Understanding the spatial and foraging ecology of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population across Europe using an integrative approach

Almeida De Oliveira, Maria Teresa (author), Krofel, Miha (mentor), Recio, Mariano Rodriguez (comentor)

Animal movement patterns are intrinsically connected to multiple behavioural states, such as foraging, resting, and mating. However, some of these states can be risky and energetically expensive, thus they can have strong implications for animal fitness and survival. Here, we used GPS telemetry to study Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) spatial and foraging ecology and its connection to various behavioural states at different scales, from local populations to a continental scale (Europe). For this purpose, we developed methodological advancements for identifying kill sites from GPS telemetry data, which can be applied also to other species and studies with similar goals. We found that the variation of foraging parameters across a gradient of anthropogenic disturbances is context-dependent, while the influence of individual factors, such as social status, is consistent across Europe. We obtained less conclusive results regarding the impact of prey availability, but we detected a significant effect of the presence of dominant scavengers. Foraging and movement of females during the denning period were also overall consistent across populations. The choice of daily resting sites did not change significantly while lynx was using a kill site, although this was studied only in a single population in Dinaric Mountains. In the same population we also found that naive and experienced individuals exhibited different movement and feeding patterns in relation to the distribution of artificial feeding sites. Overall, our study provides the first insights into how several lynx behavioural states vary in response to a wide range of environmental factors at a continental scale. This knowledge enables us to quantify and predict populational responses, which is particularly relevant under the light of the increasing anthropogenic pressure.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Foraging, predation, denning, resting, artificial feeding, space use, habitat selection, GPS telemetry, GPS clusters, Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx, Europe
• Work type: Doctoral dissertation
• Typology: 2.08 - Doctoral Dissertation
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publisher: [M. T. Almeida De Oliveira]
• Year: 2024
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-154580
• UDC: 599.742.734(043.3)
• COBISS.SI-ID: 186756355
• Publication date in RUL: 22.02.2024

ALMEIDA DE OLIVEIRA, Maria Teresa, 2024, Understanding the spatial and foraging ecology of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population across Europe using an integrative approach [online]. Doctoral dissertation. M. T. Almeida De Oliveira. [Accessed 26 April 2025]. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=154580

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Razumevanje prostorske in prehranjevalne ekologije evropskih populacij evrazijskega risa (Lynx lynx) z uporabo integrativnega pristopa

Abstract

Gibanje živali je neločljivo povezano s različnimi vedenjskimi stanji, kot so hranjenje, počivanje in razmnoževanje. Nekatera od teh stanj so lahko tvegana in energijsko potratna, zato lahko pomembno vplivajo na fitnes živali in njihovo preživetje. V nalogi smo s pomočjo GPS telemetrije preučevali ekologijo evrazijskega risa (Lynx lynx), s poudarkom na gibanju in prehranjevanju ter povezavami med različnimi vedenjskimi stanji na različnih prostorskih ravneh, od posameznih populacij do celotne razširjenosti risa v Evropi. V ta namen smo razvili nov metodološki pristop za določevanje mest uplenitev na podlagi GPS telemetrije, ki ima velik potencial za uporabo pri drugih vrstah in študijah s podobnimi cilji. Ugotovili smo, da je vpliv antropogenih motenj na prehranjevanje risa izražen le v nekaterih kontekstih, medtem ko je vpliv socialnega statusa risa konsistenten po vsej Evropi. Vpliv razpoložljivosti plena je bil manj jasno izražen, zaznali pa smo pomemben vpliv dominantnih mrhovinarjev. Vzorci gibanja in prehranjevanja samic v času poleganja mladičev so bili med populacijami dokaj enotni. Z vidika preučevanja izbire dnevnih počivališč v Dinarski populaciji nismo opazili značilnih razlik med obdobji, ko je bil ris omejen pri izbiri s prisotnostjo plena in ko takšnih omejitev ni bilo. Za isto populacijo smo ugotovili, da so se manj in bolj izkušeni osebki razlikovali pri rabi prostora in plenjenju glede na lokacije krmišč za medvede. Naša raziskava predstavlja prvi vpogled v to, kako se proučevana vedenjska stanja risov spreminjajo glede na okoljske dejavnike na ravni kontinenta. To znanje nam omogoča ocenjevanje in napovedovanje populacijskih odzivov, kar je še posebej pomembno v luči naraščajočega vpliva človeka.

• Keywords: prehranjevanje, plenjenje, razmnoževanje, počivališča, krmljenje, raba prostora, izbira habitata, GPS telemetrija, gruče GPS lokacij, evrazijski ris, Lynx lynx, Evropa