Spatial interactions between grey wolves and Eurasian lynx in Bialowieza Primeval Forest, Poland

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2008
Authors:Schmidt, K, Jedrzejewski, W, Okarma, H, Kowalczyk, R
Journal:Ecological Research
Date Published:2008
Keywords:Canis lupus, Lynx lynx
Abstract:

Various species of large predators are reported to influence each other through interference or exploitation competition that may affect demography and survival of the subordinate species. We analyzed spatial relationships between grey wolf (Canis lupus) and Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Bia?owiez?a Primeval Forest (BPF, eastern Poland) to determine how they partitioned the space. The wolves (n = 8) and lynx (n = 14) were radio-tracked in 1991-1999. Three wolves and seven lynx were radio-tracked simultaneously in 1994-1996. Territories of wolf packs and home ranges of lynx overlapped considerably (76% of wolf territories and 50% of lynx home ranges, on average). In three cases, their core areas were also overlapping. Wolf-lynx dyads with overlapping home ranges were simultaneously located at distances from 0 to 28 km from each other. We found neither avoidance nor attraction between wolves and lynx occupying the same areas. We concluded that in BPF, the two large predators coexist due to specialization on different preferred prey and heterogeneous habitat. © 2008 The Ecological Society of Japan.

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Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith