| Abstract |
We document the presence of bobcats ( Lynx rufus ) that demonstrate melanism in the Greater Everglades. The South Florida landscape is driven by a myriad of disturbance regimes particularly that of short fire intervals. We monitored 180 camera traps for 3 years and obtained 9503 photographs of bobcats 25 (<0.5%) of these detections included melanistic individuals. Our observations and historical accounts suggest melanism is a phenotype that persists, albeit it at an exceedingly low frequency, in bobcats in the region. While we do not know if the expression of melanism conferred a fitness benefit in our system, the vegetation structure that was characterized by frequently burned uplands and low‐light and densely vegetated swamps produced conditions that may render a benefit from melanism through enhanced crypsis. The investigation of rare phenomenon in ecology is important yet difficult within a given field study, but reporting novel observations, like melanism in bobcats, allows for science to gain insight across studies that would not be otherwise possible. |
| Authors |
Aidan B. Branney  , Heather N. Abernathy  , L. Mike Conner , Elina P. Garrison , Michael J. Cherry
|
| Journal Info |
Wiley | Ecology and Evolution , vol: 14
, iss: 1
|
| Publication Date |
1/1/2024 |
| ISSN |
2045-7758 |
Type |
article |
| Open Access |
gold
|
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10754 |
| Keywords |
Camera Trapping (Score: 0.482024)
|
