Spatial and temporal partitioning of mustelids in Southeast Alaska

Abstract As species’ distributions shift in response to changing environmental conditions, novel species interactions are emerging, challenging researchers and managers alike. When new species enter existing ecological communities, their effects on fellow guild members are difficult to predict. Comp...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales:	Caitlin A. Kupferman, Anthony P. Crupi, Lisette P. Waits, Sophie L. Gilbert
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Wiley 2021
Materias:	activity pattern competition ermine fisher marten mustelid Ecology QH540-549.5
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/2ace87a4bcfe493d92527bf7132bd367
Etiquetas:	Agregar Etiqueta Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!

id	oai:doaj.org-article:2ace87a4bcfe493d92527bf7132bd367
record_format	dspace
spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:2ace87a4bcfe493d92527bf7132bd3672021-11-29T07:06:43ZSpatial and temporal partitioning of mustelids in Southeast Alaska2150-892510.1002/ecs2.3827https://doaj.org/article/2ace87a4bcfe493d92527bf7132bd3672021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3827https://doaj.org/toc/2150-8925Abstract As species’ distributions shift in response to changing environmental conditions, novel species interactions are emerging, challenging researchers and managers alike. When new species enter existing ecological communities, their effects on fellow guild members are difficult to predict. Competition between species within the same guild can regulate populations and influence community structure, but niche partitioning is a way for sympatric species to coexist through differential use of space, time, and resources. The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a carnivore species that has recently colonized Southeast Alaska (SEAK), the northern margin of its range. Although currently considered at low density, the fisher has been expanding its distribution in SEAK in recent years and may impact the native SEAK forest carnivore guild through competitive interactions. We examined the potential for competition between fisher, American marten (Martes americana), and ermine (Mustela erminea) in SEAK during the winter of 2018 by investigating patterns of spatial and temporal overlap between the species at both local and landscape scales. Using data collected from remote‐sensed habitat features, climate characteristics, species detections from 25 systematic camera stations (50 unique cameras), and single‐species occupancy models, we found that fisher occupancy was positively correlated with vegetation height, and detection decreased with increased snow density. Using two‐species occupancy models, we found evidence of temporal, rather than spatial, avoidance patterns among the SEAK mustelid species investigated, although our inference was limited by sample size. Fisher, the largest mustelid evaluated, did not exhibit changes in occupancy or detection in the presence of marten or ermine. Likewise, detection and occupancy parameters of the mid‐sized marten and small‐sized ermine were not affected by the presence of the other mustelids. Instead, analysis of diel activity patterns showed that marten and ermine reduced temporal overlap with fisher, exhibiting less activity during times of peak fisher activity. Overall, these results show that mustelids in SEAK displayed a pattern of hierarchical temporal partitioning during winter, with smaller‐bodied mustelids avoiding larger, more dominant mustelids. However, if the fisher population continues to expand its range and abundance in SEAK, species interactions may shift and increase the potential for competition between the fisher, marten, and ermine mustelid guild.Caitlin A. KupfermanAnthony P. CrupiLisette P. WaitsSophie L. GilbertWileyarticleactivity patterncompetitionerminefishermartenmustelidEcologyQH540-549.5ENEcosphere, Vol 12, Iss 11, Pp n/a-n/a (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	activity pattern competition ermine fisher marten mustelid Ecology QH540-549.5
spellingShingle	activity pattern competition ermine fisher marten mustelid Ecology QH540-549.5 Caitlin A. Kupferman Anthony P. Crupi Lisette P. Waits Sophie L. Gilbert Spatial and temporal partitioning of mustelids in Southeast Alaska
description	Abstract As species’ distributions shift in response to changing environmental conditions, novel species interactions are emerging, challenging researchers and managers alike. When new species enter existing ecological communities, their effects on fellow guild members are difficult to predict. Competition between species within the same guild can regulate populations and influence community structure, but niche partitioning is a way for sympatric species to coexist through differential use of space, time, and resources. The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a carnivore species that has recently colonized Southeast Alaska (SEAK), the northern margin of its range. Although currently considered at low density, the fisher has been expanding its distribution in SEAK in recent years and may impact the native SEAK forest carnivore guild through competitive interactions. We examined the potential for competition between fisher, American marten (Martes americana), and ermine (Mustela erminea) in SEAK during the winter of 2018 by investigating patterns of spatial and temporal overlap between the species at both local and landscape scales. Using data collected from remote‐sensed habitat features, climate characteristics, species detections from 25 systematic camera stations (50 unique cameras), and single‐species occupancy models, we found that fisher occupancy was positively correlated with vegetation height, and detection decreased with increased snow density. Using two‐species occupancy models, we found evidence of temporal, rather than spatial, avoidance patterns among the SEAK mustelid species investigated, although our inference was limited by sample size. Fisher, the largest mustelid evaluated, did not exhibit changes in occupancy or detection in the presence of marten or ermine. Likewise, detection and occupancy parameters of the mid‐sized marten and small‐sized ermine were not affected by the presence of the other mustelids. Instead, analysis of diel activity patterns showed that marten and ermine reduced temporal overlap with fisher, exhibiting less activity during times of peak fisher activity. Overall, these results show that mustelids in SEAK displayed a pattern of hierarchical temporal partitioning during winter, with smaller‐bodied mustelids avoiding larger, more dominant mustelids. However, if the fisher population continues to expand its range and abundance in SEAK, species interactions may shift and increase the potential for competition between the fisher, marten, and ermine mustelid guild.
format	article
author	Caitlin A. Kupferman Anthony P. Crupi Lisette P. Waits Sophie L. Gilbert
author_facet	Caitlin A. Kupferman Anthony P. Crupi Lisette P. Waits Sophie L. Gilbert
author_sort	Caitlin A. Kupferman
title	Spatial and temporal partitioning of mustelids in Southeast Alaska
title_short	Spatial and temporal partitioning of mustelids in Southeast Alaska
title_full	Spatial and temporal partitioning of mustelids in Southeast Alaska
title_fullStr	Spatial and temporal partitioning of mustelids in Southeast Alaska
title_full_unstemmed	Spatial and temporal partitioning of mustelids in Southeast Alaska
title_sort	spatial and temporal partitioning of mustelids in southeast alaska
publisher	Wiley
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/2ace87a4bcfe493d92527bf7132bd367
work_keys_str_mv	AT caitlinakupferman spatialandtemporalpartitioningofmustelidsinsoutheastalaska AT anthonypcrupi spatialandtemporalpartitioningofmustelidsinsoutheastalaska AT lisettepwaits spatialandtemporalpartitioningofmustelidsinsoutheastalaska AT sophielgilbert spatialandtemporalpartitioningofmustelidsinsoutheastalaska
_version_	1718407514376110080

Spatial and temporal partitioning of mustelids in Southeast Alaska

Ejemplares similares