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Describes bobcats, including the way they hunt, their unique looks, and where they live.

Understanding habitat selection of top predators is critical to predict their impacts on ecological communities and interactions with humans, particularly in recovering populations. We analyzed habitat selection in a recovering population of bobcats (Lynx rufus) in south-central Indiana using a Random Forest model. We predicted that bobcats would select forest habitat and forest edges but avoid agriculture to maximize encounters with prey species. We also predicted that bobcats would avoid developed areas and roads to minimize potential antagonistic interactions with humans. Results partially supported our predictions and were consistent with bobcats in the early stages of population expansion. Bobcats exhibited elevated use near forest edges, thresholds of avoidance near agriculture, and thresholds of selection for low and intermediate habitat heterogeneity. Bobcats exhibited peak probability of use 1-3 km from major roads, >800 m from minor roads, and <1km from developed areas, suggesting tradeoffs in reward for high-quality hunting areas and mortality risk. Our Random Forest model highlighted complex non-linear patterns and revealed that most shifts in habitat use occurred within 1 km of the edge of each habitat type. These results largely supported previous studies in the Midwest and across North America but also produced refinements of bobcat habitat use in our system, particularly at habitat boundaries. Refined models of habitat selection by carnivores enable improved prediction of the most suitable habitat for recovering populations and provides useful information for conservation.

\"Presents information about bobcats, their habitats, and their special features, including their short bobbed tails\"-- Provided by publisher.

Carnivore guilds play a vital role in ecological communities by cascading trophic effects, energy and nutrient transfer, and stabilizing or destabilizing food webs. Consequently, the structure of carnivore guilds can be critical to ecosystem patterns. Body size is a crucial influence on intraguild interactions, because it affects access to prey resources, effectiveness in scramble competition, and vulnerability to intraguild predation. Coyotes (Canis latrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus), gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) occur sympatrically throughout much of North America and overlap in resource use, indicating potential for interspecific interactions. Although much is known about the autecology of the individual species separately, little is known about factors that facilitate coexistence and how interactions within this guild influence distribution, habitat use, and temporal activity of the smaller carnivores. To assess how habitat autecology and interspecific interactions affect the structure of this widespread carnivore guild, we conducted a large-scale, non-invasive carnivore survey using an occupancy modeling framework. We deployed remote cameras during 3-week surveys to detect carnivores at 1,118 camera locations in 357 2.6-km2 sections (3–4 cameras/section composing a cluster) in the 16 southernmost counties of Illinois (16,058 km2) during January–April, 2008–2010. We characterized microhabitat at each camera location and landscape-level habitat features for each camera cluster. In a multistage approach, we used information-theoretic methods to evaluate competing models for detection, species-specific habitat occupancy, multispecies co-occupancy, and multiseason (colonization and extinction) occupancy dynamics. We developed occupancy models for each species to represent hypothesized effects of anthropogenic features, prey availability, landscape complexity, and vegetative land cover. We quantified temporal activity patterns of each carnivore species based on their frequency of appearance in photographs. Further, we assessed whether smaller carnivores shifted their diel activity patterns in response to the presence of potential competitors. Of the 102,711 photographs of endothermic animals, we recorded photographs of bobcats (n = 412 photographs), coyotes (n = 1,397), gray foxes (n = 546), raccoons (n = 40,029), red foxes (n = 149), and striped skunks (n = 2,467). Bobcats were active primarily during crepuscular periods, and their activity was reduced with precipitation and higher temperatures. The probability of detecting bobcats decreased after a bobcat photograph was recorded, suggesting avoidance of remote cameras after the first encounter. Across southern Illinois, bobcat occupancy at the camera-location and camera-cluster scale (ψ̂local = 0.24 ± 0.04, camera cluster ψ̂cluster = 0.75 ± 0.06) was negatively influenced by anthropogenic features and infrastructure. Bobcats had high rates of colonization (γ̂ = 0.86) and low rates of extinction (ε̂ = 0.07), suggesting an expanding population, but agricultural land was less likely to be colonized. Nearly all camera clusters were occupied by coyotes (ψ̂cluster = 0.95 ± 0.03). At the local scale, coyote occupancy (ψ̂local = 0.58 ± 0.03) was higher in hardwood forest stands with open understories than in other areas. Compared to coyotes, gray foxes occupied a smaller portion of the study area (ψ̂local = 0.13 ± 0.01, ψ̂cluster = 0.29 ± 0.03) at all scales. At the scale of the camera cluster, gray fox occupancy was highest in fragmented areas with high proportions of forest, and positively related to anthropogenic features within 100% home-range buffers. Red foxes occupied a similar proportion of the study area as gray foxes (ψ̂local = 0.12 ± 0.02, ψ̂cluster = 0.26 ± 0.04) but were more closely associated with anthropogenic features. Only anthropogenic feature models made up the 90% confidence set at all scales of analysis for red foxes. Extinction probabilities at the scale of the camera cluster were higher for both gray foxes (ε̂ = 0.57) and red foxes (ε̂ = 0.35) than their colonization rates (gray fox γ̂ = 0.16, red fox γ̂ = 0.06), suggesting both species may be declining in southern Illinois. Striped skunks occupied a large portion of the study area (ψ̂local = 0.47 ± 0.01, ψ̂cluster = 0.79 ± 0.03) and were associated primarily with anthropogenic features. Raccoons were essentially ubiquitous within the study area, being photographed in 99% of camera clusters. We observed little evidence for spatial partitioning based on interspecific interactions, with the exception of the gray fox-coyote pairs, and found that habitat preferences were more important in structuring the carnivore community. Habitat had a stronger influence on the occupancy of foxes than did the presence of bobcats. However, the level of red fox activity was negatively correlated with bobcat activity. Gray fox occupancy and the number of detections within occupied sites were reduced in camera clusters occupied by coyotes but not bobcat occupancy. Overall, gray fox occupancy was highest at camera locations with fewer hardwood and more conifer trees. However, gray foxes were more likely to occupy camera locations in hardwood stands than conifer stands if coyotes were also present indicating that hardwood stands may enhance gray fox-coyote coexistence. The 2 fox species appeared to co-occur with each other at the local scale more frequently than expected based on their individual selection of habitat. Similarly, occupancy of camera location by red foxes was higher when coyotes were present. These positive spatial associations among canids may be a response to locally high prey abundance or unmeasured habitat variables. Activity levels of raccoons, bobcats, and coyotes were all positively correlated. Overall, our co-occurrence and activity models indicate competitor-driven adjustments in space use among members of a carnivore community might be the exception rather than the norm. Nevertheless, although our results indicate that gray foxes and red foxes currently coexist with bobcats and coyotes, their distribution appears to be contracting on our study area. Coexistence of foxes with larger carnivores may be enhanced by temporal partitioning of activity and by habitat features that reduce vulnerability of intraguild predation. For instance, hardwood stands may contain trees with structure that enhances tree-climbing by gray foxes, a behavior that probably facilitates coexistence with coyotes. Efforts to enhance gray fox populations would likely benefit from increasing the amount of mature oakhickory forest. Additionally, the varying results from different scales of analyses underscore the importance of considering multiple spatial scales in carnivore community studies. Los gremios de carnívoros desempeñan un papel vital en las comunidades ecológicas causando efectos tróficos en cascada, afectando la transferencia de energía y nutrientes, y estabilizando o desestabilizando las redes alimentarias. En consecuencia, la estructura de los gremios de carnívoros puede ser crítica para los patrones de los ecosistemas. El tamaño corporal tiene una influencia crucial en las interacciones intragremio, ya que afecta el acceso a los recursos de presa, la eficacia en la competencia por explotación, y la vulnerabilidad a depredación intragremio. Los coyotes (Canis latrans), linces (Lynx rufus), zorros grises (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), mapaches (Procyon lotor), el zorro (Vulpes vulpes), y zorrillos rayados (Mephitis mephitis) occurren en simpatría en gran parte de América del Norte y se solapan en los recursos que utilizan, lo que indica un potencial para interacciones interespecíficas. Aunque se sabe mucho sobre la autoecología de las especies individuales por separado, poco se sabe acerca de los factores que facilitan la coexistencia y cómo las interacciones dentro de este gremio influencian la distribución, uso de hábitat, y actividad temporal de los carnívoros más pequeños. Para evaluar cómo la autecología del hábitat y las interacciones interespecíficas afectan la estructura de este gremio carnívoro de amplia distribución, realizamos un muestreo de carnívoros no invasivo a gran escala, utilizando un marco de modelos de ocupación. Instalamos cámaras remotas en muestreos de 3 semanas para detectar carnívoros en 1118 locaciones-cámara en 357 secciones de 2.6 km2 (3–4 cámaras / sección conformaron una agrupación) en los 16 condados de más al sur de Illinois (16058 km2) entre enero y abril de 2008–2010. Caracterizamos el microhábitat en cada locación-cámara y las características del hábitat a nivel de paisaje para cada agrupación de cámaras. Con un enfoque de etapas múltiples, utilizamos métodos de teoría de información para evaluar modelos competitivos de detección, ocupación del hábitat de especies específicas, co-ocupación multi-especies, y dinámicas de ocupación multi-especies y multi-estación (colonización y extinción). Desarrollamos modelos de ocupación para cada especie para representar efectos hipotéticos de características antropogénicas, disponibilidad de presas, complejidad del paisaje, y cobertura vegetal. Cuantificamos los patrones de actividad temporal de cada especie carnívora en función de su frecuencia de aparición en fotografías. Además, evaluamos si los carnívoros más pequeños cambian sus patrones de actividad diaria en respuesta a la presencia de competidores potenciales. De las 102711 fotografías de animales endotérmicos, registramos fotografías de linces (n = 412 fotografías), coyotes (n = 1397), zorros grises (n = 546), mapaches (n = 40029), zorros rojos (n = 149), y zorrillos rayados (n = 2467). Los linces estuvieron activos principalmente durante períodos crepusculares, y su actividad se redujo con la precipitación y altas temperaturas. La probabilidad de detectar linces disminuyó después de reg

\"This book introduces bobcats to young readers through leveled text and related photos\"-- Provided by publisher.

Landscape connectivity is integral to the persistence of metapopulations of wide ranging carnivores and other terrestrial species. The objectives of this research were to investigate the landscape characteristics essential to use of areas by lynx and bobcats in northern New England, map a habitat availability model for each species, and explore connectivity across areas of the region likely to experience future development pressure. A Mahalanobis distance analysis was conducted on location data collected between 2005 and 2010 from 16 bobcats in western Vermont and 31 lynx in northern Maine to determine which variables were most consistent across all locations for each species using three scales based on average 1) local (15 minute) movement, 2) linear distance between daily locations, and 3) female home range size. The bobcat model providing the widest separation between used locations and random study area locations suggests that they cue into landscape features such as edge, availability of cover, and development density at different scales. The lynx model with the widest separation between random and used locations contained five variables including natural habitat, cover, and elevation-all at different scales. Shrub scrub habitat-where lynx's preferred prey is most abundant-was represented at the daily distance moved scale. Cross validation indicated that outliers had little effect on models for either species. A habitat suitability value was calculated for each 30 m.sup.2 pixel across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine for each species and used to map connectivity between conserved lands within selected areas across the region. Projections of future landscape change illustrated potential impacts of anthropogenic development on areas lynx and bobcat may use, and indicated where connectivity for bobcats and lynx may be lost. These projections provided a guide for conservation of landscape permeability for lynx, bobcat, and species relying on similar habitats in the region.

Learn about the North American bobcat.

Landscape connectivity is integral to the persistence of metapopulations of wide ranging carnivores and other terrestrial species. The objectives of this research were to investigate the landscape characteristics essential to use of areas by lynx and bobcats in northern New England, map a habitat availability model for each species, and explore connectivity across areas of the region likely to experience future development pressure. A Mahalanobis distance analysis was conducted on location data collected between 2005 and 2010 from 16 bobcats in western Vermont and 31 lynx in northern Maine to determine which variables were most consistent across all locations for each species using three scales based on average 1) local (15 minute) movement, 2) linear distance between daily locations, and 3) female home range size. The bobcat model providing the widest separation between used locations and random study area locations suggests that they cue into landscape features such as edge, availability of cover, and development density at different scales. The lynx model with the widest separation between random and used locations contained five variables including natural habitat, cover, and elevation-all at different scales. Shrub scrub habitat-where lynx's preferred prey is most abundant-was represented at the daily distance moved scale. Cross validation indicated that outliers had little effect on models for either species. A habitat suitability value was calculated for each 30 m.sup.2 pixel across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine for each species and used to map connectivity between conserved lands within selected areas across the region. Projections of future landscape change illustrated potential impacts of anthropogenic development on areas lynx and bobcat may use, and indicated where connectivity for bobcats and lynx may be lost. These projections provided a guide for conservation of landscape permeability for lynx, bobcat, and species relying on similar habitats in the region.

Supply chain efficiency is a major challenge in today’s business environment, where efficient resource allocation and coordination of activities are essential for competitive advantage. Traditional efficiency strategies often struggle for resources for the complex and dynamic network. In response, bio-inspired metaheuristic algorithms have emerged as powerful tools to solve these optimization problems. Referring to the random search nature of metaheuristic algorithms and emphasizing that no metaheuristic algorithm is the best optimizer for all optimization applications, the No Free Lunch (NFL) theorem encourages researchers to design newer algorithms to be able to provide more effective solutions to optimization problems. Motivated by the NFL theorem, the innovation and novelty of this paper is in designing a new meta-heuristic algorithm called Bobcat Optimization Algorithm (BOA) that imitates the natural behavior of bobcats in the wild. The basic inspiration of BOA is derived from the hunting strategy of bobcats during the attack towards the prey and the chase process between them. The theory of BOA is stated and then mathematically modeled in two phases (i) exploration based on the simulation of the bobcat’s position change while moving towards the prey and (ii) exploitation based on simulating the bobcat’s position change during the chase process to catch the prey. The performance of BOA is evaluated in optimization to handle the CEC 2017 test suite for problem dimensions equal to 10, 30, 50, and 100, as well as to address CEC 2020. The optimization results show that BOA has a high ability in exploration, exploitation, and balance them during the search process in order to achieve a suitable solution for optimization problems. The results obtained from BOA are compared with the performance of twelve well-known metaheuristic algorithms. The findings show that BOA has been successful in handling the CEC 2017 test suite in 89.65, 79.31, 93.10, and 89.65% of the functions for the problem dimension equal to 10, 30, 50, and 100, respectively. Also, the findings show that in order to handle the CEC 2020 test suite, BOA has been successful in 100% of the functions of this test suite. The statistical analysis confirms that BOA has a significant statistical superiority in the competition with the compared algorithms. Also, in order to analyze the efficiency of BOA in dealing with real world applications, twenty-two constrained optimization problems from CEC 2011 test suite and four engineering design problems have been selected. The findings show that BOA has been successful in 90.90% of CEC2011 test suite optimization problems and in 100% of engineering design problems. In addition, the efficiency of BOA to handle SCM applications has been challenged to solve ten case studies in the field of sustainable lot size optimization. The findings show that BOA has successfully provided superior performance in 100% of the case studies compared to competitor algorithms.