41 research outputs found
Mammals adjust diel activity across gradients of urbanization
Time is a fundamental component of ecological processes. How animal behavior changes over time has been explored through well-known ecological theories like niche partitioning and predator–prey dynamics. Yet, changes in animal behavior within the shorter 24-hr light–dark cycle have largely gone unstudied. Understanding if an animal can adjust their temporal activity to mitigate or adapt to environmental change has become a recent topic of discussion and is important for effective wildlife management and conservation. While spatial habitat is a fundamental consideration in wildlife management and conservation, temporal habitat is often ignored. We formulated a temporal resource selection model to quantify the diel behavior of 8 mammal species across 10 US cities. We found high variability in diel activity patterns within and among species and species-specific correlations between diel activity and human population density, impervious land cover, available greenspace, vegetation cover, and mean daily temperature. We also found that some species may modulate temporal behaviors to manage both natural and anthropogenic risks. Our results highlight the complexity with which temporal activity patterns interact with local environmental characteristics, and suggest that urban mammals may use time along the 24-hr cycle to reduce risk, adapt, and therefore persist, and in some cases thrive, in human-dominated ecosystems
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Aversive or Attractive? The Effects of Skunk Oil on Predator Behavior
The oil produced by the anal glands of the striped skunk is known to be a strong deterrent to potential predators. However, it is also a common ingredient in many trap lures, especially those for carnivores such as the coyote. This paradoxical nature of skunk oil being both attractive and aversive has yet to be investigated, leaving a gap in the understanding of how predators of skunks respond to visual and olfactory information. In this project, camera traps with baited skunk models with either black-andwhite or brown pelage were deployed in natural areas around Southern California in order to study the effects of skunk oil and pelt coloration on predator behavior. Our study found scented models were less likely to be visited, indicating an avoidance of the oil and its scent