Contrasting impacts of invasive Opuntia cacti on mammal habitat use

Abstract

Biological invasions impact ecosystems worldwide, including through changing the behaviour of native species. Here, we used camera traps to investigate the effects of invasive Opuntia cacti on the habitat use of twelve mammal species in Laikipia County, Kenya, an internationally important region of mammalian biodiversity. We found that Opuntia impacted mammal occupancy and activity, but the strength and direction of the effects varied among species and between seasons, and depended on the spatial scale at which Opuntia was considered. Notably, we observed consistent positive effects for olive baboons and elephants, two major consumers of Opuntia fruit. We also observed seasonally varying effects on the occupancy of two key grazers: Grevys zebra and plains zebra. As well as having important implications for mammal conservation, ecosystem functioning, and the future spread of Opuntia, our findings highlight behavioural changes in large mammals as a potentially important pathway through which invasive species impact ecosystems.