Non-linear relationship between body size of terrestrial carnivores and their trophic niche breadth and overlap

dc.contributor.authorLasnszki, József
dc.contributor.authorHeltai, Miklós
dc.contributor.authorKövér, György
dc.contributor.authorZalewski, Andrzej
dc.contributor.statusegyetemi oktató, kutatóhu_HU
dc.coverage.temporal2021.04.30.hu_HU
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-05T13:56:51Z
dc.date.available2022-05-05T13:56:51Z
dc.description.abstractStudying food partitioning of mammalian predators is important for understanding trophic structures and interactions between coexisting carnivore species. This is particularly pertinent in the light of expanding ranges of populations of generalist species whose habitat and diet overlap with more specialized species. Here, we tested the resource partitioning hypothesis in terrestrial carnivores, predicting that trophic niche breadth and overlap relate positively to body mass. We used dietary data from 18 terrestrial carnivore taxa in four families (Canidae, Mustelidae, Felidae and Ursidae; body mass 0.1–173.6 kg) in three regions in Central and Eastern Europe, i.e. deciduous forest and forest-steppe region (DFR), temperate deciduous and mixed forest region (MFR) and transitory mixed forest regions (TFR). We ranked carnivores along an axis of trophic niche (breadth and overlap), and analysed the relationship between trophic niche and body mass (or pair-wise difference in body mass). A hierarchical cluster analysis of diet composition divided carnivores into four ecological groups: wild ungulate predators; small-mammal predators; amphibians and small mammal predators and omnivores. The relationship between body mass of predators and both trophic niche breadth and trophic niche overlap were hump-shaped. The trophic niche breadth to body mass ratio was significantly lower in DFR than in TFR and trophic niche overlap was significantly higher in DFR than in MFR and TFR. The predominant food resource is small mammals whose abundance is related to local agricultural and forestry management practices. Modifications of management techniques can affect pohu_HU
dc.format.extentpp. 36-45.hu_HU
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2437/332444
dc.language.isoenhu_HU
dc.rights.accessno_restrictionhu_HU
dc.subjectPredator communityhu_HU
dc.subjectResource partitioninghu_HU
dc.subjectBody masshu_HU
dc.subjectTrophic nichehu_HU
dc.subjectHump-shaped relationshiphu_HU
dc.subject.disciplinetudományterületek::állattenyésztési tudományokhu_HU
dc.titleNon-linear relationship between body size of terrestrial carnivores and their trophic niche breadth and overlaphu_HU
dc.typeidegen nyelvű peer review publikációhu_HU
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