Abstract
Populations of mesopredators (mid-sized mammalian carnivores) are expanding in size and range amid declining apex predator populations and ever-growing human presence, leading to significant ecological impacts. Despite their obvious importance, population dynamics have scarcely been studied for most mesopredator species. Information on basic population parameters and processes under a range of conditions is necessary for managing these species. Here we investigate survival, recruitment, and population growth rate of a widely distributed and abundant mesopredator, the northern raccoon (Procyon lotor), using Pradel’s temporal symmetry models and >6 years of monthly capture-mark-recapture data collected in a protected area. Monthly apparent survival probability was higher for females (0.949, 95% CI = 0.936–0.960) than for males (0.908, 95% CI = 0.893–0.920), while monthly recruitment rate was higher for males (0.091, 95% CI = 0.078–0.106) than for females (0.054, 95% CI = 0.042–0.067). Finally, monthly realized population growth rate was 1.000 (95% CI = 0.996–1.004), indicating that our study population has reached a stable equilibrium in this relatively undisturbed habitat. There was little evidence for substantial temporal variation in population growth rate or its components. Our study is one of the first to quantify survival, recruitment, and realized population growth rate of raccoons using long-term data and rigorous statistical models.
Highlights
Mesopredators, or predators at middle levels of food webs, are important contributors to ecosystem function and have significant impacts on a wide range of species [1]
Population control efforts in these areas are hampered by insufficient knowledge of raccoon population ecology outside their native range
Recapture probabilities based on this model were consistently higher for males than females (Figure 1); estimates from model {Q(sex)p(month+sex)l(season)} were highest in March (0.323, 95% CI = 0.267–0.384 for males; 0.241, 95% CI = 0.193–0.296 for females) and lowest in November (0.130, 95% CI = 0.100–0.168 for males; 0.091, 95% CI = 0.068–0.120 for females)
Summary
Mesopredators, or predators at middle levels of food webs, are important contributors to ecosystem function and have significant impacts on a wide range of species [1]. They can exert their influence through many means, including predation [2], competition with specialist species [3], and the spread of pathogens [4]. These effects are often heightened by the resilience and rapid growth of mesopredator populations, in the presence of human settlements [5]. Population control efforts in these areas are hampered by insufficient knowledge of raccoon population ecology outside their native range
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