Intraguild dynamics of understudied carnivores in a human‐altered landscape. Issue 12 (27th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Easter, Tara; Bouley, Paola; Carter, Neil
• Is Part Of: Ecology and evolution. Volume 10:Issue 12(2020)
• Page Start: 5476
• Page End: 5488
• Publication Date: 2020-04-27
• Subjects: competition -- conservation -- niche partitioning -- species interactions; Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6290
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2045-7758

Abstract

Abstract: Mesocarnivores constitute a diverse and often abundant group of species, which are increasingly occupying hweigher trophic levels within multi‐use landscapes. Yet, we know relatively little about their interactions with each other, especially in human‐altered areas. Using camera trap data collected in a forestry concession in the Greater Gorongosa ecosystem of central Mozambique, we examined the spatiotemporal relationships and potential for intraguild competition among three understudied African carnivores: African civets ( Civettictis civetta ), bushy‐tailed mongooses ( Bdeogale crassicauda ), and large‐spotted genets ( Genetta maculata ). After accounting for habitat preferences and tolerance to anthropogenic factors, we found that African civets and bushy‐tailed mongooses avoid each other spatially and temporally. Additionally, civets and mongooses were also both more likely to use sites farther away from human settlements, possibly decreasing the total available habitat for each species if competition is driving this spatial partitioning. In contrast, we did not find evidence for spatial or temporal partitioning between large‐spotted genets and African civets, but bushy‐tailed mongooses altered their activity patterns where they co‐occurred with genets. Our study contributes to scant ecological knowledge of these mesocarnivores and adds to our understanding of community dynamics in human‐altered ecosystems. Abstract : We examined the spatiotemporal relationships and potential for intraguild competition among three understudied small carnivores: African civets ( Civettictis civetta ), bushy‐tailed mongoose ( Bdeogale crassicauda ), and large‐spotted genets ( Genetta maculata ). We found that civets and mongoose avoid each other, while genets occupied the same, fine‐scale spatial and temporal niches as civets and mongooses. Such interspecific interactions are important to consider for conservation planning because this information allows for better prediction of how trophic networks might shift and function in anthropogenic landscapes, which prevail globally.