# How Pastoral Are Pastoral Landscapes? Scavenger Assemblage Structure in Human‐Dominated Landscapes: A Case Study From Mediterranean Pastures

## TL;DR

Pastoral land use in the Mediterranean affects scavenger behavior and interactions, with nonpastoral areas showing higher activity and more complex species relationships.

## Contribution

This study provides empirical evidence on how pastoralism alters carrion ecology and scavenger dynamics in Mediterranean ecosystems.

## Key findings

- Scavenger encounter rates were significantly higher in nonpastoral areas compared to pastoral ones.
- Foxes showed a preference for boar carrion, while boars and jackals showed no significant preference.
- Species interactions among scavengers were significant and negative in nonpastoral areas but absent in pastoral ones.

## Abstract

Pastoralism is one of the most common land uses worldwide and has been a fundamental part of Mediterranean ecosystems for thousands of years. We aimed to investigate how this land use influences carrion ecology and species interactions among mammalian facultative scavengers in East Mediterranean habitats. We carried out an in situ “cafeteria” field experiment, placing domesticated (
Bos taurus
) versus native (
Sus scrofa
) species’ carrion in both pastoral and nonpastoral areas. We monitored scavenger activity using camera traps and analyzed changes in species interactions and carrion preferences between these two habitat types. The average camera encounter rate of the three most common scavenger species was significantly higher in nonpastoral areas than in pastoral ones. Our results also showed a notable preference for boar over cow carrion by foxes (
Vulpes vulpes
), while wild boars (
Sus scrofa
) and golden jackals (
Canis aureus
) exhibited no significant preferences. Using Piecewise Structural Equation Modeling (PSEM), we found no significant interactions among facultative scavengers in pastoral lands, whereas most scavenger species interactions in nonpastoral areas were significant and negative. Our findings indicate a significant, though variable, impact of pastoralism on facultative scavengers. From a conservation standpoint, these results highlight the challenge of maintaining an optimal structure for the mammalian scavenger guild in mixed landscapes.

An in situ field experiment accompanied by camera trapping has shown how pastoralism as a land use affects carrion preferences and species interactions among facultative scavengers.