Wild canids and felids differ in their reliance on reused travel routeways
Abstract
Diverse factors, including environmental features and cognitive processes, can drive animals’ movements and space use, with far-reaching implications. For example, repeated use of individual-level travel routeways (directionally constrained but imperfectly aligned routes), which results in spatial concentration of activity, can shape encounter-based processes including predation, mate finding, and disease transmission. However, how much variation in routeway usage exists across species remains unknown. By analyzing GPS movement tracks for 1,239 range-resident mammalian carnivores—representing 16 canid and 18 felid species from six continents—we found strong evidence of a clade-level difference in species’ reliance on repeatedly used travel routeways. Across the global dataset, tracked canids had a 15% (±7 CI) greater density of routeways within their home ranges than did felids, rising to 33% (±16 CI) greater in landscapes shared with tracked felids. Moreover, comparisons within species across landscapes revealed broadly similar home range routeway densities despite habitat differences. On average, canids also reused their travel routeways more intensively than did felids, with hunting strategies and spatial contexts also contributing to the intensity of routeway usage. Collectively, our results suggest that key aspects of carnivore routeway-usage have an evolutionary component. Striking interspecific and clade-level differences in carnivores’ reliance on reused travel routeways within home ranges identify important ways in which the movement patterns of real-world predators depart from classical assumptions of predator-prey theory. Because such departures can drive key aspects of human-wildlife interactions and other encounter-based processes, continued investigations of the relationships between movement mechanisms and space use are critical.
Article Details
Journal Info
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Sciences
Authors (179)
William F. Fagan
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Ananke G. Krishnan
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Christen H. Fleming
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Elizabeth Ferreira
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Stephanie Chia
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Anshuman Swain
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Briana Abrahms
Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology, University of Washington
Chloe Bracis
Université Grenoble Alpes, Laboratoire Recherche Translationnelle et Innovation en Médecine et Complexité, Computational Biology and Modeling
Eliezer Gurarie
Department of Environmental Biology, State University of New York Environmental Science and Forestry
Thomas Mueller
Michael J. Noonan
Department of Biology, University of British Columbia-Okanagan
Luiz Gustavo R. Oliveira-Santos
Department of Ecology, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul
Marlee A. Tucker
Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University
Gayatri Anand
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Qianru Liao
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Sarah Na
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Steven Su
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Daisy Liao
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Varun Chilukuri
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Shreyas Ramulu
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Luisa Maria Diele-Viegas
Laboratory of (Bio)Diversity in the Anthropocene, Biology Institute, Federal University of Bahia
Michael Dougherty
Department of Psychology, University of Maryland
David Illingworth
Department of Psychology, California State University
Dmitry Y. Alexandrov
A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Science
Pamela Castro Antunes
Department of Ecology, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul
Fernanda C. Azevedo
Programa de Conservação Mamíferos do Cerrado
Christina Barrett
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Matías Taborda Barroso
Junta de Extremadura, Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería y Desarrollo Sostenible, Dirección General de Sostenibilidad
Dominik M. Behr
Botswana Predator Conservation, Wild Entrust
Jerrold L. Belant
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University
Steven Bellan
Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, The University of Texas at Austin
Dominique Berteaux
Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geography, Université du Québec à Rimouski
Dean E. Beyer
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University
Laura R. Bidner
Department of Anthropology, University of California
Jacqueline Bishop
Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3
J. David Blount
School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah
Andrew Butler
Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University
Andrew Carter
Science Department, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Subiaco East
Marina Motta Carvalho
Instituto de Defesa e Preservação dos Felídeos Brasileiros
Michael Chamberlain
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia
Maria D. Chistopolova
Laboratory of Behavior and Behavioral Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences
Darren Clark
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
L. Mike Conner
The Jones Center at Ichauway
Alayne Cotterill
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford
Gabriele Cozzi
Botswana Predator Conservation, Wild Entrust
Bogdan Cristescu
The Cape Leopard Trust
Calum X. Cunningham
School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington
Emrah Çoban
KuzeyDoğa Society
Siobhan Darlington
Department of Biology, University of British Columbia-Okanagan
Ísis Zanini das Candeias
Programa de Conservação Mamíferos do Cerrado
Christopher S. DePerno
Department of Forestry & Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University
Jasja J. A. Dekker
Jasja Dekker Dierecologie
Colleen T. Downs
Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Natalia Dronova
Laboratory of Behavior and Behavioral Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences
Marine Drouilly
Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Upper Campus, University of Cape Town
Ernest Eblate
Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute
Steve Ekwanga
Mpala Research Centre
Morgan Swingen
Department of Forestry & Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University
Mohammad Farhadinia
Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury
Adam T. Ford
Department of Biology, University of British Columbia-Okanagan
Jacqueline Frair
Department of Environmental Biology, State University of New York Environmental Science and Forestry
Laurence Frank
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California
John M. Fryxell
Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph
Todd K. Fuller
Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts
Robert Fyumagwa
Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute
Stefan Garthe
Research and Technology Centre, University of Kiel
Wayne M. Getz
Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California
Maria Jesus Palacios Gonzalez
Junta de Extremadura, Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería y Desarrollo Sostenible, Dirección General de Sostenibilidad
TJ Gooliaff
Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
Malte Götz
German Wildlife Foundation
Rowena Hamer
School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania
Mario Haberfeld
Projeto Onçafari Miranda
Mark Hebblewhite
Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Science, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana
Jose A. Hernandez-Blanco
A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Science
Mathias Herrmann
OEKO-LOG Field Research, Joachimsthaler
Marco Heurich
Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
Karen E. Hodges
Department of Biology, University of British Columbia-Okanagan
AnnMarie Houser
Cheetah Conservation Botswana
Bruce Humphries
Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Miguel Ángel López López Iglesias
Sociedad de Gestión Pública de Extremadura
Lynne A. Isbell
Department of Anthropology, University of California
David Jachowski
Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University
Craig Jackson
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
René Janssen
Bionet Natuuronderzoek
Kate E. Jenks
Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute
Jaime E. Jiménez
Department of Biological Sciences and Advanced Environmental Research Institute, University of North Texas
Maria Luisa S. P. Jorge
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University
Rodrigo Jorge
National Research Center for Carnivores Conservation, Chico Mendes Institute for the Conservation of Biodiversity
Fernando Jubete
Asociación de Naturalistas Palentinos
Anjan Katna
Ashoka Trust for Research on Ecology and Environment
Roland Kays
Department of Forestry & Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University
Andrew M. Kittle
The Wilderness & Wildlife Conservation Trust
Rebecca Klein
Cheetah Conservation Botswana
Raido Kont
Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu
Michelle J. C. Kral
Cheetah Conservation Botswana
Josip Kusak
School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah
Johannes Lang
Working Group for Wildlife Research, Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Giessen University
Andrew David M. Latham
Wildlife Ecology and Management, Manaaki Whenua–Landcare Research
Peter Leimgruber
Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute
Frederico G. Lemos
Programa de Conservação Mamíferos do Cerrado
Taal Levi
Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University
Caio F. M. Lima
Programa de Conservação Mamíferos do Cerrado
Edson Lima
Instituto Para a Conservação dos Carnívoros Neotropicais-Pro-Carnívoros
Fernando Lima
Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas
John D. C. Linnell
Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
David W. Macdonald
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford
Peter Mahoney
School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington
Peep Männil
Wildlife Department, Estonian Environment Agency
Emmanuel Masenga
Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute
Jenny Mattisson
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Roel F. May
Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Roy T. McBride
Faro Moro Eco Research, km 230 PY16, Departamento de Boquerón
Robbie A. McDonald
Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter
J. Weldon McNutt
Botswana Predator Conservation, Wild Entrust
Karl Miller
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia
Alexander Minaev
Laboratory of Ecology, Physiology, and Functional Morphology of Higher Vertebrates, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences
Dale G. Miquelle
Russia Program, Wildlife Conservation Society
Christopher E. Moorman
Department of Forestry & Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University
Ronaldo G. Morato
National Research Center for Carnivores Conservation, Chico Mendes Institute for the Conservation of Biodiversity
Ricardo Moreno
Fundación Yaguara Panama
Guilherme Mourão
Embrapa Pantanal
Bariushaa Munkhtsog
Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Academy of Sciences of Mongolia
Bayaraa Munkhtsog
Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences
Sergey V. Naidenko
Laboratory of Behavior and Behavioral Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences
Teresa Nava
Working Group for Wildlife Research, Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Giessen University
John Odden
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Morten Odden
Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
Francisco Palomares
Departamento de Biología de la Conservación, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
Brent R. Patterson
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Provincial Services Division, Trent University
Bruce D. Patterson
Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History
Rogerio Cunha de Paula
National Research Center for Carnivores Conservation, Chico Mendes Institute for the Conservation of Biodiversity
Agustin Paviolo
Instituto de Biología Subtropical–Nodo Iguazú, Universidad Nacional de Misiones and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Yury K. Petrunenko
Department of Zoology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia
Alim B. Pkhitikov
Tembotov Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories of Russian Academy of Sciences
Andrey D. Poyarkov
A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Science
Laura R. Prugh
Department of Quantitative Wildlife Sciences, University of Washington
Kasim Rafiq
Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology, University of Washington
Emiliano Esterci Ramalho
Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá
Tharmalingam Ramesh
Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Nathan Ranc
Centre d’Études Fonctionnelles et Évolutives des Animaux Sauvages, Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, Université de Toulouse
Dustin H. Ranglack
Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Kearney
Anya Ratnayaka
School of the Environment, The University of Queensland
David Roshier
School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide
Eivin Røskaft
Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Viatcheslav V. Rozhnov
A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Science
Hector Ruiz-Villar
Area of Zoology, Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of León
Joel Ruprecht
Tembotov Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories of Russian Academy of Sciences
Gustaf Samelius
Snow Leopard Trust
Philipp Schwemmer
Research and Technology Centre, University of Kiel
Çağan H. Şekercioğlu
School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah
Laurel E. K. Serieys
The Cape Leopard Trust
Ivan V. Seryodkin
Laboratory of Animals Ecology and Conservation, Pacific Geographical Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Olaf Simon
Institute of Animal Ecology and Nature Education
Nucharin Songsasen
Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute
Pavel A. Sorokin
Molecular Diagnostics Center, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences
Svetlana Soutryina
Sikhote-Alin Reserve, Settlement Terney
Patrick Stent
Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
David Stoner
Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University
Jarryd Streicher
Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Jack Tatler
East Coast Ecology, 169 Pennant Parade Epping
Kristine Teichman
Department of Biology, University of British Columbia-Okanagan
Maria Thaker
Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science
Katerina V. Thompson
Department of Biology, University of Maryland
Jeffrey J. Thompson
Asociación Guyra Paraguay and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de Paraguay, Parque Ecológico Asunción Verde
Marcos Adriano Tortato
Instituto Tabuleiro
Manfred Trinzen
In der Jennenbach 37
Leanne Van Der Weyde
Cheetah Conservation Botswana
Abi Tamim Vanak
Ashoka Trust for Research on Ecology and Environment
Marianela Velilla
Asociación Guyra Paraguay and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de Paraguay, Parque Ecológico Asunción Verde
Zea Walton
Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior
Tyler J. Wheeldon
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Provincial Services Division, Trent University
Tomas Willebrand
Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
Terrie M. Williams
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz
Christopher C. Wilmers
Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California
Jared Wilson-Aggarwal
Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter
Michael L. Wysong
School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia
Anna A. Yachmennikova
Laboratory of Behavior and Behavioral Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences
Julie K. Young
Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University
Justin M. Calabrese
Department of Biology, University of Maryland