Discussion
Using a gradient of human modification within two study sites, we aimed to better understand how landcover types and intensity of human modification affect mesocarnivore movement behaviors both spatially and temporally, and where these behavioral responses can be found along the generic-to-nuanced gradient of response complexity. As hypothesized, we found drastic differences between bobcats and coyotes in the degree of complexity in their responses to human modification. While differences in wildlife species’ response to human activity has been studied before (e.g., Frey et al. 2020), our work characterized specific responses to anthropogenic disturbances based on a variety of behaviors across spatial and temporal contexts. Generic bobcat responses included larger home ranges with increased human modification and weak selection responses to agriculture, exurban areas, and human modification. Bobcats also displayed functional responses in their resource selection choices that were relatively temporally consistent. In contrast, coyote nuanced responses included home range sizes that were unaffected by human modification, but displayed stronger avoidance of agriculture, exurban areas, and human modification than bobcats, indicating more fine-scale avoidance behaviors within the home range. Coyote resource selection functional responses were more nuanced, temporally-dependent, and sometimes changed direction depending on the amount of human modification. Our work provides evidence that species inhabiting the same landscape, and even filling a similar trophic role, can vary widely in the degree of nuance in their behavioral response to their environment. Specifically, our work shows the importance of investigating spatial and temporal variation in habitat selection and functional responses to better understand the complexity in how extrinsic factors shape wildlife behavior.