Inverse relationships between coyote and wild turkey population time series: Implications for future studies of predator–prey interactions

Abstract

Changes in predator communities such as the emergence of new predators alter predator–prey interactions profoundly. Coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded their geographic distributions from the western United States (US) to the Eastern US, potentially suppressing some prey populations as their relative abundance has increased. To assess the relationship between coyotes and one of their prey, the eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris), we employed time series analysis and multivariate autoregressive state‐space models (MARSSMs) to a 23‐year capture per unit effort data set from both species in the state of Mississippi, US. The best MARSSM model indicated density dependence in each species. The competing MARSSM indicated that increases in coyote relative abundance reduced the population growth rate of wild turkeys. We recommend that future studies use long‐term time series of multiple coexisting predators and their alternative prey to assess the effects of the predator guild on the dynamics of prey populations.