Interest in trophic interactions and ecosystem functions derived from carcass consumption by scavengers has been increasing. Here, we conducted the first evaluation of scavenging processes in an ecosystem with heavy snow, located in northern Japan, which is characterized by the limitations of visual and odor cues to detect carcasses. In this study, we verified the behavioral traits and assemblage compositions of avian and mammalian scavengers, which consumed six different carcass types buried in snow. We measured the visits of scavengers using camera traps between 2010 and 2020. The total scavenger richness observed was relatively low (only 12 species) compared to warmer biomes. We observed seven avian scavenger species, but their visit frequencies were extremely low compared with those of nocturnal mammalian scavengers, such as raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and martens (Martes melampus), which were able to detect carcasses more rapidly and frequently. Our findings imply that large snow piles significantly prevent avian scavengers from detecting carcasses. In contrast, the snow piles could protect carcasses from the freezing air and ensure the occurrence of a basal level of microbial decomposition, possibly leading to carcass decomposition. This probably results in carcasses still providing odor cues for mammalian scavengers with heightened sense of smell. Moreover, considering the high carcass consumption rate (91.3% of full-body carcass; n = 23) and short carcass detection times (approximately 90 h) observed, it is possible that scavenging in heavy snowfall conditions has become systematically integrated into the foraging tactics of many mammalian scavengers.

拾荒者食用car体后对营养相互作用和生态系统功能的兴趣不断增加。在这里，我们对位于日本北部的大雪生态系统中的清除过程进行了首次评估，该生态系统的特征是视觉和气味提示的局限性，无法检测尸体。在这项研究中，我们验证了鸟类和哺乳动物清道夫的行为特征和组合组成，这些行为消耗了六种埋在雪中的different体。我们使用相机陷阱测量了清道夫的来访次数。与温暖的生物群落相比，清道夫的总丰富度相对较低（仅12种）。我们观察到了7种鸟类清道夫物种，但与夜间哺乳动物清道夫（如狗）相比，它们的造访频率极低。Nyctereutes procyonoides）和martens（Martes melampus）能够更快，更频繁地检测出car体。我们的发现表明，大雪堆会严重阻止禽类清道夫检测尸体。相反，雪堆可以保护尸体免受冷冻空气的侵害，并确保发生基础水平的微生物分解，从而可能导致尸体分解。这可能会导致尸体仍然为哺乳动物的清道夫提供气味提示，并增强嗅觉。此外，考虑到car体消耗率高（占全身car体的91.3％；n = 23）并且观察到较短的car体检测时间（大约90 h），可能在大雪条件下进行的扫除已系统地整合到许多哺乳动物清道夫的觅食策略中。