Data from: Group density, disease, and season shape territory size and overlap of social carnivores

1. The spatial organization of a population can influence the spread of information, behaviour, and pathogens. Territory size and territory overlap, components of spatial organization, provide key information as these metrics may be indicators of habitat quality, resource dispersion, contact rates, and environmental risk (e.g., indirectly transmitted pathogens). Furthermore, sociality and behaviour can also shape space use, and subsequently, how space use and habitat quality together impact demography. 2. Our study aims to identify factors shaping the spatial organization of wildlife populations and assess the impact of epizootics on space use. We also use network analysis to describe spatial organization and connectivity of social groups. 3. Here, we assessed the seasonal spatial organization of Serengeti lions and Yellowstone wolves at the group level. We examine the factors predicting mean territory size and mean territory overlap for each population using generalized additive models. We further explore the mechanisms by which disease perturbations could cause changes in spatial organization. 4. We demonstrate that lions and wolves were similar in that group-level factors, such as number of groups, shaped spatial organization more than population-level factors, such as population density. Factors shaping territory size were slightly different than factors shaping territory overlap; for example, wolf pack size was an important predictor of territory overlap, but not territory size. Lion spatial networks were more highly connected, while wolf spatial networks varied seasonally. We found that resource dispersion may be more important for driving territory size and overlap for wolves than for lions. Additionally, canine distemper epizootics may alter lion spatial organization, highlighting the importance of including behavioural and movement ecology in studies of pathogen transmission dynamics. 5. We provide insight about when we might expect to observe the impacts of resource dispersion, disease perturbations, and other ecological factors on spatial organization. Our work highlights the importance of monitoring and managing social carnivore populations at the group level. Future research should elucidate the complex relationships between demographics, social and spatial structure, abiotic and biotic conditions, and pathogen infections.1. 种群的空间组织（spatial organization）可影响信息、行为与病原体的传播。领地面积（territory size）与领地重叠度（territory overlap）作为空间组织的核心组成要素，能够提供关键参考信息——这两项指标可作为生境质量、资源分布格局、个体接触率以及环境风险（如间接传播病原体）的指示因子。此外，社会性与行为模式同样会塑造物种的空间利用策略，进而决定空间利用与生境质量共同对种群统计学（demography）产生的调控作用。 2. 本研究旨在明确塑造野生动物种群空间组织的关键影响因子，并评估兽疫（epizootic）对物种空间利用的影响。此外，本研究还运用了网络分析（network analysis）方法，描述社会群体的空间组织特征与连通性水平。 3. 本研究以群体为研究单元，评估了塞伦盖蒂狮群与黄石公园狼群的季节性空间组织特征。我们通过广义可加模型（generalized additive models），分析了能够预测两个种群各自平均领地面积与平均领地重叠度的影响因子。此外，本研究还进一步探讨了疾病扰动引发空间组织变化的潜在作用机制。 4. 研究结果显示，狮群与狼群存在共性特征：群体层面的因子（如群体数量）相较于种群层面的因子（如种群密度），对空间组织的塑造效应更为显著。影响领地面积的因子与影响领地重叠度的因子存在细微差异：例如，狼群的群体规模是领地重叠度的重要预测因子，但对领地面积并无显著预测效力。狮群的空间网络连通性更强，而狼群的空间网络则随季节发生变化。研究发现，相较于狮群，资源分布格局对狼群领地面积与领地重叠度的驱动作用可能更为突出。此外，犬瘟热兽疫（canine distemper epizootic）可能会改变狮群的空间组织，这一结果凸显了将行为生态学（behavioural ecology）与运动生态学（movement ecology）纳入病原体传播动力学（pathogen transmission dynamics）研究的重要性。 5. 本研究为预判资源分布、疾病扰动及其他生态因子对空间组织产生影响的时机提供了理论参考。本研究强调了以群体为单元开展群居食肉动物种群监测与管理的重要性。未来的研究应当进一步阐明种群统计学、社会与空间结构、非生物与生物环境条件以及病原体感染之间的复杂关联机制。