Spatio-temporal interactions facilitate large carnivore sympatry across a resource gradient

Abstract

Species within a guild vary their use of time, space and resources, thereby enabling sympatry. As intra-guild competition intensifies, such behavioural adaptations may become prominent. We assessed mechanisms of facilitating sympatry among dhole (Cuon alpinus), leopard (Panthera pardus) and tiger (Panthera tigris) in tropical forests of India using camera-trap surveys. We examined population-level temporal, spatial and spatio-temporal segregation among them across four reserves representing a gradient of carnivore and prey densities. Temporal and spatial overlaps were higher at lower prey densities. Combined spatio-temporal overlap was minimal, possibly due to chance. We found fine-scale avoidance behaviours at one high-density reserve. Our results suggest that: (i) patterns of spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal segregation in sympatric carnivores do not necessarily mirror each other; (ii) carnivores are likely to adopt temporal, spatial, and spatio-temporal segregation as alternative mechanisms to facilitate sympatry; and (iii) carnivores show adaptability across a gradient of resource availability, a driver of inter-species competition. We discuss behavioural mechanisms that permit carnivores to co-occupy rather than dominate functional niches, and adaptations to varying intensities of competition that are likely to shape structure and dynamics of carnivore guilds.

Assessing analytical methods for detecting spatiotemporal interactions between species from camera trapping data

“…Karanth et al. (), using a similar test based on randomly generated records, compared times intervals between co‐occurring species (times‐to‐encounters, akin to AB here) from observed data and random records and found some evidence for spatiotemporal interactions between dholes, leopards and tigers in Indian wildlife reserves.…”

“…() and Karanth et al. (). The two ratios correspond to the attraction‐avoidance‐ratios (AARs) T2/T1 and T4/T3 in Parsons et al.…”

“…This procedure was used by Karanth et al. () without explicitly taking activity patterns into account, and by Cusack et al. ().…”

“…; Karanth et al. ). Studying temporal or spatiotemporal niche partitioning in wild populations of medium‐sized to larger mammals, however, is challenging, and it is less clear what the most suitable methods for studying it are.…”

Niche overlap and dietary resource partitioning in an African large carnivore guild

“…In small enclosed systems, as characteristic of our study site, the influence on the available prey base and competing predators may be augmented by the restriction in potential refugia. Where overlap in the diet is high, predators are expected to employ temporal or spatial behavioural adjustments to facilitate coexistence (Lovari et al , ; Dröge et al , ; Karanth et al , ). For example, wild dogs in Hluhluwe‐iMfolozi Park avoided competitive interactions by employing different daily activity (Saleni et al , ) and spatial patterns (Darnell et al , ) relative to lions and spotted hyenas.…”