Ecology and use of arctic fox Alopex lagopus dens in Norway: tradition overtaken by interspecific competition?

Frafjord, Karl

doi:10.1016/s0006-3207(02)00314-2

Cited by 31 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Predictors Frafjord (2003b) found that den altitude was a good predictor when testing for differences between arctic fox dens with and without litters in Børgefjell. We therefore used den altitude (m a.s.l.)…”

Section: Den Use (Response Variable)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Arctic fox Vulpes lagopus den use in relation to altitude and human infrastructure

Selås¹,

Johnsen

Eide

2010

Wildlife Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One obvious threat to the endangered arctic fox Vulpes lagopus population in Fennoscandia is competition with the larger red fox Vulpes vulpes, which may have expanded its range towards the alpine tundra because of increased food availability in the low-alpine and subalpine region. The steady increase in the number of vacation cabins and roads, and thus also in human garbage and road-killed animals, may subsidise easily available food resources and improve red fox survival in these otherwise marginal areas. In Børgefjell National Park, Norway, 14 of 27 known arctic fox dens were used by arctic fox during 2001-2005. The dens that were used were situated at higher altitudes, farther from natural red fox habitats, than unused dens. In the best of our logistic regression models, there was also a statistical negative effect of the number of cabins within 7 3 7 km squares around the den sites. Hence, our results support the prediction that the arctic fox is less likely to use areas where human activity might be benefiting red foxes. A successful conservation strategy for the arctic fox will probably require a reduction of the driving forces behind the red fox expansion in the alpine areas.

show abstract

Section: Den Use (Response Variable)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Arctic fox Vulpes lagopus den use in relation to altitude and human infrastructure

Selås¹,

Johnsen

Eide

2010

Wildlife Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…There is limited information about when the contraction began in different regions, although MacPherson (1964) reported red foxes on Baffin Island in Canada in 1918. However, within the last 30 years, the contraction of the Arctic fox's range has been extensive enough in the subarctic alpine tundra in Fennoscandia to prompt concern (Hersteinsson et al, 1989;Frafjord, 2003;Herfindal et al, 2010) and to instigate an analysis of the geographical changes across Arctic Canada (Hersteinsson and Macdonald, 1992;Gallant et al, 2012). In both regions, the shifts in distribution of the two fox species have since been considered as part of a suite of physical and biological alterations related to both climate change and increased human activity (Hersteinsson and Macdonald, 1992;Walther et al, 2002;Fuglei and Ims, 2008;Post et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research on foxes in Arctic Alaska has focused primarily on Arctic foxes in relation to oilfield development (Eberhardt, 1977;Fine, 1980;Garrott, 1980;Eberhardt et al, 1982Eberhardt et al, , 1983Garrott et al, 1984;Ballard et al, 2000;Pamperin et al, 2006). While Eberhardt (1977) included both species in his research on the biology of foxes on the North Slope of the Brooks Range, red foxes were confined almost entirely to the foothills at that time, and he reported only one record of a red fox seen on the Arctic Coastal Plain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifts in Fox Den Occupancy in the Greater Prudhoe Bay Area, Alaska

Stickney¹,

Obritschkewitsch²,

Burgess³

2014

ARCTIC

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT. Although shifts in the distribution of red foxes into areas previously dominated by Arctic foxes have been documented over wide areas of the circumpolar North, no such documentation exists yet for the Alaskan Arctic. Fox research in the greater Prudhoe Bay area from the 1970s through the early 1990s focused primarily on Arctic foxes in relation to oil development because red foxes were uncommon. A monitoring program in 2005 -12 included annual surveys of 31 -48 fox dens within 2 km of the road system. In 2005, 2006, and 2008, Arctic fox dens outnumbered those of red foxes, but from 2010 onward, the reverse was true. There is greater distance between natal dens of Arctic foxes and those of red foxes than between natal dens within each species, suggesting that Arctic foxes avoid red fox denning territories. Of dens in our study that were used by Arctic foxes prior to 2005, 50% have since been occupied by red foxes. Red foxes displaced Arctic foxes from dens closest to oil field camps, pads, and other facilities, and preyed on their pups. Access to anthropogenic food sources probably supports red foxes in the area. Predictions from climate change studies indicate the displacement of Arctic foxes by red foxes will continue in the Alaskan Arctic, although the change may be slower away from areas of human occupation and anthropogenic foods.Key words: Arctic fox, red fox, den occupancy, interference competition, anthropogenic food sources, climate change RÉSUMÉ. Malgré que des changements sur le plan de la répartition du renard roux dans des régions qui étaient auparavant dominées par le renard arctique aient été répertoriés dans une grande partie du Nord circumpolaire, ce n'est pas encore le cas de l'Arctique alaskien. L'étude des renards de la grande région de la baie Prudhoe, des années 1970 jusqu'au début des années 1990, portait principalement sur le renard arctique dans le cadre de la mise en valeur du pétrole, car le renard roux n'était pas courant à ce moment-là. Un programme de surveillance mené à bien de 2005 à 2012 a notamment pris la forme de dénombrements annuels de 31 à 48 tanières de renards dans un rayon de deux kilomètres du réseau routier. En 2005, en 2006 et en 2008, le nombre de tanières de renards arctiques dépassait le nombre de tanières de renards roux, mais à partir de 2010, c'était l'inverse. La distance qui sépare les tanières de mise bas des renards arctiques de celles des renards roux est plus grande que la distance qui sépare les tanières de mise bas au sein de chacune des espèces, ce qui laisse entendre que le renard arctique évite les territoires de mise bas du renard roux. Parmi les tanières visées par notre étude qui étaient utilisées par les renards arctiques avant 2005, 50 % d'entre elles sont depuis occupées par des renards roux. Les renards roux ont supplanté les renards arctiques qui occupaient les tanières situées plus près des campements de champs pétrolifères, des zones tampons et d'autres installations, et ils ont attaqué leurs petits. L'accès aux sources alimentaires...

show abstract

“…Skrobov 1960;Chirkova 1968;Novikov 1983;Hersteinsson and Macdonald 1992) and from low altitudes in the sub-arctic alpine tundra in Fennoscandia (e.g. Angerbjorn et al 1995;Kaikusalo and Angerbjorn 1995;Linnell et al 1999;Elmhagen et al 2002;Frafjord 2003;Dalen et al 2004;Killengreen et al 2007). At the same time, the red fox has increased its distribution range northward into Arctic tundra (Marsh 1938;Skrobov 1960;MacPherson 1964;Hersteinsson and Macdonald 1992) and to higher altitudes in alpine tundra (Hersteinsson and Macdonald 1992;Frafjord 2003;Dalen et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many mammalogists, especially those from Fennoscandia and northern America, argue that these changes in geographic range may be due to interference competition between the dominant red fox and the subordinate arctic fox (e.g. Hersteinsson et al 1989;Hersteinsson and Macdonald 1992;Kaikusalo and Angerbjorn 1995;Elmhagen et al 2002;Frafjord 2003;Killengreen et al 2007). Due to few direct observations there has been some skepticism to this view (Linnell et al 1999), especially among Russian mammalogists (Chirkova 1968;Novikov 1983).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Red fox takeover of arctic fox breeding den: an observation from Yamal Peninsula, Russia

et al. 2011

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Here, we report from the Wrst direct observation of a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) intrusion on an arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) breeding den from the southern Arctic tundra of Yamal Peninsula, Russia in 2007. At the same time, as a current range retraction of the original inhabitant of the circumpolar tundra zone the arctic fox is going on, the red fox is expanding their range from the south into arctic habitats. Thus, within large parts of the northern tundra areas the two species are sympatric which gives opportunities for direct interactions including interference competition. However, direct Wrst-hand observations of such interactions are rare, especially in the Russian Arctic. In the present study, we observed one red fox taking over an arctic fox breeding den which resulted in den abandonment by the arctic fox. On July 19, eight arctic fox pups were observed on the den before the red fox was observed on the same den July 22. The pups were never seen at the den or elsewhere after the red fox was observed on the den for as long as we stayed in the area (until August 10). Our observation supports the view that direct interference with red fox on breeding dens may contribute to the range retraction of arctic foxes from the southern limits of the Arctic tundra in Russia.

show abstract

Ecology and use of arctic fox Alopex lagopus dens in Norway: tradition overtaken by interspecific competition?

Cited by 31 publications

References 17 publications

Arctic fox Vulpes lagopus den use in relation to altitude and human infrastructure

Arctic fox Vulpes lagopus den use in relation to altitude and human infrastructure

Shifts in Fox Den Occupancy in the Greater Prudhoe Bay Area, Alaska

Red fox takeover of arctic fox breeding den: an observation from Yamal Peninsula, Russia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About