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Herrera, H.; Chavez, E.J.; Aflaro, L.D.; Fuller, T.K.; Montalvo, V.; Rodrigues, F.; Carrillo, E.
Time partitioning among jaguar_ Panthera onca_, puma _Puma concolor_ and ocelot _Leopardus pardalis_ (_Carnivora: Felidae_) in Costa Rica's dry and rainforests
2018 Revista de Biologia Tropical (66): 1575-1584
Segregation of daily activity patterns is considered an important mechanism facilitating the coexistance of competing species. Here, we evaluated if temporal separation existed among jaguar (_Panthera onca)_, puma (_Puma concolor_) and ocelot (_Leopardus pardalis_) and if their activity patterns were related to that of a particular prey. We used camera trap records to estimate the activity schedules of these predators and their prey. We used the coefficient of overlapping (Ž; ranging from 0 to 1) to quantify the temporal interactions between predators and prey, and calculated confidence intervals from bootstrap samples. Strong temporal overlap occurred among the three felids (Ž = 0.63 - 0.82) in both dry and rainforests. However, a greater temporal separation was observed between the closest competitors (jaguar and puma, puma and ocelot). Jaguar and puma had a strong temporal overlap with medium and large-sized prey, while ocelots' activity matched that of small-sized prey. High overlapping coefficients among the felids suggest that temporal segregation is not the main mechanism facilitating their coexistence in these areas. However, fine-scale or spatiotemporal differences in their activity patterns might contribute to their coexistence in tropical environments.
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