Scavenging and social interaction of an apex avian scavenger is governed by bioregional and seasonal variation

作者：Niraj Y. Meisuria, Emma E. Spencer, Rhys J. Cairncross, Mathew S. Crowther, Thomas M. Newsome · 发表于：Oikos · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1111/oik.10826 · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Wildlife Ecology and Conservation、Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies、Plant and animal studies

Apex scavengers can perform an important ecosystem service by rapidly removing carrion, in turn regulating nutrient cycling linked to carcass decomposition. Yet, our understanding of the biotic and abiotic factors that influence rates of apex scavenging and their behaviour around carrion remains limited, in part because of the absence of replicated studies across different bioregions, habitats and seasons. Here, we examine the use of carrion by one of Australia's apex scavengers, the wedge‐tailed eagle Aquila audax , and uncover the extent and consequences of their social interactions at carrion. We applied a standardised design to monitor 120 kangaroo (Family: Macropodidae) carcasses using camera traps across contrasting bioregions (desert, forest and alpine), habitats (open and closed canopy) and seasons (warm and cool). We predicted that wedge‐tailed eagles would discover carcasses quicker in open habitats, and that intrinsic carrion value (ICV), or the desirability of carrion, would be related to dietary stress as a function of productivity and season (i.e. we expected to see increased carcass use by eagles in the less productive desert bioregion and in cooler seasons). Across all bioregions, we found that wedge‐tailed eagles discovered carcasses in open habitats 2.7 times faster than in closed habitats and 5.3 times faster in cool seasons compared with warm seasons. Scavenging was more likely to occur in open environments and was more frequent in cool seasons and in the ...