Functional differences in scavenger communities and the speed of carcass decomposition.

ABSTRACT: Carcass decomposition largely depends on vertebrate scavengers. However, how behavioral differences between vertebrate scavenger species, the dominance of certain species, and the diversity of the vertebrate scavenger community affect the speed of carcass decomposition is poorly understood. As scavenging is an overlooked trophic interaction, studying the different functional roles of vertebrate species in the scavenging process increases our understanding about the effect of the vertebrate scavenger community on carcass decomposition. We used motion-triggered infrared camera trap footages to profile the behavior and activity of vertebrate scavengers visiting carcasses in Dutch nature areas. We grouped vertebrate scavengers with similar functional roles. We found a clear distinction between

SUBMITTER: Wenting E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8861590 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature