Spatial and temporal adjustments allowing the coexistence among carnivores in Liguria (N-W Italy)

Torretta, Elisa; Serafini, Matteo; Puopolo, Felice; Schenone, Laura

doi:10.1007/s10211-015-0231-y

Cited by 67 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…The wolf has been reported to occasionally kill red foxes (Palomares & Caro, 1999;Wikenros et al, 2017), which may be expected to adopt avoidance tactics towards the large predator. However, our results did not support spatiotemporal avoidance and partially agree with those of Torretta et al (2016) who, in an area of northern Italy, found a moderate-high spatiotemporal overlap between the wolf and the red fox. Dietary partitioning may play a major role, with the wolf being mainly a predator of mesolarge ungulates and the red fox using a broad diet ranging from fruits to invertebrates and small-medium-sized vertebrates (e.g.…”

Section: Wolf-mesocarnivore Interactionscontrasting

confidence: 81%

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Spatiotemporal mechanisms of coexistence in an European mammal community in a protected area of southern Italy

et al. 2019

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Assessing the spatiotemporal overlap amongst animal species living in sympatry helps to shed light on mechanisms of interspecific coexistence. We analysed the spatiotemporal coexistence in a predator–prey system through multiyear camera trapping, in a mountainous protected area of southern Italy (January 2012–January 2017). Temporal activity patterns and their interspecific overlap, as well as spatial overlap, were estimated for a top predator, that is the wolf Canis lupus, three species of wild ungulates, four mesocarnivores, one small herbivore, livestock and humans. A wide nocturnal temporal overlap was detected between the wolf and almost all the other species (71–91%). The highest temporal (91%) and spatial (63%) overlaps were reported between the wolf and the red fox Vulpes vulpes. For wolf‐ungulate pairs, the highest temporal overlap (88%) was reported for the wild boar Sus scrofa, its local main prey. Considering all the other species pairs, spatial overlap was low (i.e. lower than 45%), whereas temporal overlap was substantial (71–91%). Our findings support a significant role of interspecific spatial partitioning in shaping coexistence amongst considered species, which might be influenced by differences in spatial distribution of different food resources.

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Section: Wolf-mesocarnivore Interactionscontrasting

confidence: 81%

“…space or habitat use), temporal (e.g. activity rhythms) and/or trophic aspects (Gorini et al, 2012;Torretta et al, 2016;Nagy-Reis et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatiotemporal mechanisms of coexistence in an European mammal community in a protected area of southern Italy

et al. 2019

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“…Like Rowcliffe et al (2014), we defined activity records as the times of day that cameras were triggered by a given species. Only independent triggers (> 30 min apart) were utilised (Ridout and Linkie 2009;Linkie and Ridout 2011;Torretta et al 2016). Individual animals could not be recognised, leading to some pseudoreplication.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fear of the dark? A mesopredator mitigates large carnivore risk through nocturnality, but humans moderate the interaction

Haswell

Kusak

Jones

et al. 2020

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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While constrained by endogenous rhythms, morphology and ecology, animals may still exhibit flexible activity patterns in response to risk. Temporal avoidance of interspecific aggression can enable access to resources without spatial exclusion. Apex predators, including humans, can affect mesopredator activity patterns. Human context might also modify temporal interactions between predators. We explored activity patterns, nocturnality and the effects of human activity upon a guild of carnivores (grey wolf, Canis lupus; Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx; red fox, Vulpes vulpes) using travel routes in Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia. Humans were diurnal, foxes nocturnal and large carnivores active during the night, immediately after sunrise and before sunset. Carnivore activity patterns overlapped greatly and to a similar extent for all pairings. Activity curves followed expectations based on interspecific killing, with activity peaks coinciding where body size differences were small (wolf and lynx) but not when they were intermediate (foxes to large carnivores). Carnivore activity, particularly fox, overlapped much less with that of diurnal humans. Foxes responded to higher large carnivore activity by being more nocturnal. Low light levels likely provide safer conditions by reducing the visual detectability of mesopredators. The nocturnal effect of large carnivores was however moderated and reduced by human activity. This could perhaps be due to temporal shielding or interference with risk cues. Subtle temporal avoidance and nocturnality may enable mesopredators to cope with interspecific aggression at shared spatial resources. Higher human activity moderated the effects of top-down temporal suppression which could consequently affect the trophic interactions of mesopredators. Significance statement Temporal partitioning can provide an important mechanism for spatial resource access and species coexistence. Our findings show that carnivores partition the use of shared travel routes in time, using the cover of darkness to travel safely where their suppressors (large carnivores) are more active. We however observed fox nocturnality to be flexible, with responses depending on the activity levels but also the composition of apex predators. High human activity modified the top-down temporal suppression of mesopredators by large carnivores. The use of time by predators can have demographic and trophic consequences. Prey accessibility and susceptibility can be temporally variable. As such, the ecosystem services and the ecological roles of predators may be affected by human time use as well as that of intraguild competitors. Temporal interactions should not be overlooked when evaluating human use and conservation priorities in protected areas.

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“…Adult foxes are only chased away by badgers [ 56 ]. Their activity patterns suggest also a differentiated use of night-time [ 69 ]. Sporadic killing of cubs seems to be confirmed by other authors [ 39 , 48 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction success in European badgers, red foxes and raccoon dogs in relation to sett cohabitation

et al. 2020

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The setts of the European badger Meles meles can be cohabited during reproductive season by the red fox Vulpes vulpes and raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides . There is no information on the possible impact of both species on the size of badgers’ litter. The aim of the study was to show the influence of cohabitation of the same setts by badger, raccoon dog and fox on the litter size. The research was conducted in 2012–2014 and 2018 in the lowland forests of western Poland. We conducted the survey of setts by direct observations and analysis of photographic material from trap cameras during mid-April–July each year. We recorded 85 badger litters, 18 fox litters, and 15 raccoon dog litters. Average litter size was 1.71 (±0.90), 2.44 (±1.34) and 4.93 (±2.76) litter mates in badgers, foxes and raccoon dogs, respectively for all observed pairs. Badger litter size did not differ between setts used only by badgers including pairs with no cubs (1.66 ± 0.98) and cohabited with foxes (1.90 ± 0.32) or raccoon dogs (1.88 ± 0.81). However, foxes reared even more cubs in setts cohabited with badgers than when badger was absent (2.90 ± 1.37 vs. 1.88 ± 1.13 respectively). In the case of raccoon dogs, there were no differences in the mean number of their cubs in setts with badgers (5.25 ± 2.92) and without badgers (4.57 ± 2.76). The results indicate that the cohabitation of setts by badgers, foxes and raccoon dogs does not affect litter size negatively.

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Spatial and temporal adjustments allowing the coexistence among carnivores in Liguria (N-W Italy)

Cited by 67 publications

References 67 publications

Spatiotemporal mechanisms of coexistence in an European mammal community in a protected area of southern Italy

Spatiotemporal mechanisms of coexistence in an European mammal community in a protected area of southern Italy

Fear of the dark? A mesopredator mitigates large carnivore risk through nocturnality, but humans moderate the interaction

Reproduction success in European badgers, red foxes and raccoon dogs in relation to sett cohabitation

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