Dataset Information

Camera Trapping Reveals Spatiotemporal Partitioning Patterns and Conservation Implications for Two Sympatric Pheasant Species in the Qilian Mountains, Northwestern China.

ABSTRACT: Studying the spatio-temporal niche partitioning among closely related sympatric species is essential for understanding their stable coexistence in animal communities. However, consideration of niche partitioning across multiple ecological dimensions is still poor for many sympatric pheasant species. Here, we studied temporal activity patterns and spatial distributions of the Blue Eared Pheasant (EP, Crossoptilon auritum) and Blood Pheasant (BP, Ithaginis cruentus) in the Qilian Mountains National Nature Reserve (QMNNR), Northwestern China, using 137 camera traps from August 2017 to August 2020. Kernel density estimation was applied to analyze diel activity patterns, and the Maxent model was applied to evaluate their suitable distributions and underlying habitat preferences. Eight Galliformes species were captured in 678 detection records with 485 records of EP and 106 records of BP over a total of 39,206 camera days. Their monthly activity frequencies demonstrate temporal partitioning but their diel activity patterns do not. Furthermore, 90.78% of BP distribution (2867.99 km²) overlaps with the distribution of EP (4355.86 km²) in the QMNNR. However, BP manifests a high dependence on forest habitats and shows larger Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values, while EP showed obvious avoidance of forest with NDVI greater than 0.75. Hence, differentiation in monthly activity patterns and partitioning in habitat preference might facilitate their coexistence in spatiotemporal dimensions. Conservation actions should give priority to highly overlapping areas in the center and east of the QMNNR and should strengthen forest landscape connectivity, as they provide irreplaceable habitats for these threatened and endemic Galliformes.

SUBMITTER: Zhang D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9264835 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:The Medog in southeastern Tibet is home to a diverse range of wild animals. However, research on these mammals' species directories, distribution, and conservation status remains insufficient, despite their crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. The study carried out a camera-trapping survey to assess mammal biodiversity and the significance of mammal protection in their natural habitats in Gedang, Medog. Future directions and application prospects of the study for wildlife conservation in the southeastern Tibetan mountains were also discussed. The survey, spanning from April 2023 to May 2024, with 19,754 camera trap days, revealed 25 mammalian species across five orders and 14 families. Among these, four classified as Endangered, five as Vulnerable, two as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, nine were categorized as Critically Endangered or Endangered on the Red List of China's Vertebrates, and seven were China's national first-class key protected wildlife. The order Carnivora exhibited the highest diversity, comprising 12 species. Furthermore, the study filled the knowledge gap regarding the underrepresentation of Gongshan muntjac Muntiacus gongshanensis in IUCN and provided new insights into the recorded coexistence of the Himalayan red panda Ailurus fulgens and Chinese red panda Ailurus styani along the Yarlung Zangbo River for the first time, and also documented new upper elevation limits for four large to medium-sized species. Regarding the relative abundance indices (RAI) captured by camera traps, the most prevalent species identified was the White-cheeked macaque Macaca leucogenys, followed by the Gongshan muntjac and Himalayan serow Capricornis thar. The monitoring also captured a number of domestic dogs and livestock, as well as human disturbances. These findings underscore the importance of conserving these mammals and emphasize the need for conservation efforts to protect their habitats and reduce human activities that threaten their survival, thereby maintaining the ecological balance of the region. Additionally, the research highlighted Gedang's significance to global conservation efforts for mammalian diversity, providing essential data for effective wildlife conservation strategies.

Project description:Competition theory states that multiple species should not be able to occupy the same niche indefinitely. Morphologically, similar species are expected to be ecologically alike and exhibit little niche differentiation, which makes it difficult to explain the co-occurrence of cryptic species. Here, we investigated interspecific niche differentiation within a complex of cryptic bumblebee species that co-occur extensively in the United Kingdom. We compared the interspecific variation along different niche dimensions, to determine how they partition a niche to avoid competitive exclusion. We studied the species B. cryptarum, B. lucorum, and B. magnus at a single location in the northwest of Scotland throughout the flight season. Using mitochondrial DNA for species identification, we investigated differences in phenology, response to weather variables and forage use. We also estimated niche region and niche overlap between different castes of the three species. Our results show varying levels of niche partitioning between the bumblebee species along three niche dimensions. The species had contrasting phenologies: The phenology of B. magnus was delayed relative to the other two species, while B. cryptarum had a relatively extended phenology, with workers and males more common than B. lucorum early and late in the season. We found divergent thermal specialisation: In contrast to B. cryptarum and B. magnus, B. lucorum worker activity was skewed toward warmer, sunnier conditions, leading to interspecific temporal variation. Furthermore, the three species differentially exploited the available forage plants: In particular, unlike the other two species, B. magnus fed predominantly on species of heather. The results suggest that ecological divergence in different niche dimensions and spatio-temporal heterogeneity in the environment may contribute to the persistence of cryptic species in sympatry. Furthermore, our study suggests that cryptic species provide distinct and unique ecosystem services, demonstrating that morphological similarity does not necessarily equate to ecological equivalence.

Dataset Information

Camera Trapping Reveals Spatiotemporal Partitioning Patterns and Conservation Implications for Two Sympatric Pheasant Species in the Qilian Mountains, Northwestern China.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets