Resource selection in an apex predator and variation in response to local landscape characteristics

Author(s):Show less -

Morato, R. G. ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Connette, G. M. ^[3] ; Stabach, J. A. ^[3] ; De Paula, R. C. ^{[1, 2]} ; Ferraz, K. M. P. M. ^{[4, 1]} ; Kantek, D. L. Z. ^[5] ; Miyazaki, S. S. ^[5] ; Pereira, T. D. C. ^[5] ; Silva, L. C. ^[6] ; Paviolo, A. ^{[7, 8]} ; De Angelo, C. ^{[7, 8]} ; Di Bitetti, M. S. ^{[7, 8]} ; Cruz, P. ^{[7, 8]} ; Lima, F. ^{[9, 10]} ; Cullen, L. ^[10] ; Sana, D. A. ^{[1, 11]} ; Ramalho, E. E. ^{[1, 12]} ; Carvalho, M. M. ^[13] ; da Silva, M. X. ^[14] ; Moraes, M. D. F. ^[14] ; Vogliotti, A. ^{[1, 15]} ; May, Jr., J. A. ^{[16, 17]} ; Haberfeld, M. ^[16] ; Rampim, L. ^[16] ; Sartorello, L. ^[16] ; Araujo, G. R. ^[18] ; Wittemyer, G. ^[19] ; Ribeiro, M. C. ^[10] ; Leimgruber, P. ^[3]

Affiliation:Show less -

^[1] Inst Pro Carnivoros, Atibaia, SP - Brazil

^[2] Inst Chico Mendes Conservacao Biodiversidade, Ctr Nacl Pesquisa & Conservacao Mamiferas Carnivo, Atibaia, SP - Brazil

^[3] Smithsonian Conservat Biol Inst, Conservat Ecol Ctr, Natl Zool Pk, Front Royal, VA - USA

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Escola Super Agr Luiz de Queiroz, Piracicaba - Brazil

^[5] Inst Chico Mendes Conservacao Biodiversidade, Estacao Ecol Taiama, Caceres, MT - Brazil

^[6] Univ Fed Vicosa, Dept Med Vet, Vicosa, MG - Brazil

^[7] Consejo Nacl Invest Cient & Tecn, Puerto Iguazu, Misiones - Argentina

^[8] Univ Nacl Misiones, Inst Biol Subtrop, Asociac Civil Ctr Invest Bosque Atlantico CeIBA, Puerto Iguazu, Misiones - Argentina

^[9] IPE, Nazare Paulista, SP - Brazil

^[10] Univ Estadual Sao Paulo, Lab Ecol Espacial & Conservacao, Inst Biociencias, Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

^[11] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Programa Posgrad Biol Anim, Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

^[12] Inst Desenvolvimento Sustentavel Mamiraua, Tefe, AM - Brazil

^[13] Inst Def & Preservacao Felideos Brasileiros, Corumba De Goias, Go - Brazil

^[14] Inst Chico Mendes Conservacao Biodiversidade, Projeto Carnivoros Iguacu, Parque Nacl Iguacu, Foz Do Iguacu, PR - Brazil

^[15] Univ Fed Integracao Latinoamer, Fos Do Iguacu, PR - Brazil

^[16] Assoc Oncafari, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[17] Univ Sul Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina, SC - Brazil

^[18] Univ Fed Mato Grosso do Sul, Fac Med Vet & Zooctecnia, Campo Grande, MS - Brazil

^[19] Colorado State Univ, Dept Fish Wildlife & Conservat Biol, Ft Collins, CO 80523 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Biological Conservation; v. 228, p. 233-240, DEC 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

Habitat loss and fragmentation represent major threats for the conservation of apex predators, such as the jaguar (Panthera onca). Investigating species' resource selection behavior in response to landscape alteration is critical for developing relevant conservation management plans. The jaguar is found across a variety of habitats with different gradients of human disturbance, making them a good candidate to study how apex predators respond to increasing intensity of human land use. We developed resource selection models to characterize patterns of jaguar resource selection at two different spatial scales, home range (coarse) and foraging scale (fine). This analysis was based on the largest existing GPS-location dataset for jaguars (n = 40 individuals, n = 87,376 locations), spanning the species' geographic range in Brazil and Argentina. We found that both males and females jaguars exhibited an overall preference for forests and areas close to watercourses at both the home range and foraging scale. At the foraging scale, areas of high livestock density ``attracted{''} male jaguars. We also performed a follow-up analysis to test for context-dependent resource selection (i.e., functional responses) by relating individual behavior to local habitat characteristics. We found that jaguars in heavily-forested landscapes showed strong avoidance of non-forest. Furthermore, we found that only the individuals in closest proximity to watercourses showed positive selection for water. Our results highlight that jaguars display different patterns of resource selection in different areas, demonstrating a considerable ability to use or tolerate a wide variety of different conditions across the species geographic range. This plasticity may allow jaguars to adjust their behavior according to land use changes but also increases human-jaguar conflict and jaguar mortality, especially in areas with high livestock density. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/50421-2 - New sampling methods and statistical tools for biodiversity research: integrating animal movement ecology with population and community ecology
• Grantee: Milton Cezar Ribeiro
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants