Loss of Sunda clouded leopards and forest integrity drive potential impacts of mesopredator release on vulnerable avifauna.

Amongst the unintended consequences of anthropogenic landscape conversion is declining apex predator abundance linked to loss of forest integrity, which can potentially re-order trophic networks. One such re-ordering, known as mesopredator release, occurs when medium-sized predators, also called mesopredators, rapidly increase in abundance following the decline in apex predator abundance, consequently reducing the abundance of mesopredator prey, notably including terrestrial avifauna. We examine the cascading impacts of declining Sunda clouded leopard abundance, itself consequent upon a reduction in forest integrity, on the mesopredator community of Sabah, Malaysia, to determine whether the phenomenon of mesopredator release is manifest and specifically whether it impacts the terrestrial avifauna community of pheasants and pittas. To explore this trophic interaction, we used a piecewise structural equation model to compare changes in the relative abundance of organisms. Our results suggest that loss of forest integrity may have broad impacts on the community and trigger mesopredator release, the two acting additively in their impact on already vulnerable species of terrestrial avifauna: a result not previously documented in tropical systems and rarely detected even on a global scale. The limiting effect that the Sunda clouded leopard has on the Sunda leopard cat could illuminate the mechanism whereby mesopredator release impacts this system. Both Bulwer's pheasant and pittas appear to be significantly impacted by the increase in Sunda leopard cats, while the great argus pheasant shows similar compelling, although not statistically significant, declines as Sunda leopard cats increase. The inverse relationship between Sunda clouded leopards and Sunda leopard cats suggests that if a mesopredator release exists it could have downstream consequences for some terrestrial avifauna. These results suggest the under-studied interface between mammalian carnivores and avifauna, or more broadly species interactions in general, could offer important conservation tool for holistic ecosystem conservation efforts.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.The following represent public funding sources from charitable foundations or government agencies: Andrew J. Hearn reports financial support was provided by Darwin Initiative. David W. Macdonald reports financial support was provided by Recanati-Kaplan Foundation. David W. Macdonald reports financial support was provided by Robertson Foundation. Andrew J. Hearn reports financial support was provided by Sime Darby Foundation. Andrew J. Hearn reports financial support was provided by Clouded Leopard Project. Andrew J. Hearn reports was provided by Felidae Conservation Fund. Andrew J. Hearn reports financial support was provided by Houston Zoo. David W. Macdonald reports financial support was provided by HG Wills International Trust for Nature Conservation. David W. Macdonald reports financial support was provided by Panthera Corp. Andrew J. Hearn reports financial support was provided by the Dr. Holly Reed Conservation Fund of Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. Andrew J. Hearn reports financial support was provided by Wild About Cats. We thank Danum Valley Management Committee, Sabah Parks, Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Wildlife Department, Yayasan Sabah, the Economic Planning Unit and the Sabah Biodiversity Centre for permission to conduct research. We thank Sam Cushman, Carol Sartor, and Morten Odden for insightful comments. The Economic Planning Unit of Malaysia, Sabah Biodiversity Council, Sabah Parks, Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Wildlife Department and Yayasan Sabah reviewed all sampling procedures and approved permits for the work conducted. We applied non-invasive methods for data gathering and hence approval from an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee or equivalent animal ethics committee was not required. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
(© 2024 The Authors.)