Living in human-modified landscapes narrows the dietary niche of a specialised mammalian scavenger
Abstract Anthropogenic impacts on carnivores can be complex, posing numerous threats to many species, yet also benefits to those able to exploit certain resources. This balancing act is particularly precarious for those adapters that exploit dietary resources provided by humans, but still require ot...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30490-6 |
| _version_ | 1797864719999041536 |
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| author | Anna C. Lewis Channing Hughes Tracey L. Rogers |
| author_facet | Anna C. Lewis Channing Hughes Tracey L. Rogers |
| author_sort | Anna C. Lewis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Anthropogenic impacts on carnivores can be complex, posing numerous threats to many species, yet also benefits to those able to exploit certain resources. This balancing act is particularly precarious for those adapters that exploit dietary resources provided by humans, but still require other resources only available in native habitat. Here we measure the dietary niche of one such species, the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), a specialised mammalian scavenger, across an anthropogenic habitat gradient stretching from cleared pasture to undisturbed rainforest. Populations inhabiting areas of greater disturbance showed restricted dietary niches, suggesting that all individuals fed on similar food items, even within regenerated native forest. Populations in undisturbed rainforest habitats had comparatively broad diets and showed evidence of niche partitioning by body size, which may reduce intraspecific competition. Despite the potential benefits of reliable access to high-quality food items in anthropogenically-modified habitats, the constrained niches we observed may be harmful, indicating altered behaviours and potentially increasing the rate of fights between individuals over food. This is of particular concern for a species at risk of extinction due to a deadly cancer primarily transmitted through aggressive interactions. The lack of diversity in devil diets within regenerated native forest compared to those in old-growth rainforest also indicates the conservation value of the latter for both the devil and the species which they consume. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:57:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c266126c374e491e8133c5f1079c0354 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:57:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-c266126c374e491e8133c5f1079c03542023-03-22T11:12:00ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-03-0113111210.1038/s41598-023-30490-6Living in human-modified landscapes narrows the dietary niche of a specialised mammalian scavengerAnna C. Lewis0Channing Hughes1Tracey L. Rogers2Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South WalesSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of SydneyEvolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South WalesAbstract Anthropogenic impacts on carnivores can be complex, posing numerous threats to many species, yet also benefits to those able to exploit certain resources. This balancing act is particularly precarious for those adapters that exploit dietary resources provided by humans, but still require other resources only available in native habitat. Here we measure the dietary niche of one such species, the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), a specialised mammalian scavenger, across an anthropogenic habitat gradient stretching from cleared pasture to undisturbed rainforest. Populations inhabiting areas of greater disturbance showed restricted dietary niches, suggesting that all individuals fed on similar food items, even within regenerated native forest. Populations in undisturbed rainforest habitats had comparatively broad diets and showed evidence of niche partitioning by body size, which may reduce intraspecific competition. Despite the potential benefits of reliable access to high-quality food items in anthropogenically-modified habitats, the constrained niches we observed may be harmful, indicating altered behaviours and potentially increasing the rate of fights between individuals over food. This is of particular concern for a species at risk of extinction due to a deadly cancer primarily transmitted through aggressive interactions. The lack of diversity in devil diets within regenerated native forest compared to those in old-growth rainforest also indicates the conservation value of the latter for both the devil and the species which they consume.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30490-6 |
| spellingShingle | Anna C. Lewis Channing Hughes Tracey L. Rogers Living in human-modified landscapes narrows the dietary niche of a specialised mammalian scavenger Scientific Reports |
| title | Living in human-modified landscapes narrows the dietary niche of a specialised mammalian scavenger |
| title_full | Living in human-modified landscapes narrows the dietary niche of a specialised mammalian scavenger |
| title_fullStr | Living in human-modified landscapes narrows the dietary niche of a specialised mammalian scavenger |
| title_full_unstemmed | Living in human-modified landscapes narrows the dietary niche of a specialised mammalian scavenger |
| title_short | Living in human-modified landscapes narrows the dietary niche of a specialised mammalian scavenger |
| title_sort | living in human modified landscapes narrows the dietary niche of a specialised mammalian scavenger |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30490-6 |
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