Four Factors Modifying the Effect of Competition on Carnivore Population Dynamics as Illustrated by African Wild Dogs

Limitation of predator populations by prey availability and the effects of predators on prey populations are widely recognized as important ecological processes that affect carnivore conservation. Interspecific competition can also be a strong limiting factor for carnivore populations, and the effects of competition help explain why some carnivore species are prone to extinction. Competition among carnivores is unusual in some ways, so some predictions from traditional models of competition do not hold. For example, an increase in the density of prey can increase the effect of competition among carnivores, rather than weakening it. I used published data from African wild dogs ( Lycaon pictus ) to highlight four complexities that can modify the effects of competition on the population dynamics of carnivores: habitat fragmentation, counterintuitive effects of prey density, predator‐prey size ratios, and habitat type.