The functional effects of African lions on co-occurring carnivores differ across species pairs and with changes in resource availability and lion abundance.

ABSTRACT: Apex carnivores are known to regulate ecosystem structure and function, including via interactions with syntopic, competitively inferior carnivores. These effects may be dependent on relative carnivore density and resource availability or productivity. We investigated the functional effect of African lions as an apex carnivore on the presence of co-occurring large carnivore species across two adjoining National Parks that contrast in relative densities of carnivores and prey. We employed two-species occupancy models from track data to test statistical interactions between lions and the other syntopic large carnivore species, while accounting for each species' habitat selection. We further investigated the influence of anthropogenic and natural variables on these co-occurrence dynamics. Our

SUBMITTER: Everatt KT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12783162 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature