Water Developments and Canids in Two North American Deserts: A Test of the Indirect Effect of Water Hypothesis

Hall, Lucas K.; Larsen, Randy T.; Knight, Rob; Bunnell, Kevin D.; McMillan, Brock R.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0067800

Cited by 23 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…We did not detect a relationship between coyote occupancy and water availability, a result that aligned with the findings of other recent studies in our system (Hall et al. , Kluever and Gese ). Still, where artificial water sources were present at Dugway, coyotes were detected using these sources 231 times more often than kit foxes (Hall et al.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Instead, our results supported recent research suggesting that despite use of free‐standing water, space use of coyotes at Dugway was not restricted by water (Hall et al. , Kluever and Gese ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Still, where artificial water sources were present at Dugway, coyotes were detected using these sources 231 times more often than kit foxes (Hall et al. ); these water sources may have served as an alternative resource, reducing prey requirements that would have otherwise been necessary to meet water demands (Golightly and Ohmart ). Additionally, although dietary overlap between coyotes and kit foxes was high, coyotes were capable of exploiting larger mammalian prey (ungulates) that kit foxes were incapable of killing (Kozlowski et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, Hall et al. ). Whereas kit foxes do not require free‐standing water (Golightly and Ohmart ), coyotes may (Arjo et al.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, Hall et al. ), but has since become widespread due to increases in artificial water sources (Fig. ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The roles of habitat and intraguild predation by coyotes on the spatial dynamics of kit foxes

et al. 2017

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Abstract. Intraguild predation (IGP) by a dominant predator can drive the spatial dynamics of a subordinate predator and may explain space-use patterns that deviate from theoretical predictions that species will use areas that maximize the availability of limited resources (resource availability hypothesis). Intraguild predation may suppress the distribution and abundance of mesopredators, but spatial resource partitioning may facilitate coexistence, with the subordinate carnivore utilizing suboptimal habitats. In arid systems, free-standing water was historically scarce, limiting the distribution of larger-bodied predators and offering large areas of refugia for smaller, arid-adapted species, such as the kit fox (Vulpes macrotis). In these systems, the development of artificial water sources may facilitate an increase in the distribution and abundance of larger carnivores (e.g., coyotes [Canis latrans]), perhaps to the detriment of kit foxes. We coupled noninvasive genetic sampling and dynamic occupancy models to evaluate the spatial dynamics of kit foxes and their intraguild predators, coyotes, in western Utah, United States. We evaluated the influence of habitat characteristics on coyote occupancy patterns, and then investigated the role of habitat and coyotes on kit fox space use at multiple scales. Coyote occupancy was unrelated to water availability, but was positively related to the proportion of shrubland and woodland cover, a pattern consistent with predictions of the resource availability hypothesis. Supporting predictions of IGP theory, kit fox occupancy was negatively related to shrubland and woodland cover, minimizing overlap with land-cover types favoring coyote occupancy. Furthermore, kit fox probability of local extinction was positively related to coyote activity. Interestingly, kit fox detection was positively related to coyote activity (i.e., kit fox detection was higher on spatial surveys with greater coyote sign), suggesting that at finer scales, kit foxes utilized riskier habitats to secure sufficient resources. Our results identified two alternative states predicted by IGP theory (i.e., intraguild predator dominated and coexistence of intraguild predator and intraguild prey) in a single system and elucidated the importance of considering dynamic processes and scale when investigating IGP.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, Hall et al. ). Whereas kit foxes do not require free‐standing water (Golightly and Ohmart ), coyotes may (Arjo et al.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, Hall et al. ), but has since become widespread due to increases in artificial water sources (Fig. ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The roles of habitat and intraguild predation by coyotes on the spatial dynamics of kit foxes

et al. 2017

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Detection criteria and post‐field sample processing influence results and cost efficiency of occupancy‐based monitoring

Lonsinger

Knight

Waits

2021

Ecological Applications

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Optimization of occupancy‐based monitoring has focused on balancing the number of sites and surveys to minimize field efforts and costs. When survey techniques require post‐field processing of samples to confirm species detections, there may be opportunities to further improve efficiency. We used scat‐based noninvasive genetic sampling for kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) in Utah, USA, as a model system to assess post‐field data processing strategies, evaluate the impacts of these strategies on estimates of occupancy and associations between parameters and predictors, and identify the most cost‐effective approach. We identified scats with three criteria that varied in costs and reliability: (1) field‐based identification (expert opinion), (2) statistical‐based morphological identification, and (3) genetic‐based identification (mitochondrial DNA). We also considered four novel post‐field sample processing strategies that integrated statistical and genetic identifications to reduce costly genetic procedures, including (4) a combined statistical‐genetic identification, (5) a genetic removal design, (6) a within‐survey conditional‐replicate design, and (7) a single‐genetic‐replicate with false‐positive modeling design. We considered results based on genetic identification as the best approximation of truth and used this to evaluate the performance of alternatives. Field‐based and statistical‐based criteria prone to misidentification produced estimates of occupancy that were biased high (˜1.8 and 2.1 times higher than estimates without misidentifications, respectively). These criteria failed to recover associations between parameters and predictors consistent with genetic identification. The genetic removal design performed poorly, with limited detections leading to estimates that were biased high with poor precision and patterns inconsistent with genetic identification. Both statistical‐genetic identification and the conditional‐replicate design produced occupancy estimates comparable to genetic identification, while recovering the same model structure and associations at cost reductions of 67% and 74%, respectively. The false‐positive design had the lowest cost (88% reduction) and recovered patterns consistent with genetic identification but had occupancy estimates that were ˜32% lower than estimated occupancy based on genetic identification. Our results demonstrate that careful consideration of detection criteria and post‐field data processing can reduce costs without significantly altering resulting inferences. Combined with earlier guidance on sampling designs for occupancy modeling, these findings can aid managers in optimizing occupancy‐based monitoring.

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Differential utilization of surface and arboreal water bodies by birds and mammals in a seasonally dry Neotropical forest in southern Mexico

Delgado‐Martínez,

Kolb,

Pascual‐Ramírez

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Water availability significantly influences bird and mammal ecology in terrestrial ecosystems. However, our understanding of the role of water as a limiting resource for birds and mammals remains partial because most of the studies have focused on surface water bodies in desert and semi‐desert ecosystems. This study assessed the use of two types of surface water bodies (waterholes and epikarst rock pools) and one arboreal (water‐filled tree holes) by birds and mammals in the seasonally dry tropical forests of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in southern Mexico. We deployed camera traps in 23 waterholes, 22 rock pools, and 19 water‐filled tree holes in this karstic region to record visits by small, medium, and large‐bodied birds and mammals during the dry and rainy seasons. These cameras were set up for recording videos documenting when animals were making use of water for drinking, bathing, or both. We compared the species diversity and composition of bird and mammal assemblages using the different types of water bodies by calculating Hill numbers and conducting nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), indicator species, and contingency table analyses. There was a greater species richness of birds and mammals using surface water bodies than tree holes during both seasons. There were significant differences in species composition among bird assemblages using the different water bodies, but dominant species and diversity remained the same. Terrestrial and larger mammalian species preferentially used surface water bodies, whereas arboreal and scansorial small and medium mammals were more common in arboreal water bodies. These findings suggest that differences in water body characteristics might favor segregation in mammal activity. The different water bodies may act as alternative water sources for birds and complementary sources for mammals, potentially favoring species coexistence and increasing community resilience to environmental variation (e.g., fluctuations in water availability). Understanding how differences in water bodies favor species coexistence and community resilience is of great relevance from a basic ecological perspective but is also crucial for anticipating the effects that the increased demand for water by humans and climate change can have on wildlife viability.

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Water Developments and Canids in Two North American Deserts: A Test of the Indirect Effect of Water Hypothesis

Cited by 23 publications

References 36 publications

The roles of habitat and intraguild predation by coyotes on the spatial dynamics of kit foxes

The roles of habitat and intraguild predation by coyotes on the spatial dynamics of kit foxes

Detection criteria and post‐field sample processing influence results and cost efficiency of occupancy‐based monitoring

Differential utilization of surface and arboreal water bodies by birds and mammals in a seasonally dry Neotropical forest in southern Mexico

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