Coexistence of predators in time: effects of season and prey availability on species activity within a Mediterranean carnivore guild

1. The degree of coexistence among predators can determine the structure of ecological communities. Niche partitioning is a common strategy applied by species to enhance their coexistence. Diet, habitat or time use can be responsible for segregation among carnivore species, the latter factor being the least studied in Mediterranean ecosystems. Terrestrial medium-sized carnivores (i.e. mesocarnivores) carry out important functions in ecosystems and identifying their interactions is essential for their conservation.

2. In this study, we explore the activity of a terrestrial mesocarnivore guild in order to determine seasonal differences on daily activity patterns of competitors and prey. We also investigate how the abundance of a common mesocarnivore prey in the region, small mammals, influences the activity of predators.

3. During a year, camera trap devices (n=18) were installed in Montseny Natural Park (Catalan Pre-Coastal Range, Nort-East Iberian Peninsula), a region that hosts f...