Trophic response of the American badger (Taxidea taxus berlandieri) to prey availability in the desert scrubland of Baja California Sur, Mexico
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21829/azm.2026.4212847Keywords:
Availability, dietary breadth, diet, diversity, generalist, Ivlev, seasonal variation, specialistAbstract
Understanding predator-prey relationships is essential for explaining trophic dynamics and population regulation in terrestrial ecosystems. This study evaluated the trophic response of the American badger (Taxidea taxus berlandieri) to seasonal prey availability in the desert scrubland within the Dr. Laura Arriaga Cabrera Biological Reserve, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The potential availability of prey (birds, reptiles, and small mammals) evaluated through field studies, recording 56 species and a total abundance of 3,463 individuals in both seasons. Diet composition was determined by analyzing feces (n = 213) collected during two seasons: dry and wet. The small mammals Chaetodipus baileyi and the reptiles Uta stansburiana dominated the diet in both seasons. Niche breadth, estimated using the Levins index, was greater during the dry season (BA = 0.65) than during the wet season (BA = 0.45), indicating a broader use of prey under conditions of lower resource availability. Pianka's index revealed a high degree of dietary overlap between seasons (O = 0.97), suggesting a relatively stable prey base throughout the year. These results indicate that the American badger exhibits trophic plasticity, maintaining a basic set of prey and incorporating additional food resources under the seasonal environmental variability typical of arid ecosystems.
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