Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Habitat Selection Differences of Two Sympatric Large Carnivores in the Southwestern Mountains of China

Teng teng Tian
,
Xing Chen
ORCID logo ,
Han Pan
,
Yu yi Jin
,
Xiao dian Zhang
,
Yang Xiang
,
Biao Yang
* ,
Li Zhang
* ORCID logo ,
Da zhao Song
Version 1 : Received: 23 July 2023 / Approved: 24 July 2023 / Online: 25 July 2023 (03:24:10 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Tian, T.; Chen, X.; Pan, H.; Jin, Y.; Zhang, X.; Xiang, Y.; Song, D.; Yang, B.; Zhang, L. Habitat Selection Differences of Two Sympatric Large Carnivores in the Southwestern Mountains of China. Diversity 2023, 15, 968. Tian, T.; Chen, X.; Pan, H.; Jin, Y.; Zhang, X.; Xiang, Y.; Song, D.; Yang, B.; Zhang, L. Habitat Selection Differences of Two Sympatric Large Carnivores in the Southwestern Mountains of China. Diversity 2023, 15, 968.

Abstract

Large terrestrial carnivores play a crucial role in top-down control within terrestrial ecosystems, maintaining ecosystem stability and biodiversity. However, intense interspecific competition often arises among sympatric large carnivores, leading to population reductions or even extinctions. Spatial partitioning through divergent habitat selection helps mitigate such competition. In Xinlong County, Sichuan Province, we used 293 infrared cameras for monitoring from September to May 2016 and March to October 2022. By employing the Generalized Linear Model (GLM) and the Maximum Entropy Model (MaxEnt), we developed an ensemble model predicting the suitable habitat distribution of leopards (Panthera pardus) and wolves (Canis lupus). We analyzed the main environmental factors influencing habitat selection and the fragmentation of suitable habitats. We found that suitable habitat distribution differed significantly between them. Both species preferred areas with gentle slopes close to settlements. While leopards' habitat selection primarily depended on the distance from settlements, the slope was predominant for wolves. Suitable habitats displayed aggregation, yet wolves exhibited higher fragmentation and more complex patch shapes, indicating greater susceptibility to human activities. These results suggest that sympatric large carnivores, such as leopards and wolves, can reduce spatial competition intensity and promote spatial partitioning by selecting divergent suitable habitats, thereby facilitating species coexistence.

Keywords

Interspecific competition; Spatial ecological niche; Ensemble model; Habitat selection; Xinlong County

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Download PDF

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0
Metrics 0
Get PDF Cite Share 0
Bookmark BibSonomy Mendeley Reddit Delicious
×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.