Context-dependency in carnivore co-occurrence across a multi-use conservation landscape

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Wildlife Management

Background:

• Carnivore intraguild dynamics are shaped by environmental factors and species interactions.
• Conservation approaches in South Africa have created diverse management landscapes influencing carnivore communities.
• Understanding context-dependency in carnivore co-occurrence is crucial for effective conservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate spatial and temporal carnivore co-occurrence patterns across different management contexts.
• To determine how environmental affinities and interspecific interactions influence carnivore assemblage structure.
• To assess the impact of decentralized conservation on carnivore spatial and temporal dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Studied carnivore spatial occupancy and diel activity overlap across three distinct South African wildlife management areas.
• Compared co-occurrence patterns in a provincial protected area, a private ecotourism reserve, and commercial game ranches.
• Analyzed pair-specific variability in spatial overlap and temporal activity synchrony.

Main Results:

• Carnivores generally showed independent spatial distribution, with context-specific spatial dependencies observed.
• Spatial overlap was highest in the protected area and game ranches, but heterogeneous in the private reserve.
• Temporal activity overlap (diel asynchrony) was consistent across contexts, suggesting endogenous control rather than local influences.

Conclusions:

• Carnivore co-occurrence is complex and context-dependent, influenced by management practices.
• Subordinate carnivores may employ flexible behavioral strategies to coexist with dominant competitors.
• Conservation interventions can have unpredicted cascading effects on carnivore interaction networks.