Prey availability and temporal partitioning modulate felid coexistence in Neotropical forests

摘要: Carnivores have long been used as model organisms to examine mechanisms that allow coexistence among ecologically similar species. Interactions between carnivores, including competition and predation, comprise important processes regulating local community structure diversity. We use data from an intensive camera-trapping monitoring program across eight Neotropical forest sites describe the patterns of spatiotemporal organization a guild five sympatric cat species: jaguar (Panthera onca), puma (Puma concolor), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) margay wiedii). For three largest species, we developed multi-stage occupancy models accounting for habitat characteristics (landscape complexity prey availability) species interactions (occupancy estimates potential competitor species). Patterns habitat-use were best explained by availability, rather than or interactions, with no evidence negative associations on occupancy. further explore temporal activity overlap all felid observed moderate jaguar, ocelot, differences in their peaks, whereas higher partitioning was both margay. Lastly, conducted analysis calculated levels study if shifts daily within can be varying pressure. Activity ocelots, jaguarundis margays similarly bimodal sites, but pumas exhibited irregular patterns, most likely response activity. unrelated intraguild killing risk. Our reveals apparent spatial pairs analyzed, abundance being more governing occurrence distribution felids.