Activity Patterns and Predator–Prey Interactions of Mammals in the Cloud Forest of Tamaulipas, Mexico

Abstract

The analysis of activity patterns is a valuable tool for understanding the temporal organization of mammal communities, which is determined by biological requirements, resource availability, and competitive pressures both within and between species. Research on this ecological aspect can contribute to the development of effective conservation strategies. Cloud forest is an ecosystem of high biological relevance, as this provides habitat for a wide diversity of species in Mexico, including endemic, emblematic, and threatened taxa. Our main objectives were to analyze mammalian activity patterns and predator–prey relationships in the cloud forest of the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, Tamaulipas, Mexico. From 2018 to 2020, twenty camera trap stations were installed, and independent photographic records were obtained, divided into 24 one-hour intervals, and subsequently classified as diurnal, nocturnal, crepuscular, or cathemeral. Temporal activity was estimated using circular statistics in RStudio v4.3.1, and activity overlap between major carnivores and their prey was assessed using the ‘overlap’ package in R. A total of 18 medium- and large-sized mammal species were recorded in this study. The activity of four species was seasonally influenced, with a predominantly nocturnal pattern observed during the dry season. The activity overlap analysis revealed potential temporal similarity between predators and their prey. For example, Panthera onca exhibited a high overlap with Mazama temama (Δ = 0.83), Puma concolor with Nasua narica (Δ = 0.91), and Ursus americanus with M. temama (Δ = 0.77). These findings suggest that the activity patterns of certain species can be influenced by seasonality and that large predators may favor specific prey whose activity overlaps with their own.