Temporal niche and daily activity patterns of sympatric leporids in active burrows of Mapimi Bolson tortoise

Differential temporality of daily activity patterns allows the coexistence of related species. This strategy is believed to be used by sympatric leporids black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) and desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) in the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. Using trap cameras, we recorded the temporal niche and nine specific patterns of daily activity from both species in a shared microhabitat (burrows of Mapimi Bolson tortoise, Gopherus flavomarginatus), from April 2014 to January 2016. Although the degree of temporal niche overlap is high (Pianka= 0.9781; Czechanowski = 0.8769), only 0.21% of the total records were simultaneous sightings of individuals of L. californicus and S. audubonii within the same burrow. In addition, there were differences in the diurnal activity peaks of these leporids (L. californicus = 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., S. audubonii = 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.). Six specific activity patterns (Entering, Exiting, Grooming, Feeding, Alert, and Evasion) were significantly different, according to the Watson's U2 two-sample test for cyclic distributions (critical value = 0.187, p = 0.05). Our results suggest that the temporary partition of specific daily activities between the two leporids can contribute to their coexistence in this microhabitat.

Automated summary

Differential temporality of daily activity patterns allows the coexistence of black-tailed jackrabbit and desert cottontail in the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve in Mexico.