Davis Robert S, Yarnell Richard W, Gentle Louise K, Uzal Antonio, Mgoola William O, Stone Emma L
School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Nottingham Trent University Brackenhurst Campus Southwell UK.
Conservation Research Africa & Carnivore Research Malawi Lilongwe Malawi.
Ecol Evol. 2021 May 16;11(12):7890-7904. doi: 10.1002/ece3.7620. eCollection 2021 Jun.
Effective conservation management requires an understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics driving large carnivore density and resource partitioning. In African ecosystems, reduced prey populations and the loss of competing guild members, most notably lion (), are expected to increase the levels of competition between remaining carnivores. Consequently, intraguild relationships can be altered, potentially increasing the risk of further population decline. Kasungu National Park (KNP), Malawi, is an example of a conservation area that has experienced large-scale reductions in both carnivore and prey populations, leaving a resident large carnivore guild consisting of only leopard () and spotted hyena (). Here, we quantify the spatiotemporal dynamics of these two species and their degree of association, using a combination of co-detection modeling, time-to-event analyses, and temporal activity patterns from camera trap data. The detection of leopard and spotted hyena was significantly associated with the detection of preferred prey and competing carnivores, increasing the likelihood of species interaction. Temporal analyses revealed sex-specific differences in temporal activity, with female leopard activity patterns significantly different to those of spotted hyena and male conspecifics. Heightened risk of interaction with interspecific competitors and male conspecifics may have resulted in female leopards adopting temporal avoidance strategies to facilitate coexistence. Female leopard behavioral adaptations increased overall activity levels and diurnal activity rates, with potential consequences for overall fitness and exposure to sources of mortality. As both species are currently found at low densities in KNP, increased risk of competitive interactions, which infer a reduction in fitness, could have significant implications for large carnivore demographics. The protection of remaining prey populations is necessary to mitigate interspecific competition and avoid further alterations to the large carnivore guild.
有效的保护管理需要了解驱动大型食肉动物密度和资源分配的时空动态。在非洲生态系统中，猎物数量减少以及竞争群体成员的丧失，最显著的是狮子（），预计会增加剩余食肉动物之间的竞争程度。因此，种内关系可能会改变，这可能会增加种群进一步下降的风险。马拉维的卡松古国家公园（KNP）就是一个保护区的例子，该保护区的食肉动物和猎物种群都经历了大规模减少，只剩下由豹（）和斑鬣狗（）组成的常驻大型食肉动物群体。在这里，我们结合共同检测模型、事件时间分析和相机陷阱数据的时间活动模式，对这两个物种的时空动态及其关联程度进行了量化。豹和斑鬣狗的检测与首选猎物和竞争食肉动物的检测显著相关，增加了物种相互作用的可能性。时间分析揭示了时间活动上的性别差异，雌性豹的活动模式与斑鬣狗和雄性同种个体的活动模式显著不同。与种间竞争者和雄性同种个体互动的风险增加，可能导致雌性豹采取时间回避策略以促进共存。雌性豹的行为适应提高了总体活动水平和日间活动率，这可能对整体健康和死亡风险产生潜在影响。由于目前在卡松古国家公园中这两个物种的密度都很低，竞争互动风险的增加（这意味着适应性降低）可能对大型食肉动物的种群结构产生重大影响。保护剩余的猎物种群对于减轻种间竞争和避免大型食肉动物群体的进一步改变是必要的。
