Project: Optimizing sampling efforts for estimating urban and rural coyote density and determining coyote diet using a noninvasive framework

Project

Optimizing sampling efforts for estimating urban and rural coyote density and determining coyote diet using a noninvasive framework

July 2019 - March 2022

Personnel

Robert Lonsinger, Co-Principal Investigator

Participating Agencies

Coyotes (Canis latrans) in North America are supreme generalists and have readily colonized urban landscapes (Gehrt et al. 2009), including those in Florida. We will utilize a noninvasive approach to fill several knowledge gaps for coyotes in Florida. Our overall goals are to identify the most efficient (i.e. minimal cost per successful sample) and robust (i.e., adequate sampling effort) spatio-temporal design for future capture–recapture monitoring efforts through determination of scat accumulation rates, an understanding of DNA degradation rates, and estimates of area to sample. A secondary objective is to examine coyote diet using a traditional morphometric approach and noninvasive scat DNA sampling.

Research Publications

Research Publications	Publication Date
Kluever, B. M., M. B. Main, S. W. Breck, R. C. Lonsinger, J. H. Humphrey, J. W. Fischer, M. P. Milleson, and A. J. Piaggio. 2022. Using noninvasive genetics for estimating density and assessing diet of urban and rural coyotes in Florida, USA. Urban Naturalist 51: 1-24. \| Abstract	May 2022	Coyotes (<i>Canis</i><i> latrans</i>) are expanding their range and due to conflicts with the public and concerns of coyotes affecting natural resources such as game or sensitive species, there is interest and often a demand to monitor coyote populations. A challenge to monitoring is that traditional invasive methods involving live-capture of individual animals are costly and can be controversial. Natural resource management agencies can benefit from contemporary noninvasive genetic sampling approaches aimed at determining key aspects of coyote ecology (e.g., population density and food habits). However, the efficacy of such approaches under different environmental conditions is poorly understood. Our objectives were to 1) examine accumulation and DNA degradation rates of coyote scats in metropolitan and rural sites in Florida to help optimize methods to estimate population density; and 2) explore new genetic methods for determining diet of coyotes based on vertebrate, plant, and invertebrate species DNA identified in scat. Recently developed DNA metabarcoding approaches make it possible to simultaneously identify DNA from multiple prey species in predator scat samples, but an exploration of this tool for assessing coyote diet has not been pursued. We observed that scat accumulation rates (0.02 scats/km/day) did not vary between sites and fecal DNA amplification success decreased and genotyping errors increased over time with exposure to sun and precipitation. DNA sampling allowed us to generate a coyote density estimate for the urban environment of eight coyotes per 100 km<sup>2</sup>,<sup> </sup>but lack of recaptures in the rural area precluded density estimation. DNA metabarcoding showed promise for assessing diet contributions of vertebrate species to coyote diet. Feral swine (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) were detected as prey at higher frequencies than expected. We identify several considerations that can be used to optimize future noninvasive sampling efforts for coyotes in the southeastern United States. We also discuss strengths and drawbacks of utilizing DNA metabarcoding for assessing diet of generalist carnivores such as coyotes.

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Project

Optimizing sampling efforts for estimating urban and rural coyote density and determining coyote diet using a noninvasive framework

July 2019 - March 2022

Personnel

Participating Agencies

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program:
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources