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Interference competition between wolves and coyotes during variable prey abundance
Ecology and Evolution ( IF 2.6 ) Pub Date : 2021-01-11 , DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7153
Tyler R. Petroelje 1 , Todd M. Kautz 1 , Dean E. Beyer 2 , Jerrold L. Belant 1
Affiliation  

Interference competition occurs when two species have similar resource requirements and one species is dominant and can suppress or exclude the subordinate species. Wolves (Canis lupus) and coyotes (C. latrans) are sympatric across much of their range in North America where white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can be an important prey species. We assessed the extent of niche overlap between wolves and coyotes using activity, diet, and space use as evidence for interference competition during three periods related to the availability of white‐tailed deer fawns in the Upper Great Lakes region of the USA. We assessed activity overlap (Δ) with data from accelerometers onboard global positioning system (GPS) collars worn by wolves (n = 11) and coyotes (n = 13). We analyzed wolf and coyote scat to estimate dietary breadth (B) and food niche overlap (α). We used resource utilization functions (RUFs) with canid GPS location data, white‐tailed deer RUFs, ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) and snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) densities, and landscape covariates to compare population‐level space use. Wolves and coyotes exhibited considerable overlap in activity (Δ = 0.86–0.92), diet (B = 3.1–4.9; α = 0.76–1.0), and space use of active and inactive RUFs across time periods. Coyotes relied less on deer as prey compared to wolves and consumed greater amounts of smaller prey items. Coyotes exhibited greater population‐level variation in space use compared to wolves. Additionally, while active and inactive, coyotes exhibited greater selection of some land covers as compared to wolves. Our findings lend support for interference competition between wolves and coyotes with significant overlap across resource attributes examined. The mechanisms through which wolves and coyotes coexist appear to be driven largely by how coyotes, a generalist species, exploit narrow differences in resource availability and display greater population‐level plasticity in resource use.

中文翻译:

可变猎物丰富度下狼与土狼之间的干扰竞争

当两种物种具有相似的资源需求并且一种物种占主导地位并且可以抑制或排斥​​从属物种时,就会发生干扰竞争。在北美,狼(Canis lupus)和土狼(C. latrans)是同胞的同伴,白尾鹿(Odocoileus virginianus)可能是重要的猎物。我们使用活动,饮食和空间利用来评估狼和土狼之间的生态位重叠程度,以此作为与美国上大湖地区白尾鹿小鹿的可获得性有关的三个时期干扰竞争的证据。我们从机载全球定位系统加速度计(GPS)颈圈被狼戴评估活动重叠(Δ)与数据(ñ = 11)和土狼(n  = 13)。我们分析了狼和土狼的粪便,以估计饮食宽度(B)和食物生态位重叠(α)。我们将资源利用函数(RUF)与犬GPS位置数据,白尾鹿RUF,s松鸡(Bonasa umbellus)和雪兔Lusus americanus)密度以及景观协变量结合使用,以比较人口一级的空间使用情况。狼和土狼在饮食(B  = 3.1–4.9;α)上表现出明显的活动重叠(Δ= 0.86-0.92) = 0.76-1.0),以及跨时间段的活动和不活动RUF的空间使用情况。与狼相比,土狼对猎物的依赖更少,而它们消耗的猎物也更多。与狼相比,土狼的空间使用表现出更大的种群层次差异。另外,与狼相比,土狼在活动和不活动时都表现出对某些土地覆盖的更多选择。我们的研究结果为狼和土狼之间的干扰竞争提供了支持,这些干扰在所检查的资源属性之间存在显着重叠。狼和土狼共存的机制似乎主要是由土狼(一种多面手的物种)如何利用有限的资源可利用性并在资源利用中表现出更大的种群可塑性来驱动的。
更新日期:2021-02-05
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