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Mori, E.; Bagnato, S.; Serroni, P.; Sangiuliano, A.; Rotondaro, F.; Marchian•, V.; Cascini, V.; Poerio, L.; Ferretti, F.
Spatiotemporal mechanisms of coexistence in an European mammal community in a protected area of southern Italy
2020  Journal of Zoology (310): 232-245

Assessing the spatiotemporal overlap amongst animal species living in sympatry helps to shed light on mechanisms of interspecific coexistence. We analysed the spatiotemporal coexistence in a predator-prey system through multiyear camera trapping, in a mountainous protected area of southern Italy (January 2012-January 2017). Temporal activity patterns and their interspecific overlap, as well as spatial overlap, were estimated for a top predator, that is the wolf _Canis lupus_, three species of wild ungulates, four mesocarnivores, one small herbivore, livestock and humans. A wide nocturnal temporal overlap was detected between the wolf and almost all the other species (71-91%). The highest temporal (91%) and spatial (63%) overlaps were reported between the wolf and the red fox _Vulpes vulpes_. For wolf-ungulate pairs, the highest temporal overlap (88%) was reported for the wild boar _Sus scrofa_, its local main prey. Considering all the other species pairs, spatial overlap was low (i.e. lower than 45%), whereas temporal overlap was substantial (71-91%). Our findings support a significant role of interspecific spatial partitioning in shaping coexistence amongst considered species, which might be influenced by differences in spatial distribution of different food resources.

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