Impervious surface cover and number of restaurants shape diet variation in an urban carnivore

Ecosphere, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 16(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2025

Abstract In the past decade, studies have demonstrated that urban and nonurban wildlife populations exhibit differences in foraging behavior diet. However, little is known about how environmental heterogeneity shapes dietary variation of organisms within cities. We examined vertebrate prey components diets coyotes ( Canis latrans ) San Francisco to quantify territory‐ individual‐level determine within‐city land cover use affects coyote genotyped fecal samples for individual identification used DNA metabarcoding diet composition niche differentiation. The highest contributor overall was anthropogenic food followed by small mammals. most frequently detected species were domestic chicken, pocket gopher Thomomys bottae ), pig, raccoon Procyon lotor ). Diet varied significantly across territories among individuals, with explaining variation. Within (i.e., family groups), amount attributed among‐individual increased green space decreased impervious surface cover. quantity scats also positively correlated cover, suggesting consumed more human urbanized territories. invasive, human‐commensal rodents number services a territory. Overall, our results revealed substantial intraspecific associated landscape point diversifying effect urbanization on population

Язык: Английский

---

The paleo-synanthropic niche: a first attempt to define animal’s adaptation to a human-made micro-environment in the Late Pleistocene

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 15(5)

Опубликована: Апрель 20, 2023

Abstract Synanthropic behavior, i.e., the behavior of wild animals that benefit from a shared ecology with humans, has existed long before sedentarization Homo sapiens during Neolithic, around 10,000 years ago. This study describes and discusses concept an older animal-human relationship: paleo-synanthropic associated niche. Key features this new niche are anthropogenic food waste mobile hunter-gatherers as stable base for small opportunistic scavengers human-near environment safe large predators. By linking to human rather than specific location or structure, was accessible time, even in Late Pleistocene. Like modern synanthropic animals, members experienced increase population density decrease home range. This, turn, made it easier humans capture these use them resources meat, fur, feathers, seen zooarchaeological record many European Pleistocene sites. As disadvantage, diseases such zoonoses may have spread more easily.

Язык: Английский

---

Individual dietary specialization in a generalist predator: A stable isotope analysis of urban and rural red foxes

Ecology and Evolution, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 10(16), С. 8855 - 8870

Опубликована: Июль 17, 2020

Abstract Some carnivores are known to survive well in urban habitats, yet the underlying behavioral tactics poorly understood. One likely explanation for success habitats might be that generalist consumers. However, populations of could as consist specialist feeders. Here, we compared isotopic specialization red foxes and rural environments, using both a population an individual level perspective. We measured stable isotope ratios increments fox whiskers potential food sources. Our results reveal have broad dietary niche large variation resource use. Despite this variation, found significant differences between variance δ 13 C 15 N values, suggesting habitat‐specific foraging behavior. Although regions more heterogeneous regarding land cover (based on Shannon index) than regions, range was smaller with conspecifics. Moreover, higher values lower suggest relatively high input anthropogenic The diet most individuals remained largely constant over longer period. low intraindividual variability suggests proportion items consumed by individuals. Urban utilized small potentially available indicated within‐individual between‐individual variation. conclude specialists at least those periods covered our study.

Язык: Английский

---

Downtown diet: a global meta-analysis of increased urbanization on the diets of vertebrate predators

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 289(1970)

Опубликована: Март 2, 2022

Predation is a fundamental ecological process that shapes communities and drives evolutionary dynamics. As the world rapidly urbanizes, it critical to understand how human perturbations alter predation meat consumption across taxa. We conducted meta-analysis quantify effects of urban environments on three components trophic ecology in predators: dietary species richness, evenness stable isotopic ratios (IRs) ( δ 13 C 15 N IR). evaluated whether intensity anthropogenic pressure, using footprint index (HFI), explained variation effect sizes attributes meta-regression. calculated Hedges’ g from 44 studies including 11 986 samples 40 predatory 39 cities globally. The direction magnitude varied among predator taxa with reptilian diets exhibiting most sensitivity urbanization. Effect revealed predators had comparable diet nitrogen ratios, though carbon IRs were more enriched cities. found neither 1993 nor 2009 HFI editions size variation. Our study provides, our knowledge, first assessment urbanization has perturbed predator–prey interactions for multiple at global scale. conclude functional role conserved does not inherently relax predation, despite broadening include food sources such as sugar, wheat corn.

Язык: Английский

---

Hypotheses in urban ecology: building a common knowledge base

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 98(5), С. 1530 - 1547

Опубликована: Апрель 18, 2023

ABSTRACT Urban ecology is a rapidly growing research field that has to keep pace with the pressing need tackle sustainability crisis. As an inherently multi‐disciplinary close ties practitioners and administrators, synthesis knowledge transfer between those different stakeholders crucial. Knowledge maps can enhance provide orientation researchers as well practitioners. A promising option for developing such create hypothesis networks, which structure existing hypotheses aggregate them according topics aims. Combining expert information from literature, we here identify 62 used in urban link network. Our network clusters into four distinct themes: ( i ) species traits & evolution, ii biotic communities, iii habitats iv ecosystems. We discuss potentials limitations of this approach. All openly provided part extendable Wikidata project, invite researchers, others interested contribute additional hypotheses, comment add ones. The project form first step towards base ecology, be expanded curated benefit both researchers.

Язык: Английский

---

Assessment of inter-regional dietary differences in anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) in Nunavik, Canada, and links with flesh quality indicators

Arctic Science, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 10(2), С. 372 - 385

Опубликована: Янв. 12, 2024

Arctic char ( Salvelinus alpinus) is a salmonid fish that the second-most consumed country food species by Nunavimmiut. Its nutritional quality determined omega-3 fatty acids and carotenoid pigments. Those molecules cannot be synthetized must acquired through diet. We sampled in 10 rivers from three marine coastal regions of Nunavik (Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Ungava Bay), described diet (stable isotopes δ 13 C 15 N) flesh (fatty carotenoids, measured chromatography) assessed associations between both (including also bio-impedance colorimetry). Our results suggested inter-regional differences Nunavik, where values indicated Bay was more pelagic, while it coastal. observed astaxanthin, pigment responsible for redness color, concentrations were highest char. In all sampling locations, an exceptional source confirming its importance as high-quality wild food. models suggest canthaxanthin, water content influence redness. data highlight could taken consideration to better predict impact climate change on and, ultimately, Inuit health.

Язык: Английский

---

Comparison of the red fox gut microbiota among different habitat types in southern Anatolia

Mammal Research, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Фев. 7, 2025

Язык: Английский

---

Utilisation of Anthropogenic Food by Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Britain as Determined by Stable Isotope Analysis

Ecology and Evolution, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 15(3)

Опубликована: Фев. 28, 2025

ABSTRACT Dietary analyses utilising visual methods to identify stomach and faecal contents have shown that urban red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) in Britain consume human‐derived (anthropogenic) food varying degrees. Anthropogenic foods been implicated poor health outcomes for synanthropic species them; therefore, it is important examine the degree of such British fox diet. We analysed carbon (δ 13 C) nitrogen 15 N) stable isotope ratios whiskers collected from 93 across determine: (1) if analysis (SIA) distinguished a difference δ C N between rural foxes, whether any was suggestive anthropogenic use; (2) proportion consumption compared using Bayesian mixing model; (3) sex, age or season collection influenced diet as assessed by SIA, relation use. found following: significantly different foxes; demonstrated higher lower N, pattern consistent with consumption. Food provided either directly indirectly humans contributed an estimated 34.6% approximately 6% Across combined, there were significant isotopic differences males females, females demonstrating C. (4) No subadults adults observed. (5) Season did not influence on despite winter highest lowest seasonal means. Potential negative are likely disproportionately impact more than urban‐dwelling foxes.

Язык: Английский

---

The Cat's Whiskers: Stable Isotopes Reveal Individual Specialisation of Adaptable Caracals (Caracal caracal) Foraging in an Urbanising Landscape

Ecology and Evolution, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 15(3)

Опубликована: Март 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Urbanisation critically alters the availability of resources and nature risks for wildlife by fragmenting natural habitats disrupting ecosystems. Despite these challenges, carnivores frequently persist in around urban environments, where novel opportunities, such as anthropogenic food, may outweigh associated ecological risks. Here, we investigate responses an adapter to resources, using stable isotope analysis vibrissae (whiskers) understand spatiotemporal foraging patterns caracals ( Caracal caracal ) on fringes city Cape Town, South Africa. Caracals are medium‐sized felids largest remaining predators Peninsula. Using isotopic niche metrics home range estimates, assess effects demographics, seasonality, urbanisation variation individual behaviour from GPS‐collar monitored n = 28) across gradient. a wide at population level, observed high levels specialisation. Adult male niches were wider, likely due larger ranges, which facilitate exploitation diverse prey trophic levels. Patterns δ 13 C seasonal, with increases during warmer, drier summer months Peninsula irrespective habitat use. Taken together contraction areas, our findings suggest higher reliance human‐subsidised summer. areas dominated wildland cover had 15 N values than those urban‐dominated areas. Across study area, varied spatially, increased enrichment more coastal wetland prey, particularly winter. Individual flexibility is clearly key strategy their success this rapidly transforming landscape. Understanding shifts dietary ecology adaptable carnivores, like caracals, fundamental understanding needs growing cities.

Язык: Английский

---

Trace DNA from kill sites identifies individual predators

Biological Conservation, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 307, С. 111117 - 111117

Опубликована: Апрель 28, 2025

Язык: Английский

---