The recent expansion of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Sweden with possible implications to the mountain hare (L. timidus)

Jansson, Gunnar; Pehrson, Åke

doi:10.1007/s10344-007-0086-2

Cited by 41 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The brown hare Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778 has declined in abundance in Britain since the 1960s (Tapper and Parsons 1984), and similar trends have been reported from other parts of Northern Europe (Sweden- Lindström et al 1994;Jansson and Pehrson 2007;Switzerland-Haerer et al 2001;Poland-Goszczynski and Wasilewski 1992;Denmark-Strandgaard and Asferg 1980;Schmidt et al 2004). Because the brown hare is valued as a quarry species, as well as being an iconic species of open farmland, efforts have been made in several European countries to understand these population declines.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 56%

The consequences of predator control for brown hares (Lepus europaeus) on UK farmland

et al. 2009

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The brown hare Lepus europaeus is a valued game species but also a species of conservation concern owing to its severe decline in abundance on farmland throughout Europe during the twentieth century. Changes in the farmland habitat and predation have both been cited as causative factors. Their relative roles have been unclear, but most conservation action has focused on improving habitat. We analyse data from a sequence of three unique studies (one experiment and two demonstrations) covering the period 1985-2006 in which control of several common predator species was undertaken to increase densities of wild game on farmland in England. Across the three studies, regression modelling of the proportional change in hare numbers between successive years showed that-after site, year differences and harvesting were accounted for-predator control was a significant determinant of hare population change. Where habitat improvement also took place, hares reached autumn densities that were exceptional for the UK and which could sustain substantial harvests. When predation control was stopped, hare densities fell, even where habitat improvements remained in place. This analysis demonstrates that even where farmland habitat is greatly improved, uncontrolled predation prevents hares making full use of its carrying capacity. This helps explain the mixed-and at best modest-success of agri-environment schemes in the UK and elsewhere in Europe to increase hare densities. Gameshooting estates, on which effective predator control takes place, probably have a special significance within the landscape as source areas for brown hares.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 56%

The consequences of predator control for brown hares (Lepus europaeus) on UK farmland

et al. 2009

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“…For small mountain hare populations such losses may lead to ''extinction by hybridization'', as reported for native species of e.g. The occurrence of hybrids seems related to a certain period length following the brown hare establishment, with decreased hybrid frequency 10Á20 yr thereafter (Lönnberg 1905, Jansson andPehrson 2007). Interestingly, at a European scale, brown hares have replaced mountain hares in many areas and this phenomenon has been attributed to interspecific interactions such as hybridization (Thulin 2003).…”

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confidence: 89%

“…Hybridization was pointed out as potentially Ecography 30: 709Á715, 2007 doi: 10.1111/j.2007.0906-7590.05162 influencing the long-term decrease of mountain hares in southern Sweden Tegelström 2002, Thulin 2003), as well as local disappearances in the last 10Á15 yr (Jansson and Pehrson 2007). Hybridization was pointed out as potentially Ecography 30: 709Á715, 2007 doi: 10.1111/j.2007.0906-7590.05162 influencing the long-term decrease of mountain hares in southern Sweden Tegelström 2002, Thulin 2003), as well as local disappearances in the last 10Á15 yr (Jansson and Pehrson 2007).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors related to the occurrence of hybrids between brown haresLepus europaeusand mountain haresL. timidusin Sweden

Jansson¹,

Thulin²,

Pehrson³

2007

Ecography

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Hybridization occurs among many species, and may have implications for conservation as well as for evolution. Interspecific gene flow between brown hares Lepus europaeus and mountain hares L. timidus has been documented in Sweden and in continental Europe, and has probably to some extent occurred throughout history in sympatric areas. What local factors or ecological relationships that correlate with or trigger hybridization between these species has however been unclear. We studied spatial distribution of hybrids between brown hares and mountain hares in Sweden in relation to characteristics of the sampled localities (hunting grounds). In a sample of 70 brown hares collected from 39 populations in south-central Sweden during 2003Á2005, 11 (16%) showed introgressed mtDNA from mountain hares. Among the brown hares from their northern range, i.e. in general the most recent establishments, the corresponding figure was 75% (9/12). The frequency of samples with hybrid ancestry increased significantly with latitude, altitude and hilliness, and were higher (pB0.1) in recently established populations and/or where the proportion of arable land was low. Several site-specific parameters were correlated, e.g. latitude as expected to hilliness, and no parameter explained the occurrence of hybrids exclusively. Instead, the appearance of mountain hare mtDNA among brown hares was associated with a conglomerate of parameters reflecting landscapes atypical for the brown hare, e.g. forest dominated and steep areas where the species quite recently was established. We suggest that these abiotic factors mirror the main aspect influencing hybridization frequency, namely the density or relative frequency of the two species. In atypical brown hare landscapes with recent establishment, mountain hares are probably relatively more common. When one species dominate in numbers, or when both species display low densities, increased frequency of hybridization is expected due to low availability of conspecific partners, a phenomenon referred to as Hubbs' principle.

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“…One of the pressures on the mountain hare appears to be competition from the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus), which is mediated by land cover, climate and interactions between these factors; the European brown hare is more competitive in open or agricultural land, especially in milder climates (Hewson 1991;Thulin 2003;Jansson & Pehrson 2007). Failure to include biotic interactions might further mask the effects of climate change on populations (Araú jo & Luoto 2007) and their range limits, especially at the trailing edge, where competition from invading species is likely to have a detrimental effect.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of range margins for metapopulations under climate change

et al. 2009

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We link spatially explicit climate change predictions to a dynamic metapopulation model. Predictions of species' responses to climate change, incorporating metapopulation dynamics and elements of dispersal, allow us to explore the range margin dynamics for two lagomorphs of conservation concern. Although the lagomorphs have very different distribution patterns, shifts at the edge of the range were more pronounced than shifts in the overall metapopulation. For Romerolagus diazi (volcano rabbit), the lower elevation range limit shifted upslope by approximately 700 m. This reduced the area occupied by the metapopulation, as the mountain peak currently lacks suitable vegetation. For Lepus timidus (European mountain hare), we modelled the British metapopulation. Increasing the dispersive estimate caused the metapopulation to shift faster on the northern range margin (leading edge). By contrast, it caused the metapopulation to respond to climate change slower, rather than faster, on the southern range margin (trailing edge). The differential responses of the leading and trailing range margins and the relative sensitivity of range limits to climate change compared with that of the metapopulation centroid have important implications for where conservation monitoring should be targeted. Our study demonstrates the importance and possibility of moving from simple bioclimatic envelope models to second-generation models that incorporate both dynamic climate change and metapopulation dynamics.

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The recent expansion of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Sweden with possible implications to the mountain hare (L. timidus)

Cited by 41 publications

References 11 publications

The consequences of predator control for brown hares (Lepus europaeus) on UK farmland

The consequences of predator control for brown hares (Lepus europaeus) on UK farmland

Factors related to the occurrence of hybrids between brown haresLepus europaeusand mountain haresL. timidusin Sweden

Dynamics of range margins for metapopulations under climate change

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