Anindita Bidisha Chatterjee, K. Sankar, Y. Jhala, Q. Qureshi
{"title":"Spatio-temporal patterns of co-occurrence of tigers and leopards within a protected area in central India","authors":"Anindita Bidisha Chatterjee, K. Sankar, Y. Jhala, Q. Qureshi","doi":"10.5194/we-23-17-2023","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. The global decline of large carnivore populations warrants scientific\ninsights into intraguild relationships. Patterns of co-occurrence among\nsympatric predators are governed by their density, distribution, diet,\nactivity overlaps, and behavioural strategies. Tigers are sympatric with\nleopards across their distribution range, overlap substantially in their\ndiet, and are both nocturnal. The subdominant leopard is believed to coexist\nwith tigers via several mechanisms like spatial segregation, temporal\navoidance, and differential prey selection. Investigation of\nspatio-temporal patterns of co-occurrence of tigers and leopards can provide\ninsights on mechanisms that permit coexistence. We used camera trap-based\nphoto captures of tigers and leopards in prey-rich (58.15±10.61\nungulates per km2) Pench Tiger Reserve to determine their spatio-temporal\npatterns of co-occurrence. Spatially explicit density estimates of tigers\nwere approximately 5 per 100 km2 and leopards were approximately 4.5 per\n100 km2 and remained stable over the years. This implies that both these\nco-predators are likely to attain carrying capacity within the study area.\nAreas with high tiger density had lower leopard density. Quantile regression\nanalysis between tiger and leopard density at 2×2 km grid showed that\nleopard density had a parabolic relationship with tiger density, initially\nincreasing with tigers (β=0.393; p=0.001), stable at medium tiger\ndensity (β=0.13 and p=0.15), and declining at high tiger densities\n(β=-0.37 and p<0.001). Both tigers and leopards were\ncrepuscular in nature with no temporal segregation (Δ=89 %).\nTime lag of consecutive leopard photograph after a tiger capture ranged\nbetween 0.002 to 36.29 d. Leopard use of trails was not related to use by tigers. Our results suggest that leopards adjust their usage of space\nat fine scales to avoid confrontations with tigers. We also observed high\ntemporal overlap and no spatio-temporal segregation between tigers and\nleopards, despite the two predators being nocturnal and having similar prey\nchoices. The availability of ample prey within the study area is likely to\nbe the driving factor of the co-occurrence of tigers and leopards within\nthis dry deciduous habitat of central India.\n","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2023-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Web Ecology","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-17-2023","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ECOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1
Abstract
Abstract. The global decline of large carnivore populations warrants scientific
insights into intraguild relationships. Patterns of co-occurrence among
sympatric predators are governed by their density, distribution, diet,
activity overlaps, and behavioural strategies. Tigers are sympatric with
leopards across their distribution range, overlap substantially in their
diet, and are both nocturnal. The subdominant leopard is believed to coexist
with tigers via several mechanisms like spatial segregation, temporal
avoidance, and differential prey selection. Investigation of
spatio-temporal patterns of co-occurrence of tigers and leopards can provide
insights on mechanisms that permit coexistence. We used camera trap-based
photo captures of tigers and leopards in prey-rich (58.15±10.61
ungulates per km2) Pench Tiger Reserve to determine their spatio-temporal
patterns of co-occurrence. Spatially explicit density estimates of tigers
were approximately 5 per 100 km2 and leopards were approximately 4.5 per
100 km2 and remained stable over the years. This implies that both these
co-predators are likely to attain carrying capacity within the study area.
Areas with high tiger density had lower leopard density. Quantile regression
analysis between tiger and leopard density at 2×2 km grid showed that
leopard density had a parabolic relationship with tiger density, initially
increasing with tigers (β=0.393; p=0.001), stable at medium tiger
density (β=0.13 and p=0.15), and declining at high tiger densities
(β=-0.37 and p<0.001). Both tigers and leopards were
crepuscular in nature with no temporal segregation (Δ=89 %).
Time lag of consecutive leopard photograph after a tiger capture ranged
between 0.002 to 36.29 d. Leopard use of trails was not related to use by tigers. Our results suggest that leopards adjust their usage of space
at fine scales to avoid confrontations with tigers. We also observed high
temporal overlap and no spatio-temporal segregation between tigers and
leopards, despite the two predators being nocturnal and having similar prey
choices. The availability of ample prey within the study area is likely to
be the driving factor of the co-occurrence of tigers and leopards within
this dry deciduous habitat of central India.
Web EcologyAgricultural and Biological Sciences-Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
CiteScore
4.60
自引率
0.00%
发文量
6
审稿时长
17 weeks
期刊介绍:
Web Ecology (WE) is an open-access journal issued by the European Ecological Federation (EEF) representing the ecological societies within Europe and associated members. Its special value is to serve as a publication forum for national ecological societies that do not maintain their own society journal. Web Ecology publishes papers from all fields of ecology without any geographic restriction. It is a forum to communicate results of experimental, theoretical, and descriptive studies of general interest to an international audience. Original contributions, short communications, and reviews on ecological research on all kinds of organisms and ecosystems are welcome as well as papers that express emerging ideas and concepts with a sound scientific background.