Intraguild processes drive space-use patterns in a large-bodied marine predator community

# Intraguild processes drive space-use patterns in a large-bodied marine predator community **Abstract** Interspecific interactions, including predator-prey, intraguild predation (IGP), and competition, may drive distribution and habitat use of predator communities. However, elucidating the relative importance of these interactions in shaping predator distributions is challenging, especially in marine communities comprising highly mobile species. We used individual-based models (IBMs) to predict the habitat distributions of apex predators, intraguild (IG) prey, and prey. We then used passive acoustic telemetry to test these predictions in a subtropical marine predator community consisting of eight elasmobranch (i.e., shark and ray) species in Bimini, The Bahamas. IBMs predicted that prey and IG prey will preferentially select habitats based on safety over resources (food), with stronger selection for safe habitat by smaller prey. Elasmobranch space-use patterns matched these predictions. Species with predator-prey and asymmetrical IGP (between apex and small mesopredators) interactions showed the clearest spatial separation, followed by asymmetrical IGP among apex and large mesopredators. Competitors showed greater spatial overlap although with finer-scale differences in microhabitat use. Our study suggests space-use patterns in elasmobranchs are at least partially driven by interspecific interactions, with stronger spatial separation occurring where interactions include predator-prey relationships or IGP. * Author List: Maurits P. M. van Zinnicq Bergmann, Lucas P. Griffin, Thomas W. Bodey, Tristan L. Guttridge, Geert Aarts, Michael R. Heithaus, Matthew J. Smukall, Yannis P. Papastamatiou * Date of data collection (single date, range, approximate date): October 2016 - April 2019 * Geographic location of data collection: Bimini, The Bahamas * Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: Save Our Seas Foundation, Swiss Shark Foundation, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation ## Sharing/Access information 1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain 2. Links to publications that cite or use the data: Maurits P. M. van Zinnicq Bergmann, Lucas P. Griffin, Thomas W. Bodey, Tristan L. Guttridge, Geert Aarts, Michael R. Heithaus, Matthew J. Smukall, Yannis P. Papastamatiou 2024. Intraguild processes drive space-use patterns in a large-bodied marine predator community. Journal of Animal Ecology. 1. Links to other publicly accessible locations of the data: None 2. Links/relationships to ancillary data sets: None 3. Was data derived from another source? No A. If yes, list source(s): NA 4. Recommended citation for this dataset: Maurits P. M. van Zinnicq Bergmann, Lucas P. Griffin, Thomas W. Bodey, Tristan L. Guttridge, Geert Aarts, Michael R. Heithaus, Matthew J. Smukall, Yannis P. Papastamatiou. 2024. Data from: Intraguild processes drive space-use patterns in a large-bodied marine predator community. Journal of Animal Ecology. Dryad Digital Repository. [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8gtht76x4](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8gtht76x4) ## Description of the data and file structure 1. File list for data A) detsvtrack.rds 1. Relationship among files, if important: None 2. Additional related data collected that was not included in the current data package: None 3. Are there multiple versions of the dataset? No A. If yes, name of file(s) that was updated: NA i. Why was the file updated? NA ii. When was the file updated? NA B) Rxdeployvtrack.rds 1. Relationship between files, if important: acoustic receiver metadata for detsvtrack.rds 2. Additional related data collected that was not included in the current data package: None 3. Are there multiple versions of the dataset? No A. If yes, name of file(s) that was updated: NA i. Why was the file updated? NA ii. When was the file updated? NA C) tagsvtrack.rds 1. Relationship between files, if important: acoustic transmitter metadata for detsvtrack.rds 2. Additional related data collected that was not included in the current data package: None 3. Are there multiple versions of the dataset? No A. If yes, name of file(s) that was updated: NA i. Why was the file updated? NA ii. When was the file updated? NA \######################################################################### DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: detsvtrack.rds 1. Number of variables: 10 2. Number of cases/rows: 1,580,144 3. Variable List: * Date.and.Time..UTC. - Date and time of acoustic detection (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm; UTC timezone) * Receiver - Acoustic receiver ID * Transmitter - Acoustic transmitter ID * Transmitter.Name - NA * Transmitter.Serial - Same as Transmitter * Sensor.Value - NA * Sensor.Unit - NA * Station.Name - Location name of stationary acoustic receiver * Latitute - Latitude (coordinates; decimal degrees) * Longitude - Longitude (coordinates; decimal degrees) DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: tagsvtrack.rds 1. Number of variables: 16 2. Number of cases/rows: 143 3. Variable List: * ReleaseDate - Date and time of animal capture, tagging, and release (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm; US/Eastern timezone) * transmitter_id - Transmitter ID * release_latitude - Release location latitude (coordinates, decimal degrees; generalized to protect species from unintended risks) * release_longitude - Release location (coordinates, decimal degrees; generalized to protect species from unintended risks) * common_name - Scientific name * tag_id - As transmitter_id * PCL - Precaudal length (cm) * FL - Fork length (cm) * TL - Total length (cm) * DW - Curved disk width (cm) * scientific_name - As common_name * release_id - As transmitter_id * tag_project_name - Name of the owning agency * tag_status - Tag deployed? * sex - Sex (female (f) or male (m)) * tag_expected_life_time_days - Expected battery life of the tag (in days) DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Rxdeployvtrack.rds 1. Number of variables: 9 2. Number of cases/rows: 56 3. Variable List: * ReleaseDate - Date and time of animal capture, tagging, and release (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm; US/Eastern timezone) * station_name - Location name of stationary acoustic receiver * receiver_name - As station_name * installation_name - Name of the owning agency * project_name - Name of the owning agency * deploymentdatetime_timestamp - Date and time of receiver deployment (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm; US/Eastern timezone) * recoverydatetime_timestamp - Date and time of receiver recovery (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm; US/Eastern timezone) * station_latitude - Receiver location latitude (coordinates; decimal degrees) * station_longitude - Receiver location longitude (coordinates; decimal degrees) * status - Whether an acoustic receiver is deployed or not ## Software All data analyses were performed using R version 4.2.0 (RStudio Team, 2022).