Impact of artificial waterholes on temporal partitioning in a carnivore guild: a comparison of activity patterns at artificial waterholes to roads and trails

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Temporal partitioning in large carnivores have previously been found to be one of the main factors enabling co-existence. While activity patterns have been investigated separately at artificial waterholes and e.g., game trails, simultaneous comparative analyses of activity patterns at artificial waterholes and game trails have not been attempted. In this study, camera trap data from Maremani Nature Reserve was used to investigate whether temporal partitioning existed in a carnivore guild of four species (spotted hyena, leopard, brown hyena and African wild dog). Specifically, we investigated temporal partitioning at artificial waterholes and on roads and trails an average of 1,412 m away from an artificial waterhole. Activity patterns for the same species at artificial waterholes and roads/game trails were also compared. We found no significant differences in temporal activity between species at artificial waterholes. Temporal partitioning on game trails and roads was only found between spotted hyena (nocturnal) and African wild dog (crepuscular). Between nocturnal species (spotted hyena and leopard) no temporal partitioning was exhibited. Only African wild dog exhibited significantly different activity patterns at waterholes and roads/ game trails. This indicates artificial waterholes may be a location for conflict in a carnivore guild. Our study highlights the impact of anthropogenic landscape changes and management decisions on the temporal axis of carnivores. More data on activity patterns at natural water sources such as ephemeral pans are needed to properly assess the effect of artificial waterholes on temporal partitioning in a carnivore guild.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
Artikelnummere15253
TidsskriftPeerJ
Vol/bind11
Antal sider19
ISSN2167-8359
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2023

Bibliografisk note

Funding Information:
We thank Rieker Botha who provided guidance and much needed knowledge on Maremani Nature Reserve. We would like to pay our gratitude and respects to Dr. Solomon Joubert (1941–2022), a giant pillar in conservation and who provided topical and intellectual discussions for the generation of ideas for this article. We would also like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for providing their helpful comments on how we could improve our manuscript. This work was supported by Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation who permitted us to collect data on Maremani Nature Reserve and funded research vehicle, dent repairs, fuel, and accommodation for parts of the survey. Lourens Swanepoel received funding from the South African National Research foundation (NRF) for the Snapshot safari project and the DNRF-SARChI Chair in Biodiversity Value and Change, University of Venda. Linnea Worsøe Havmøller received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 801199. Rasmus Worsøe Havmøller was supported by research grant 36069 from VILLUM FONDEN. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The following grant information was disclosed by the authors: Maremani Nature Reserve. South African National Research foundation (NRF). DNRF-SARChI Chair in Biodiversity Value and Change, University of Venda. European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme: 801199. VILLUM FONDEN: 36069.

Funding Information:
This work was supported by Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation who permitted us to collect data on Maremani Nature Reserve and funded research vehicle, dent repairs, fuel, and accommodation for parts of the survey. Lourens Swanepoel received funding from the South African National Research foundation (NRF) for the Snapshot safari project and the DNRF-SARChI Chair in Biodiversity Value and Change, University of Venda. Linnea Worsøe Havmøller received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 801199. Rasmus Worsøe Havmøller was supported by research grant 36069 from VILLUM FONDEN. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright 2023 Krag et al.

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