Tracking neighbours promotes the coexistence of large carnivores

Abstract

The study of competition and coexistence among similar interacting species has long been considered a cornerstone in evolutionary and community ecology. However, understanding coexistence remains a challenge. Using two similar and sympatric competing large carnivores, Eurasian lynx and wolverines, we tested the hypotheses that tracking among heterospecifics and reactive responses to potential risk decreases the probability of an agonistic encounter when predators access shared food resources, thus facilitating coexistence. Lynx and wolverines actively avoided each other, with the degree of avoidance being greater for simultaneous than time-delayed predator locations. Wolverines reacted to the presence of lynx at relatively short distances (mean: 383 m). In general, lynx stayed longer, and were more stationary, around reindeer carcasses than wolverines. However, when both predators were present at the same time around a carcass, lynx shortened their visits, while wolverine behavior did not change. Our results support the idea that risk avoidance is a reactive, rather than a predictive, process. Since wolverines have adapted to coexist with lynx, exploiting lynx-killed reindeer carcasses while avoiding potential encounters, the combined presence of both predators may reduce wolverine kill rate and thus the total impact of these predators on semi-domestic reindeer in Scandinavia. Consequently, population management directed at lynx may affect wolverine populations and human-wolverine conflicts.

Published in

Scientific Reports
2016, volume: 6, article number: 23198
Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

SLU Authors

• Lopez, José

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • University of Oviedo

• Mattisson, Jenny

  • Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)

• Persson, Jens

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Aronsson, Malin

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Andren, Henrik

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Global goals (SDG)

SDG2 Zero hunger

UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology
Zoology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep23198

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/79627