Spatio-temporal ecology of sympatric felids on Borneo. Evidence for resource partitioning?

PLoS One. 2018 Jul 20;13(7):e0200828. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200828. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Niche differentiation, the partitioning of resources along one or more axes of a species' niche hyper-volume, is widely recognised as an important mechanism for sympatric species to reduce interspecific competition and predation risk, and thus facilitate co-existence. Resource partitioning may be facilitated by behavioural differentiation along three main niche dimensions: habitat, food and time. In this study, we investigate the extent to which these mechanisms can explain the coexistence of an assemblage of five sympatric felids in Borneo. Using multi-scale logistic regression, we show that Bornean felids exhibit differences in both their broad and fine-scale habitat use. We calculate temporal activity patterns and overlap between these species, and present evidence for temporal separation within this felid guild. Lastly, we conducted an all-subsets logistic regression to predict the occurrence of each felid species as a function of the co-occurrence of a large number of other species and showed that Bornean felids co-occurred with a range of other species, some of which could be candidate prey. Our study reveals apparent resource partitioning within the Bornean felid assemblage, operating along all three niche dimension axes. These results provide new insights into the ecology of these species and the broader community in which they live and also provide important information for conservation planning for this guild of predators.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Weight
  • Borneo
  • Ecology
  • Ecosystem*
  • Felidae / physiology*
  • Female
  • Geography
  • Male
  • Predatory Behavior
  • Probability
  • Regression Analysis
  • Species Specificity
  • Sympatry*
  • Time Factors

Grants and funding

This research was primarily funded by the Darwin Initiative (www.gov.uk/government/groups/the-darwin-initiative); Recanati-Kaplan Foundation [DWM]; Robertson Foundation (http://www.robertsonfoundation.org/) [DWM]; Sime Darby Foundation (www.yayasansimedarby.com/). The authors received additional funding from Clouded Leopard project (http://www.cloudedleopard.org/) [AJH and JR]; Dr. Holly Reed Conservation Fund award, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium (www.pdza.org)[AJH]; Felidae Conservation Fund (www.felidaefund.org) [AJH and JR]; Houston Zoo (www.houstonzoo.org) [AJH]; HG Wills International Trust for Nature Conservation [AJH, JR], Panthera (www.panthera.org) [AJH]; Wild About Cats [AJH and JR]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.