Spatial and temporal coexistence of medium-sized felines and their potential preys in Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero, México

Resumen

Two species of similar size and trophic niche could not coexist in the same space and time unless the resources are diverse, abundant, and can be shared.  In the Sierra Madre del Sur, Guerrero, Mexico, three felines of similar size coexist, Herpailurus yagouaroundi, Leopardus pardalis, and Leopardus wiedii. The objective of this research was to identify the spatiotemporal patterns that allow the coexistence of three felines and their potential preys, as well as to evaluate how the presence of humans and livestock influence their use of space and time. We hypothesized that the three felines coexist due to a differential use of time and space.  Therefore, low or moderate overlap is expected, as well as a positive relationship with prey richness but negative regarding the presence of humans and livestock. Between 2009 and 2019, information was obtained on how the three feline species and their potential prey use time and space in eight landscapes with wide environmental variation using camera trapping. With a total sampling effort of 27,014 days/trap in 1,170 km2, 362 independent records of felids and 2,287 of 12 potential preys were obtained.  Overlap in daily activity patterns (Δ) was estimated, and spatial co-occurrence was calculated using epsilon (Ɛ) values. Our results show that jaguarundi displayed a diurnal activity pattern and had an overlap of Δ = 0.22 with ocelot and Δ = 0.26 with margay; ocelot and margay were nocturnal with an activity overlap of Δ = 0.87.  The spatial co-occurrence between the three felid species was positive: Ɛ = 2.61 between ocelot and margay, Ɛ = 3.22 between ocelot and jaguarundi; and Ɛ = 6 between jaguarundi and margay.  The temporal overlap and spatial co-occurrence among felines showed a similar use of resources, and their distribution coincide with the one of some of their potential preys, may be related to predation strategies.  Temporal overlap and spatial co-occurrence alone do not limit the coexistence of species; but the environmental differences of the landscapes do influence the variation and temporal dynamics of the felines studied in the Sierra Madre del Sur de Guerrero.