Does Differential Habitat Selection Facilitate Coexistence Between Badgers and Hedgehogs?
ABSTRACT Predicting the spatial and temporal responses of species exhibiting intraguild predation (IGP) relationships is difficult due to variation in potential interactions and environmental context. Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) are intraguild predators of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus)...
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| Format: | Article |
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Wiley
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70744 |
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| author | Katie A. Lee Antonio Uzal Louise K. Gentle Philip J. Baker Richard J. Delahay Anthony Sévêque Robert S. Davis Richard W. Yarnell |
| author_facet | Katie A. Lee Antonio Uzal Louise K. Gentle Philip J. Baker Richard J. Delahay Anthony Sévêque Robert S. Davis Richard W. Yarnell |
| author_sort | Katie A. Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Predicting the spatial and temporal responses of species exhibiting intraguild predation (IGP) relationships is difficult due to variation in potential interactions and environmental context. Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) are intraguild predators of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) and are implicated in their population decline via both direct predation and competition for shared food resources. Previous studies have shown spatial separation between these species and attributed this to hedgehogs experiencing a ‘landscape of fear’, but little is known about the potential role of differential habitat use. We estimated the density and occupancy of both species at 22 rural study sites in England and Wales, to explore whether food availability, habitat or the presence of badgers, explained hedgehog distributions. Hedgehog density varied significantly across major rural land uses, whereas badger density did not. Although both species coexisted at a regional (1 km2) scale, occupancy modelling showed spatial segregation at a finer (individual camera trap) scale, associated with differential habitat use. In contrast to badgers, hedgehogs were recorded near buildings, and in areas supporting lower invertebrate biomass. This is in agreement with IGP theory, whereby IG‐prey may occupy suboptimal habitat to avoid predation; however, hedgehog habitat use did not vary relative to the presence of badgers. Badger and hedgehog temporal activity showed no evidence of separation. Although these findings are consistent with hedgehogs avoiding badgers via a landscape of fear, they are also indicative of differential habitat use, highlighting the need for more holistic studies considering variation in habitat selection and food availability when investigating intraguild relationships. Future studies exploring alternative hypotheses for urban habitat selection by hedgehogs are needed to better understand how possible spatial niche partitioning may support their coexistence with badgers in some areas. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8e0d730fe5344c088fd71f6fb99a3c0e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-8e0d730fe5344c088fd71f6fb99a3c0e2025-01-29T05:08:42ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-01-01151n/an/a10.1002/ece3.70744Does Differential Habitat Selection Facilitate Coexistence Between Badgers and Hedgehogs?Katie A. Lee0Antonio Uzal1Louise K. Gentle2Philip J. Baker3Richard J. Delahay4Anthony Sévêque5Robert S. Davis6Richard W. Yarnell7School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Science, Brackenhurst Campus Nottingham Trent University Southwell UKSchool of Animal, Rural and Environmental Science, Brackenhurst Campus Nottingham Trent University Southwell UKSchool of Animal, Rural and Environmental Science, Brackenhurst Campus Nottingham Trent University Southwell UKHealth and Life Sciences Building, School of Biological Sciences University of Reading Berkshire UKNational Wildlife Management Centre Animal and Plant Health Agency York UKDepartment of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture Mississippi State University Mississippi State Mississippi USADepartment of Conservation Management Nelson Mandela University George Western Cape South AfricaSchool of Animal, Rural and Environmental Science, Brackenhurst Campus Nottingham Trent University Southwell UKABSTRACT Predicting the spatial and temporal responses of species exhibiting intraguild predation (IGP) relationships is difficult due to variation in potential interactions and environmental context. Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) are intraguild predators of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) and are implicated in their population decline via both direct predation and competition for shared food resources. Previous studies have shown spatial separation between these species and attributed this to hedgehogs experiencing a ‘landscape of fear’, but little is known about the potential role of differential habitat use. We estimated the density and occupancy of both species at 22 rural study sites in England and Wales, to explore whether food availability, habitat or the presence of badgers, explained hedgehog distributions. Hedgehog density varied significantly across major rural land uses, whereas badger density did not. Although both species coexisted at a regional (1 km2) scale, occupancy modelling showed spatial segregation at a finer (individual camera trap) scale, associated with differential habitat use. In contrast to badgers, hedgehogs were recorded near buildings, and in areas supporting lower invertebrate biomass. This is in agreement with IGP theory, whereby IG‐prey may occupy suboptimal habitat to avoid predation; however, hedgehog habitat use did not vary relative to the presence of badgers. Badger and hedgehog temporal activity showed no evidence of separation. Although these findings are consistent with hedgehogs avoiding badgers via a landscape of fear, they are also indicative of differential habitat use, highlighting the need for more holistic studies considering variation in habitat selection and food availability when investigating intraguild relationships. Future studies exploring alternative hypotheses for urban habitat selection by hedgehogs are needed to better understand how possible spatial niche partitioning may support their coexistence with badgers in some areas.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70744Intraguild predation (IGP)mammalsoccupancy modellingrandom encounter modelSpatiotemporal niche partitioning |
| spellingShingle | Katie A. Lee Antonio Uzal Louise K. Gentle Philip J. Baker Richard J. Delahay Anthony Sévêque Robert S. Davis Richard W. Yarnell Does Differential Habitat Selection Facilitate Coexistence Between Badgers and Hedgehogs? Ecology and Evolution Intraguild predation (IGP) mammals occupancy modelling random encounter model Spatiotemporal niche partitioning |
| title | Does Differential Habitat Selection Facilitate Coexistence Between Badgers and Hedgehogs? |
| title_full | Does Differential Habitat Selection Facilitate Coexistence Between Badgers and Hedgehogs? |
| title_fullStr | Does Differential Habitat Selection Facilitate Coexistence Between Badgers and Hedgehogs? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does Differential Habitat Selection Facilitate Coexistence Between Badgers and Hedgehogs? |
| title_short | Does Differential Habitat Selection Facilitate Coexistence Between Badgers and Hedgehogs? |
| title_sort | does differential habitat selection facilitate coexistence between badgers and hedgehogs |
| topic | Intraguild predation (IGP) mammals occupancy modelling random encounter model Spatiotemporal niche partitioning |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70744 |
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