Recent ecological studies demonstrate that human alteration of landscapes and resulting habitat fragmentation have led to novel behavioral responses within mesopredator communities, such as niche differentiation. In urban landscapes, resource scarcity associated with loss of habitat can result in behavioral adaptations among similarly-sized mesopredators that decrease the effects of interspecific competition, such as spatial and temporal habitat divisions. This study investigated temporal and spatial patterns of three mesopredators in an urban preserve for evidence of behavioral adaptations resulting from habitat alteration and changes in resource availability. Data from 15 motion-triggered game cameras installed along the perimeter of Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve (WBWP) in Austin, Texas, were used to examine diel activity patterns of bobcat (Lynx rufus), coyote (Canis latrans), and grey fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Specifically, we sought to investigate whether diel activity patterns in each species differed from patterns observed in wild settings, as well as look for overlap in diel activity patterns among these species. For each camera location, individual species observations were summed in 1-hour increments across a 24-hour period to provide an estimate of diel activity for each species in WBWP. We used the Kruskal-Wallis test to examine the overlap in diel activity patterns among the species.
Results/Conclusions
We found the three mesopredator species exhibited varying diel activity patterns within WBWP. In pairwise combinations among the three species, we found differences in diel activity patterns of coyote and grey fox significant. Other studies have shown that bobcats, coyotes, and grey foxes are naturally crepuscular species. In WBWP, coyotes display a largely nocturnal activity pattern—which may suggest a behavioral modification of the coyote to utilize the benefits of an urban habitat, such as food availability, while also maintaining human avoidance. Understanding spatial and temporal behavioral adaptations of mesopredators and their interactions in an urbanized landscape can enhance our understanding of the potential effects of urbanization on wildlife species. Resource partitioning and avoidance of agonistic interactions among mesopredators can facilitate the coexistence of species. With the expansion of coyote range and varying sensitivity among mesopredators to habitat fragmentation, this study may provide insight into fine-scale habitat divisions that help to sustain mesopredator communities within urban landscapes.