DO EXOTIC INVASIVE MAMMALS DISTURB THE NATIVE FAUNA? SPATIO-TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION AND OVERLAP BETWEEN SPECIES IN A NATIONAL PARK OF ARGENTINA

SHALOM, ILAN; CALFAYAN, LAURA; ROSPIDE, MALENA; THORTON, LARA; BURGOS, E. F.; GÓMEZ VILLAFAÑE, I. E.

Integrative Zoology

Wiley

Año: 2024

1749-4877

Monitoring the invasive exotic species and their effect on the native fauna is fundamental for effective control. The exotic mammals Axis axis and Sus scrofa, were introduced in the Argentine territory approximately in 1928 and 1906 inhabiting, at present, four and fifteen protected natural areas, respectively. The objective of this work is to evaluate the distribution and spatio-temporal overlap of native and exotic, medium- and large-sized fauna in a national park of Central Argentina, in order to consider potential negative interactions between them. Camera-traps were distributed in 27 sites between 2017 and 2019 in El Palmar National Park, Argentina. Spatial and temporal overlap was estimated for every pair of exotic-natie taxa. With 2673 camera-days, two exotic: Axis axis and Sus scrofa and seven native taxa: Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, Rhea americana, armadillos, foxes, Subulo gouazoubira, Leopardus geoffroyi and Nothura maculosa were detected. This research could affirm that exotic species are widely distributed in the National Park, but would not restrict the distribution of native species, having the possibility of interacting and, perhaps disturbing, the use of the area. In turn, there was a low overlap in the temporal activity of the exotic and native species when they share the food resources, but a high overlap with most of the other native species, although they differ in their peaks of maximum activity. The existence of variations found in the activity patterns with respect to other areas where the species inhabit could be showing a segregation in the daily activity to avoid the competition.