Kotviski, B. M.; Facure, K. G.; Azevedo, F. C.; Freitas-Junior, M. C.; Lemos, F. G. 2019. Trophic Niche overlap and resource partitioning among wild canids in an Anthropized Neotropical Ecotone. Mastozoologia Neotropical. v. 26 (2), p. 368-376. https://doi.org/10.31687/saremMN.19.26.2.0.29
Understanding basic feeding ecology of wild animals is paramount to comprehend interspecicinteractions. This is evident for three sympatric wild canids species in an unprotected ecotone betweenthe Cerrado savanna and the Atlantic Forest ecosystems: hoary foxes (Lycalopex vetulus), crab-eatingfoxes (Cerdocyon thous) and maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus). Their omnivorous diets may lead tocompetition, but knowledge gaps hinder assessments of their conservation status and how feeding habitsin uence potential niche overlaps. We analyzed fecal samples collected along seven years to determine howthese canids utilize food resources. Insects were the main food category for both hoary and crab-eating foxes,while fruits were more important for maned wolves. Niche breadth analyses revealed narrow diet breadths forthe hoary and crab-eating foxes, and medium for the maned wolf. Both smaller species presented a less diversediet, consuming few resources very frequently and multiple resources less frequently. Niche overlap was highbetween hoary and crab-eating foxes, totaling 66.1% for food items and 80.8% for categories, medium betweencrab-eating foxes and maned wolves (36.5% for itens and 52.8% for categories), and low between hoary foxesand maned wolves for food items (25.1%) and medium for categories (34.1%). Overall, our study indicates thattrophic niche diferences associated to termite consumption by hoary foxes and fruits by maned wolves are critical for their coexistence in unprotected Cerrado areas.
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