Carnivore activity across landuse gradients in a Mexican biosphere reserve
Abstract Anthropogenic activities are increasingly encroaching into wildland areas, heightening interactions between human and carnivore communities. Area-based conservation measures, such as protected areas (PAs), employ different management strategies via land-use designations to mitigate anthropo...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87850-7 |
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| author | Germar González Siria Gámez Nyeema C. Harris |
| author_facet | Germar González Siria Gámez Nyeema C. Harris |
| author_sort | Germar González |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Anthropogenic activities are increasingly encroaching into wildland areas, heightening interactions between human and carnivore communities. Area-based conservation measures, such as protected areas (PAs), employ different management strategies via land-use designations to mitigate anthropogenic pressures and reduce human-wildlife conflicts in shared landscapes. Here, we assessed carnivore diel activity and temporal activity overlap in and around El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve (REBITRI) in Chiapas, Mexico, along a land-use designation gradient. We deployed 33 camera traps along the gradient, leveraging the reserve’s core and buffer zones, and private lands surrounding the reserve. We calculated activity overlap between species to detect changes in interspecific competition and predator-prey interactions along the gradient. In total, we detected 14 carnivores in the core zones, 10 in the buffer zone, and 9 on private land across the 4777 trap-night survey. Significant shifts in single-species diel activity between the buffer zones and private land were detected for margay (Leopardus wiedii) and grey fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Activity overlap was the highest in the buffer zone for all predator-prey pairs, and two competitor pairs, suggesting reduced diel niche partitioning in this land-use designation due to varied anthropogenic pressures. Our findings contribute to assessing PA efficacy and understanding carnivore activity in multiple-use landscapes where anthropogenic pressures are ubiquitous. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-25b4020451654625acc6d384ae4860be |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-25b4020451654625acc6d384ae4860be2025-02-09T12:30:01ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-87850-7Carnivore activity across landuse gradients in a Mexican biosphere reserveGermar González0Siria Gámez1Nyeema C. Harris2Applied Wildlife Ecology (AWE) Lab, Yale School of the Environment, Yale UniversityApplied Wildlife Ecology (AWE) Lab, Yale School of the Environment, Yale UniversityApplied Wildlife Ecology (AWE) Lab, Yale School of the Environment, Yale UniversityAbstract Anthropogenic activities are increasingly encroaching into wildland areas, heightening interactions between human and carnivore communities. Area-based conservation measures, such as protected areas (PAs), employ different management strategies via land-use designations to mitigate anthropogenic pressures and reduce human-wildlife conflicts in shared landscapes. Here, we assessed carnivore diel activity and temporal activity overlap in and around El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve (REBITRI) in Chiapas, Mexico, along a land-use designation gradient. We deployed 33 camera traps along the gradient, leveraging the reserve’s core and buffer zones, and private lands surrounding the reserve. We calculated activity overlap between species to detect changes in interspecific competition and predator-prey interactions along the gradient. In total, we detected 14 carnivores in the core zones, 10 in the buffer zone, and 9 on private land across the 4777 trap-night survey. Significant shifts in single-species diel activity between the buffer zones and private land were detected for margay (Leopardus wiedii) and grey fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Activity overlap was the highest in the buffer zone for all predator-prey pairs, and two competitor pairs, suggesting reduced diel niche partitioning in this land-use designation due to varied anthropogenic pressures. Our findings contribute to assessing PA efficacy and understanding carnivore activity in multiple-use landscapes where anthropogenic pressures are ubiquitous.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87850-7MammalsProtected areasMexicoDiel activityNiche overlap |
| spellingShingle | Germar González Siria Gámez Nyeema C. Harris Carnivore activity across landuse gradients in a Mexican biosphere reserve Scientific Reports Mammals Protected areas Mexico Diel activity Niche overlap |
| title | Carnivore activity across landuse gradients in a Mexican biosphere reserve |
| title_full | Carnivore activity across landuse gradients in a Mexican biosphere reserve |
| title_fullStr | Carnivore activity across landuse gradients in a Mexican biosphere reserve |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carnivore activity across landuse gradients in a Mexican biosphere reserve |
| title_short | Carnivore activity across landuse gradients in a Mexican biosphere reserve |
| title_sort | carnivore activity across landuse gradients in a mexican biosphere reserve |
| topic | Mammals Protected areas Mexico Diel activity Niche overlap |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87850-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT germargonzalez carnivoreactivityacrosslandusegradientsinamexicanbiospherereserve AT siriagamez carnivoreactivityacrosslandusegradientsinamexicanbiospherereserve AT nyeemacharris carnivoreactivityacrosslandusegradientsinamexicanbiospherereserve |