Co-living on the edge: The role of temporal overlap between predator and prey to explain coexistence between mesocarnivores in remnant riparian forests

Abstract

The use of camera traps is a very effective method for monitoring mesocarnivore communities, allowing to study aspects such as activity patterns, trophic ecology, and spatial coexistence. In this study, we examined the coexistence of two mesocarnivore species present in a riparian forest habitat that serves as a refuge in an intensive agricultural matrix, using camera trap data collected from May 2021 to March 2022. We studied the temporal overlap between the two most abundant species, a trophic generalist (the red fox; Vulpes vulpes) and a facultative specialist (the common genet; Genetta genetta), with one of their main potential preys (micromammals) throughout all seasons of the year. The temporal overlap between the fox and the genet was moderate in all seasons, except in winter, where it was significantly lower. The overlap with small mammals was higher for the genet, especially in spring and autumn, when they show greater activity. The results show that coexistence between these two species, which share the study area with seven more carnivores, could be possible due to the differences in activity patterns between them. Moreover, the higher overlap between common genet and micromammals suggests also a trophic niche differentiation that could help coexistence.