Environmental Drivers of Predator-Prey Co-Occurrence in Guyana’s Tropical Rainforest

Keywords: Tropical rainforest, Species occupancy, Camera trap data.
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Understanding species co-occurrence patterns is crucial for effective conservation and wildlife management. Studying a species in its habitat is essential to understanding how it responds to its physical environment. In biodiverse tropical regions, it is crucial to understand both biotic interactions among species and abiotic variables influencing their habitats. This study investigates the spatial distribution and interactions of apex predators—jaguars and pumas—and their primary prey—deer and peccaries—in Guyana's tropical rainforest. This research uses camera trap data to examine how environmental, anthropogenic, and climatic factors - slope, hill shade, distance from farms, temperature, and precipitation, influence species co-occurrence patterns. The multispecies occupancy model is used in this analysis. The results showed significant negative co-occurrence between jaguars and peccaries with increasing precipitation and distance from the farm. This suggests that peccaries are more likely to occur near farms, attracting jaguars. Puma and deer showed higher co-occupancy in sunny areas and higher precipitation. This can indicate that pumas prefer wetter conditions for hunting. These findings provide insights into the role of environmental conditions in shaping species distributions.