Navigating the risks and rewards of scavenging in multipredator, human‐impacted landscapes DOI Creative Commons
Calum X. Cunningham, Rebecca M. Windell, Lauren Satterfield

et al.

Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 106(5)

Published: May 1, 2025

Abstract Large carnivores can influence smaller scavengers through both positive and negative interactions (e.g., carrion provisioning intraguild killing) ultimately shape scavenging efficiency. However, we know little about this trade‐off in anthropogenic landscapes where humans kill provide subsidies. In the context of wolf ( Canis lupus ) recolonization human‐impacted Washington, USA, investigated how sources ungulate mortality (wolves, cougars [ Puma concolor ], vehicles) efficiency, community‐wide carcass visitations, strategies used by to navigate risk–reward trade‐offs. Cougar kills mostly occurred areas with low‐to‐moderate human influence, whereas roadkill typically high impact. Wolves consumed their most rapidly (median <4.7 days), providing fewer opportunities than cougar‐ vehicle‐killed ungulates, which persisted longer = 8.9 12 days, respectively). Roadkill primarily attracted avian scavengers, mammalian a lesser degree did so shifting more nocturnal foraging. The absence winter turkey vultures Cathartes aura black bears Ursus americanus ), are obligate apex respectively, coincided seasonal increase other species. two mesocarnivores exhibited divergent strategies: Coyotes latrans frequently scavenged but usually for short durations heightened vigilance at predator kills, bobcats Lynx rufus visited carcasses less fed displayed low while scavenging. These results suggest hierarchical decision‐making process whereby first choose whether forage before fine‐tuning foraging duration, using temporal refugia, or increasing vigilance. Predator recovery human‐dominated therefore adds complexity spatiotemporal landscape risks rewards, outcomes will likely depend on propensity scavenge vulnerability large predators.

Language: Английский

Impacts of large herbivores on terrestrial ecosystems DOI Open Access
Robert M. Pringle, Joel O. Abraham, T. Michael Anderson

et al.

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 33(11), P. R584 - R610

Published: June 1, 2023

Language: Английский

Citations

102
Daily activity timing in the Anthropocene DOI Creative Commons
Neil A. Gilbert, Kate McGinn, Laura A. Nunes

et al.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 38(4), P. 324 - 336

Published: Nov. 16, 2022

Language: Английский

Citations

46
Fear of large carnivores amplifies human-caused mortality for mesopredators DOI
Laura R. Prugh, Calum X. Cunningham, Rebecca M. Windell

et al.

Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 380(6646), P. 754 - 758

Published: May 18, 2023

The challenge that large carnivores face in coexisting with humans calls into question their ability to carry out critical ecosystem functions such as mesopredator suppression outside protected areas. In this study, we examined the movements and fates of mesopredators across rural landscapes characterized by substantial human influences. Mesopredators shifted toward areas twofold-greater influence regions occupied carnivores, indicating they perceived be less a threat. However, rather than shielding mesopredators, human-caused mortality was more three times higher carnivore-caused mortality. Mesopredator apex predators may thus amplified, dampened, areas, because fear drives even greater risk from super predators.

Language: Английский

Citations

31
Effects of human disturbances on wildlife behaviour and consequences for predator-prey overlap in Southeast Asia DOI Creative Commons
S. Lee, Zachary Amir, Jonathan H. Moore

et al.

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Feb. 19, 2024

Some animal species shift their activity towards increased nocturnality in disturbed habitats to avoid predominantly diurnal humans. This may alter diel overlap among species, a precondition most predation and competition interactions that structure food webs. Here, using camera trap data from 10 tropical forest landscapes, we find hyperdiverse Southeast Asian wildlife communities peak early mornings intact dawn dusk (increased crepuscularity). Our results indicate anthropogenic disturbances drive opposing behavioural adaptations based on rarity, size feeding guild, with more the 59 rarer specialists' diurnality for medium-sized generalists, less larger hunted species. Species turnover also played role underpinning community- guild-level responses, associated markedly detections of generalists predators. However, predator-prey or competitor guilds does not vary disturbance, suggesting net be conserved.

Language: Английский

Citations

16
Cougars, wolves, and humans drive a dynamic landscape of fear for elk DOI
Taylor R. Ganz,

Melia T. DeVivo,

Aaron J. Wirsing

et al.

Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 105(4)

Published: Feb. 15, 2024

Abstract To manage predation risk, prey navigate a dynamic landscape of fear, or spatiotemporal variation in risk perception, reflecting predator distributions, traits, and activity cycles. Prey may seek to reduce across this using habitat at times places when predators are less active. In multipredator landscapes, avoiding one could increase vulnerability another, making the fear difficult predict navigate. Additionally, humans shape interactions between prey, induce new sources risk. Humans can function as shield, providing refuge for from human‐averse carnivores, predator, causing mortality through hunting vehicle collisions eliciting response that exceed carnivores. We used telemetry data collected 2017 2021 63 Global Positioning System‐collared elk ( Cervus canadensis ), 42 cougars Puma concolor 16 wolves Canis lupus ) examine how selection changed relation carnivores northeastern Washington, USA. Using step functions, we evaluated use cougars, wolves, humans, diel period (daytime vs. nighttime), season (summer calving fall season), structure (open closed habitat). The cycle was critical understanding movement, allowing encounters with where they would be largest threat. Elk strongly avoided night but had near‐neutral during day, whereas all day. generally more open habitats were most active, rather than altering depending on species. day ~80% adult female human caused, suggesting functioned “super predator” system. Simultaneously, leveraged shield against not night, no confirmed have been killed by wolves. Our results add mounting evidence profoundly affect predator–prey interactions, highlighting importance studying these dynamics anthropogenic areas.

Language: Английский

Citations

12
Nutrient dilution and the future of herbivore populations DOI
Michael Kaspari, Ellen A. R. Welti

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 39(9), P. 809 - 820

Published: June 13, 2024

Language: Английский

Citations

12
Bridging the Gap Between Lagrangian and Eulerian Species Distribution Models for Abundance Estimation—A Simulation Experiment DOI Creative Commons
Charlotte Lambert, Anne‐Sophie Bonnet‐Lebrun, David Grémillet

et al.

Journal of Biogeography, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 5, 2025

ABSTRACT Aim In mobile species, individual movement decisions based on biotic and abiotic conditions determine how individuals interact with the environment, heterospecifics conspecifics. Accordingly, these underpin all ecological principles structure broader spatial patterns at population species level. Species distribution models (SDMs) are therefore paramount in ecology, implications for both fundamental applied studies. There many robust SDM techniques, from individual‐scale (Lagrangian) to population‐scale (Eulerian) models. Their outputs routinely support wildlife management, conservation, or risk assessments. Yet, it remains unclear whether SDMs built scales infer same processes, distributions they predict comparable. Here, we address this key question a simulation exercise. Location Virtual environment. Taxon species. Methods First, simulated movements of two highly one central‐place forager free ranger. Second, surveyed individual‐scale, replicating Lagrangian studies by tracking movements, population‐scale, Eulerian surveys censusing study area standardised protocols. The resulting data were analysed following well‐established statistical methods assess abundance distribution. We used Resource Selection Functions (RSFs) Density Surface Models (DSMs) data. Results Main Conclusions Both adequately estimated species' relationship environmental conditions. Although some fine‐scale differences occurred, perspectives yielded correlated (correlations 0.8–1.0 between pairs models), successfully predicted true 0.6–0.7 distribution). Our results demonstrate that statistically consistent directly comparable, which is great importance conservation science. This provides crucial guidance combination predictions model types inform planning within wide range management contexts.

Language: Английский

Citations

1
Human presence shifts the landscape of fear for a free‐living mammal DOI Creative Commons
Chelsea A. Ortiz‐Jimenez,

S. Conroy,

Erin S. Person

et al.

Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 106(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Humans may play a key role in providing small prey mammals spatial and temporal refuge from predators, but few studies have captured the heterogeneity of these effects across space time. Global COVID-19 lockdown restrictions offered unique opportunity to investigate how sudden change human presence semi-urban park impacted wildlife. Here, we quantify changes distributions humans natural predators influenced landscape fear for California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi) pandemic (2020) non-COVID (2019) year. We used structural equation modeling approach explore direct indirect presence, predator habitat features on foraging that reflected responses (e.g., giving-up densities [GUDs], number foragers, average food intake rate while at patches). In 2019, dogs had moderate GUDs; squirrels were less fearful (lower GUDs) areas frequently visited by dogs, raptors weak. contrast, 2020, GUDs weak; more high raptor activity, open sky, cover. both years, farthest most risk-averse. Overall, our analyses revealed an increase perceived risk 2020 associated with concentration presence. Thus, risk-sensitive was dynamic time, depending complex interplay among dog microhabitat features. Our findings elucidate myriad ways directly indirectly influence animal perception safety danger.

Language: Английский

Citations

1
Trait-based sensitivity of large mammals to a catastrophic tropical cyclone DOI
Reena H. Walker, Matthew C. Hutchinson, Justine A. Becker

et al.

Nature, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 623(7988), P. 757 - 764

Published: Nov. 15, 2023

Language: Английский

Citations

18
Animal cognition and culture mediate predator–prey interactions DOI
Eamonn I. F. Wooster, Kaitlyn M. Gaynor, Alexandra J. R. Carthey

et al.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 39(1), P. 52 - 64

Published: Oct. 14, 2023

Language: Английский

Citations

15