The determinants of mesocarnivore activity patterns in highveld grassland and riparian habitats

dc.contributor.authorWebster, A.B. (Andrea)
dc.contributor.authorPretorius, Mariette Estelle
dc.contributor.authorSomers, Michael J.
dc.contributor.emailmichael.somers@up.ac.zaen_US
dc.date.accessioned2022-06-23T11:03:49Z
dc.date.available2022-06-23T11:03:49Z
dc.date.issued2021-12
dc.description.abstractDespite the diversity of mesocarnivores and the broad geographic ranges of these species, our understanding of their behaviour and ecology at multi-species and community levels is limited. Our study was conducted between April and mid-July 2015 and used data collected over 105 days from 39 camera traps to quantify activity patterns of sympatric mesocarnivores in riparian and grassland habitats of Telperion Nature Reserve, South Africa. A total of 13 mesocarnivore species were detected within this relatively small (∼7350 ha) reserve. Sufficient records (≥10 records) were obtained for rusty-spotted genet (Genetta maculata), black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas), otter species (African clawless otter, Aonyx capensis, and spotted-necked otter, Hydrictis maculicollis), serval (Leptailurus serval ), slender mongoose (Galerella sanguinea), yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) and marsh mongoose (Atilax paludinosus). Generalized linear models were used to investigate whether species ID, temperature, vegetation characteristics or moon phase best predicted temporal activity. To assess which species had the highest potential for competitive interaction, we also quantified the coefficient of activity overlap. Our results show that species ID and temperature were the best predictors of mesocarnivore activity. Slender and yellow mongooses displayed the highest coefficient of activity overlap (0.90), followed by marsh mongoose and rusty-spotted genet (0.80), and serval and rusty-spotted genet (0.79). These species are likely to have the highest potential for competitive interactions, but preferences for different vegetation characteristics and variations in the estimated relative abundance may point to coexistence through spatial and fine-scale temporal partitioning. The other species exhibited lower coefficients of activity overlap with each other, suggesting they may coexist through temporal partitioning of resources.en_US
dc.description.departmentMammal Research Instituteen_US
dc.description.departmentZoology and Entomologyen_US
dc.description.librarianhj2022en_US
dc.description.urihttps://sawma.co.za/african-journal-of-wildlife-researchen_US
dc.identifier.citationAndrea B. Webster, Mariëtte E. Pretorius, and Michael J. Somers "The Determinants of Mesocarnivore Activity Patterns in Highveld Grassland and Riparian Habitats," African Journal of Wildlife Research 51(1), (14 December 2021). https://doi.org/10.3957/056.051.0178.en_US
dc.identifier.issn2410-7220 (print)
dc.identifier.issn2410-8200 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.3957/056.051.0178
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/85928
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherSouthern African Wildlife Management Associationen_US
dc.rights© Southern African Wildlife Management Associationen_US
dc.subjectCarnivore guilden_US
dc.subjectActivity patternsen_US
dc.subjectSpecies coexistenceen_US
dc.subjectSmall carnivoresen_US
dc.subjectBiodiversityen_US
dc.titleThe determinants of mesocarnivore activity patterns in highveld grassland and riparian habitatsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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