expenditure of normal hunting ( Bryce, Wilmers & Williams, 2017 ), and kleptoparatize and displace pumas from their kills ( Bartnick et al, 2013 ; Elbroch et al, 2017c ). Wolves also directly kill all age classes of pumas (e.g., Boyd & Neal, 1992 ; Ruth, 2004a ; Elbroch et al, 2015 ), even while pumas too occasionally kill wolves (e.g., Jimenez et al, 2008 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are pumas subordinate carnivores, and does it matter?

Elbroch

Kusler

2018

PeerJ

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundInterspecific competition affects species fitness, community assemblages and structure, and the geographic distributions of species. Established dominance hierarchies among species mitigate the need for fighting and contribute to the realized niche for subordinate species. This is especially important for apex predators, many of which simultaneous contend with the costs of competition with more dominant species and the costs associated with human hunting and lethal management.MethodsPumas are a widespread solitary felid heavily regulated through hunting to reduce conflicts with livestock and people. Across their range, pumas overlap with six apex predators (gray wolf, grizzly bear, American black bear, jaguar, coyote, maned wolf), two of which (gray wolf, grizzly bear) are currently expanding in North America following recovery efforts. We conducted a literature search to assess whether pumas were subordinate or dominant with sympatric apex predators, as well as with three felid mesocarnivores with similar ecology (ocelot, bobcat, Canada lynx). We also conducted an analysis of the spatial distributions of pumas and their dominant sympatric competitors to estimate in what part of their range, pumas are dominant versus subordinate.ResultsWe used 64 sources to assess dominance among pumas and other apex predators, and 13 sources to assess their relationships with felid mesocarnivores. Evidence suggested that wolves, grizzly bears, black bears, and jaguars are dominant over pumas, but that pumas are dominant over coyotes and maned wolves. Evidence suggested that pumas are also dominant over all three felid mesocarnivores with which they share range. More broadly, pumas are subordinate to at least one other apex carnivore in 10,799,252 (47.5%) of their 22,735,268 km2 range across North and South America.DiscussionSubordinate pumas change their habitat use, suffer displacement at food sources, likely experience increased energetic demands from harassment, exhibit increased starvation, and are sometimes directly killed in competitive interactions with dominant competitors. Nevertheless, we lack research clearly linking the costs of competition to puma fitness. Further, we lack research that assesses the influence of human effects simultaneous with the negative effects of competition with other sympatric carnivores. Until the time that we understand whether competitive effects are additive with human management, or even potentially synergistic, we encourage caution among managers responsible for determining harvest limits for pumas and other subordinate, apex carnivores in areas where they are sympatric with dominant species. This may be especially important information for managers working in regions where wolves and brown bears are recolonizing and recovering, and historic competition scenarios among multiple apex predators are being realized.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are pumas subordinate carnivores, and does it matter?

Elbroch

Kusler

2018

PeerJ

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Every instance of predation by wolves on puma kittens, but one, occurred during winter, and predation by wolves was four times higher than that of infanticide by male pumas during the hunting season. Indirectly, wolves also likely limited puma access to elk through competition (e.g., through reducing elk numbers directly and indirectly; Christianson & Creel, ; through kleptoparasitism of puma kills and harassment of pumas at kills; Bartnick, Van Deelen, Quigley & Craighead, ; Elbroch, López‐González, Fitzgerald, Kusler & Quigley, 2017c; and through influencing the distribution of elk aggregations on and off the NER, as they move to exhibit dilution in an area with increased predation risk; Brennan, Cross & Creel, ; WGFD, ). Through these varied competition mechanisms, wolves likely contributed to increased puma starvation across age classes, as has been observed following wolf recolonization in other areas (Kortello et al., ; Ruth, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple anthropogenic interventions drive puma survival following wolf recovery in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Elbroch

Marescot

Quigley

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Humans are primary drivers of declining abundances and extirpation of large carnivores worldwide. Management interventions to restore biodiversity patterns, however, include carnivore reintroductions, despite the many unresolved ecological consequences associated with such efforts. Using multistate capture–mark–recapture models, we explored age‐specific survival and cause‐specific mortality rates for 134 pumas (Puma concolor) monitored in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem during gray wolf (Canis lupus) recovery. We identified two top models explaining differences in puma survivorship, and our results suggested three management interventions (unsustainable puma hunting, reduction in a primary prey, and reintroduction of a dominant competitor) have unintentionally impacted puma survival. Specifically, puma survival across age classes was lower in the 6‐month hunting season than the 6‐month nonhunting season; human‐caused mortality rates for juveniles and adults, and predation rates on puma kittens, were higher in the hunting season. Predation on puma kittens, and starvation rates for all pumas, also increased as managers reduced elk (Cervus elaphus) abundance in the system, highlighting direct and indirect effects of competition between recovering wolves and pumas over prey. Our results emphasize the importance of understanding the synergistic effects of existing management strategies and the recovery of large, dominant carnivores to effectively conserve subordinate, hunted carnivores in human‐dominated landscapes.

show abstract

“…In such cases, unintended consequences due to competition or predation may occur when species are reintroduced as part of ecological restoration efforts (e.g. Elbroch et al 2017). New Zealand is home to numerous species that previously co-occurred, but are now completely separated due to restriction to just one or two refugia sites following human arrival (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The first recorded interaction between two species separated for centuries suggests they were ecological competitors

Taylor¹,

Nelson²,

Ramstad³

2018

NZJE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Human-induced reductions in species' ranges have resulted in the geographic separation of some previously sympatric species that interacted historically. Some previously co-occurring species are now being reconnected via translocation. However, interactions between these species can be difficult to predict, particularly in extreme instances where all populations of previously co-occurring species have become completely separated from each other. Here, we present video footage that, for the first time, captures an interaction between two species separated for centuries due to human disturbance, but that are now being reconnected via translocations; little spotted kiwi (LSK) (Apteryx owenii) and tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). The video shows an aggressive interaction, apparently caused by competition for a burrow being used by the LSK for nesting. This footage suggests we have much to learn about how these species may have co-existed prior to human arrival in New Zealand.

show abstract

Attraction-repulsion among top predators following reintroduction efforts

Cited by 4 publications

References 19 publications

Are pumas subordinate carnivores, and does it matter?

Are pumas subordinate carnivores, and does it matter?

Multiple anthropogenic interventions drive puma survival following wolf recovery in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

The first recorded interaction between two species separated for centuries suggests they were ecological competitors

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About