Temporal changes in the diet of two sympatric carnivorous mammals in a protected area of south–central Chile affected by a mixed–severity forest fire

Abstract

Fire is a significant disruptive agent in various ecosystems around the world. It can affect the availability of resources in a given area, modulating the interaction between competing species. We studied the diet of the culpeo fox (Lycalopex culpaeus) and cougar (Puma concolor) for two consecutive years in a protected area of southern–central Chile which was affected by a wildfire. Significant differences were observed in the dietary pattern between the two species, showing their trophic segregation. In the two years of the study, the predominant prey for cougar was an exotic species, the European hare (Lepus europaeus), implying a simplification of its trophic spectrum with respect to that reported in other latitudes. The ecological consequences related to this scenario are discussed.