Resource utilization and interspecific relations of sympatric bobcats and coyotes

Abstract

Neale, J. C. C. and Sacks, B. N. 2001. Resource utilization and interspecific relations of sympatric bobcats and coyotes. -Oikos 94: 236 -249.We used scat analysis and radiotelemetry to characterize use of foods and habitats by sympatric bobcats and coyotes, and evaluated these in the context of spatial and temporal relationships to assess the potential for, and evidence of, interspecific competition. Bobcats and coyotes exhibited broad and overlapping diets. However, diets of the two predators differed in the relative contributions of small and large prey, with bobcats consuming relatively more rodent and lagomorph biomass and coyotes consuming relatively more ungulate biomass. Consumption among rodent prey species was highly correlated between bobcats and coyotes, indicating no evidence of prey partitioning within this group. Habitat selection by the two predators differed slightly at the landscape scale but not within home ranges. Bobcats and coyotes occupied small, overlapping home ranges, such that the likelihood of interspecific encounters (direct or indirect) was high. Bobcats displayed slight avoidance of overlapping coyote core areas during coyote reproductive seasons (winter and spring), when coyotes are typically most territorial (toward conspecifics), but displayed slight attraction during times of year when coyotes were not engaged in reproductive activities. Relative to coyotes, which were strongly nocturnal, diel activity patterns of bobcats were more diurnal and variable. However, activity patterns were not inversely correlated. Overall, these predators appeared to use resources independently and we found little evidence of negative interactions. Differences in resource use by bobcats and coyotes appeared to relate to fundamental niche differences as opposed to competition-related resource partitioning.

Prey-mediated avoidance of an intraguild predator by its intraguild prey

“…Bobcats are generally considered to be nocturnal (Neale and Sacks 2001), but our results suggest that when small mammal abundance decreases, bobcats increase their daytime activity to gain access to water birds when they are most active (Brisbin and Mowbray 2002). This shift in bobcat activity is further supported by the fact that the topranked nighttime core area models did not include distance to water as a covariate, or if it did, the model showed that core areas were located further from water.…”

“…Blankenship unpublished data) and bobcats avoiding coyotes at the core area scale (Neale and Sacks 2001;Thornton et al 2004). Additionally, bobcat populations respond positively to reductions in sympatric coyote population (Henke and Bryant 1999).…”

Defining the predator landscape of northeastern British Columbia.

“…In southwestern Alaska where black bears and brown bears segregate spatially from wolves when killing moose calves (Garneau et al 2007), researchers maintained the possibility that these predators also partitioned space within finer-scale habitat classes that they were unable to identify. Bobcats (Lynx rufus) and coyotes (Canis latrans) coexisting in California did not show spatial segregation at the landscape scale, but they did display differential habitat use (and avoidance) at the home-range scale (Neale and Sacks 2001). The role of niche partitioning in the BP merits further investigation.…”

Comparison of nest trees of two sympatric flying squirrel species in northern Pakistan

“…To avoid competition (exploitation), sympatric mammalian species should partially or completely differ in their resource use: for instance, differences in food resources are recognized in terrestrial rodents living in the Arizona desert (Brown and Harney 1993), carnivores in India (Karanth and Sunquist 1995) and the United States (Neale and Sacks 2001), and flying squirrels in Pakistan (Shafique et al 2006). Compared with studies on competition for food resources, it is unclear whether mammalian species compete for nesting resources.…”