Abstract
Scavenging plays an important role in shaping communities through inter- and intra-specific interactions. Although vertebrate scavenger efficiency and species composition is likely influenced by the spatial complexity of environments, heterogeneity in carrion distribution has largely been disregarded in scavenging studies. We tested this hypothesis by experimentally placing juvenile bird carcasses on the ground and in nests in trees to simulate scenarios of nestling bird carrion availability. We used cameras to record scavengers removing carcasses and elapsed time to removal. Carrion placed on the ground was scavenged by a greater diversity of vertebrates and at > 2 times the rate of arboreal carcasses, suggesting arboreal carrion may represent an important resource to invertebrate scavengers, particularly in landscapes with efficient vertebrate scavenging communities. Nonetheless, six vertebrate species scavenged arboreal carcasses. Rat snakes (Elaphe obsolete), which exclusively scavenged from trees, and turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) were the primary scavengers of arboreal carrion, suggesting such resources are potentially an important pathway of nutrient acquisition for some volant and scansorial vertebrates. Our results highlight the intricacy of carrion-derived food web linkages, and how consideration of spatial complexity in carcass distribution (i.e., arboreal) may reveal important pathways of nutrient acquisition by invertebrate and vertebrate scavenging guilds.
Highlights
Scavenging plays an important role in shaping communities through inter- and intra-specific interactions
Carcasses placed in tree nests tended to remain available to potential scavengers longer than those on the ground, and in the absence of vertebrate scavengers, 50% of all carcasses were decomposed by invertebrates and microbes within 39 hrs
Our study suggests arboreal carrion is potentially an important pathway of nutrient acquisition by some volant and scansorial vertebrates, especially rat snakes specialized in arboreal foraging
Summary
Scavenging plays an important role in shaping communities through inter- and intra-specific interactions. Vertebrate scavenger efficiency and species composition is likely influenced by the spatial complexity of environments, heterogeneity in carrion distribution has largely been disregarded in scavenging studies. We tested this hypothesis by experimentally placing juvenile bird carcasses on the ground and in nests in trees to simulate scenarios of nestling bird carrion availability. Spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of carrion (e.g., below ground, arboreal, under leaf litter, terrestrial surface) has largely been disregarded in scavenging studies, yet likely has profound effects on carcass fate, persistence times, and scavenger interactions[9]. Such alternative forms of carrion availability, despite their reduced availability compared to surface carrion, could represent important pathways of nutrient
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