Trophic Duality: Taxonomic Segregation and Convergence in Prey Functional Traits Driving the Coexistence of Apex Predators

Abstract

The coexistence of functionally similar predators offers a framework for understanding the mechanisms shaping ecological communities. Jaguars and pumas are broadly sympatric in the Neotropics, yet the processes sustaining their persistence remain unclear. Classical niche theory predicts that coexistence requires ecological differentiation, whereas modern models emphasize balancing stabilizing (reducing interspecific competition) and equalizing mechanisms (minimizing fitness differences). Although demographic components were not directly estimated, we integrated secondary dietary data compiled from 21 sympatric populations through a systematic literature review. This integration allowed us to identify trophic patterns consistent with coexistence mechanisms across taxonomic and functional prey axes. Analyses revealed strong taxonomic segregation at finer scales, with jaguars primarily consuming Artiodactyla, while pumas exploited a broader spectrum including Rodentia, Cingulata, and Pilosa. This divergence reduces direct competition, consistent with stabilizing resource partitioning. In contrast, high overlap in functional traits (e.g., body mass and locomotor habit) indicated functional convergence potentially increasing fitness equivalence, consistent with equalizing mechanisms. These dynamics suggested that jaguar–puma macroecological coexistence may be maintained by a dynamic balance between patterns consistent with stabilizing and equalizing mechanisms expressed within trophic niche axes. From a conservation perspective, strategies should move beyond species-specific approaches; preserving both taxonomic and functional prey diversity is essential to sustain the trophic requirements of predators and the ecosystems they regulate.