Trophic ecology of an introduced top predator (Felis catus) on a small African oceanic islet (Santa Luzia, Cabo Verde Islands)

Studies on feral cat diet offer important ecological information and are the first step towards determining their impact upon endangered species. However, in comparing seasonal changes in diet with seasonal prey availability, the scarce amount of research into oceanic islands worldwide must be consi...

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Autores: Medina, Félix M., Melo, Tommy, Oliveira, Paulo, Nogales, Manuel, Geraldes, Pedro
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/223935
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/223935
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Diet
Feral cats
Introduced mammals
Invasive species
Predation
Prey availability
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spelling Trophic ecology of an introduced top predator (Felis catus) on a small African oceanic islet (Santa Luzia, Cabo Verde Islands)Medina, Félix M.Melo, TommyOliveira, PauloNogales, ManuelGeraldes, PedroDietFeral catsIntroduced mammalsInvasive speciesPredationPrey availabilityStudies on feral cat diet offer important ecological information and are the first step towards determining their impact upon endangered species. However, in comparing seasonal changes in diet with seasonal prey availability, the scarce amount of research into oceanic islands worldwide must be considered when deciding if a specific population is actually affected by cat predation. Cat diet was analysed on Santa Luzia (Cabo Verde Islands) since this invasive predator is considered one of the main threats to native endangered species that require conservation measures. These previous studies were carried out in different seasons, providing contrasting results, skinks being more preyed upon in the rainy season and mice in the driest periods. To check these different results, we focussed on how cat diet varied seasonally in response to changes in prey abundance. Saurians were the most important prey group, followed by mice, invertebrates and birds. No seasonal differences were, however, observed in the different prey groups consumed, saurians being the main prey in both seasons. All cases reflected their respective abundances. Results corroborate the generalist and opportunistic trophic ecology of feral cats, providing important information to assess their impact on prey populations and design future eradication programmes.The Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF) provided funding to the Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves (SPEA), Biosfera 1, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to undertake a project aimed at protecting threatened and endemic species in Cabo Verde. Direcção Nacional de Ambiente of the Cabo Verde Government authorised and supported the work on the islands. The manuscript was edited by Guido Jones, currently funded by the Cabildo de Tenerife, Canary Islands, under the TFinnova Programme supported by MEDI and FDCAN funds.Peer reviewedJohn Wiley & SonsSociedade portuguesa para o estudo das avesThe Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (UK)Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]202020202021info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501Postprintinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersionhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/223935reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Inglés10.1111/aje.12800Síinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:digital.csic.es:10261/2239352026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Trophic ecology of an introduced top predator (Felis catus) on a small African oceanic islet (Santa Luzia, Cabo Verde Islands)
title Trophic ecology of an introduced top predator (Felis catus) on a small African oceanic islet (Santa Luzia, Cabo Verde Islands)
spellingShingle Trophic ecology of an introduced top predator (Felis catus) on a small African oceanic islet (Santa Luzia, Cabo Verde Islands)
Medina, Félix M.
Diet
Feral cats
Introduced mammals
Invasive species
Predation
Prey availability
title_short Trophic ecology of an introduced top predator (Felis catus) on a small African oceanic islet (Santa Luzia, Cabo Verde Islands)
title_full Trophic ecology of an introduced top predator (Felis catus) on a small African oceanic islet (Santa Luzia, Cabo Verde Islands)
title_fullStr Trophic ecology of an introduced top predator (Felis catus) on a small African oceanic islet (Santa Luzia, Cabo Verde Islands)
title_full_unstemmed Trophic ecology of an introduced top predator (Felis catus) on a small African oceanic islet (Santa Luzia, Cabo Verde Islands)
title_sort Trophic ecology of an introduced top predator (Felis catus) on a small African oceanic islet (Santa Luzia, Cabo Verde Islands)
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Medina, Félix M.
Melo, Tommy
Oliveira, Paulo
Nogales, Manuel
Geraldes, Pedro
author Medina, Félix M.
author_facet Medina, Félix M.
Melo, Tommy
Oliveira, Paulo
Nogales, Manuel
Geraldes, Pedro
author_role author
author2 Melo, Tommy
Oliveira, Paulo
Nogales, Manuel
Geraldes, Pedro
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Sociedade portuguesa para o estudo das aves
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (UK)
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Diet
Feral cats
Introduced mammals
Invasive species
Predation
Prey availability
topic Diet
Feral cats
Introduced mammals
Invasive species
Predation
Prey availability
description Studies on feral cat diet offer important ecological information and are the first step towards determining their impact upon endangered species. However, in comparing seasonal changes in diet with seasonal prey availability, the scarce amount of research into oceanic islands worldwide must be considered when deciding if a specific population is actually affected by cat predation. Cat diet was analysed on Santa Luzia (Cabo Verde Islands) since this invasive predator is considered one of the main threats to native endangered species that require conservation measures. These previous studies were carried out in different seasons, providing contrasting results, skinks being more preyed upon in the rainy season and mice in the driest periods. To check these different results, we focussed on how cat diet varied seasonally in response to changes in prey abundance. Saurians were the most important prey group, followed by mice, invertebrates and birds. No seasonal differences were, however, observed in the different prey groups consumed, saurians being the main prey in both seasons. All cases reflected their respective abundances. Results corroborate the generalist and opportunistic trophic ecology of feral cats, providing important information to assess their impact on prey populations and design future eradication programmes.
publishDate 2020
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2020
2020
2021
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Postprint
info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
format article
status_str acceptedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/223935
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/223935
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 10.1111/aje.12800
Sí
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv John Wiley & Sons
publisher.none.fl_str_mv John Wiley & Sons
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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