Pumas Puma concolor as ecological brokers: a review of their biotic relationships

Abstract

1.The puma Puma concolor is the fourth largest wild felid and the most widespread native terrestrial mammal of the Americas. We synthesised published literature documenting the biotic interactions of pumas, in order to: 1) advance our understanding of the ecological roles pumas play in natural systems, and 2) support strategic decision-making about conservation investments, public education, and whole-ecosystem conservation management. 2. We divided puma biotic interactions into five categories: 1) diet and prey regulation, 2) fear effects on prey (including trophic cascades), 3) effects via carrion production, 4) effects on other carnivores, and 5) ecosystem services.We reviewed 162 studies that met our search criteria, which described 543 ecological interactions between pumas and 485 other species. 3. Puma diet and prey regulation was the most common research topic. The geographic distribution of research was highly skewed towards the USA and Canada, and research in Tropical moist forests was underrepresented. We found a steep increase in the number of scientific publications exploring the biotic interactions associated with pumas over time, but publications that reported effect sizes or measured the strength of interactions did not increase as quickly. We noted numerous gaps in our knowledge of puma biotic interactions and found few well-controlled studies of prey fear effects, trophic cascades, or ecosystem services. 4. We conclude that pumas are influential ecological actors in natural systems and important brokers of energy and nutrients throughout ecosystems in the

Patchy indirect effects: how predators drive landscape heterogeneity and influence ecosystem dynamics via localized pathways

“…Carcass pathway case study: The ecological importance of puma-killed carcasses Pumas (Puma concolor ) are apex predators with the widest geographic range of any terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere (Sunquist & Sunquist 2002). They play numerous roles within ecosystems, including regulating prey density, affecting prey behavior through fear, and generating carrion (LaBarge et al 2022). Pumas predominantly kill large ungulates but because pumas are solitary predators they require more time to consume large prey relative to social apex predators.…”

It's time to manage mountain lions in Texas

“…Mountain lions compete with humans for space, ungulates, and other resources (Elbroch et al 2017), and pose real and perceived risks to people, pets and livestock (Wolfe et al 2015). Yet, mountain lions also increase biological diversity and likely increase the ecological resilience and health of the ecosystems they inhabit (Barry et al 2019, LaBarge et al 2022). As governed by wildlife regulations and fair chase principles, they also provide recreational hunting opportunity across much of the West.…”

“…Yet, mountain lions also increase biological diversity and likely increase the ecological resilience and health of the ecosystems they inhabit (Barry et al 2019, LaBarge et al 2022. As governed by wildlife regulations and fair chase principles, they also provide recreational hunting opportunity across much of the West.…”

Dietary patterns of a versatile large carnivore, the puma (Puma concolor)

“…Pumas are apex predators in large parts of their natural range, especially in southern South America, but are subordinate to other large predators including gray wolves ( Canis lupus ), grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos ), and jaguars ( Panthera onca ) in North and Central America and the tropical regions of South America (Elbroch & Kusler, 2018). The species plays an important ecological role with critical trophic cascade impacts documented or hypothesized in several settings (Leempoel et al, 2019; Ripple & Beschta, 2006; Wang et al, 2015), including on other key functional groups such as scavengers like the Andean condor ( Vultur gryphus ) (Perrig et al, 2017), and a multitude of other important biotic relationships (LaBarge et al, 2022). Despite being considered as the archetypical ambush hunter, some studies suggest a certain degree of flexibility in puma hunting styles, habitat needs, and diets (Anderson, 1983; Hornocker & Negri, 2010; Iriarte et al, 1990), which may have been instrumental in the species’ recolonization of several parts of its former range despite widespread persecution resulting in precipitous declines in puma numbers and range contractions in the twentieth century (Mazzolli, 2012; Walker & Novaro, 2010).…”