An experimental study of red fox predation on arctic and snowshoe hares
We tested the relative vulnerability of arctic (Lepus arcticus) and snowshoe (Lepus americanus) hares to predation by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in experimental trials on three islands off Newfoundland's southwest coast. Arctic hares were significantly more vulnerable than snowshoe hares to fox...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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Language: | English |
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Canadian Science Publishing
1992
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z92-222 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z92-222 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z92-222 2023-12-17T10:23:53+01:00 An experimental study of red fox predation on arctic and snowshoe hares Small, Robert J. Keith, Lloyd B. 1992 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z92-222 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z92-222 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 70, issue 8, page 1614-1621 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1992 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z92-222 2023-11-19T13:39:35Z We tested the relative vulnerability of arctic (Lepus arcticus) and snowshoe (Lepus americanus) hares to predation by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in experimental trials on three islands off Newfoundland's southwest coast. Arctic hares were significantly more vulnerable than snowshoe hares to fox predation: they were killed at a higher rate, and though the probability of death increased slightly for arctic hares over a trial period, it decreased for snowshoe hares. Rates of fox predation on arctic hares were inversely related to home-range size and nutritional status, whereas predation on snowshoe hares was inversely related to the percentage of home-range core areas with dense understory cover. We believe the arctic hare's greater vulnerability to fox predation, found in this study, coupled with its apparent inability to utilize food resources in forested areas that support snowshoe hares, which we found in an earlier study, largely accounts for the current restriction of arctic hares in Newfoundland to certain mountain and coastal barrens. The status of arctic hare populations before the introduction of snowshoe hares is unclear. However, distribution and abundance likely decreased as red foxes and lynx (Lynx canadensis) increased and began to cycle with snowshoe hares. Dispersal of foxes, and perhaps of lynx, from forested areas following snowshoe hare declines would have periodically intensified predation on the barrens. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic hare Arctic Lepus arcticus Newfoundland Lynx Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) Arctic Canadian Journal of Zoology 70 8 1614 1621 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Small, Robert J. Keith, Lloyd B. An experimental study of red fox predation on arctic and snowshoe hares |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
We tested the relative vulnerability of arctic (Lepus arcticus) and snowshoe (Lepus americanus) hares to predation by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in experimental trials on three islands off Newfoundland's southwest coast. Arctic hares were significantly more vulnerable than snowshoe hares to fox predation: they were killed at a higher rate, and though the probability of death increased slightly for arctic hares over a trial period, it decreased for snowshoe hares. Rates of fox predation on arctic hares were inversely related to home-range size and nutritional status, whereas predation on snowshoe hares was inversely related to the percentage of home-range core areas with dense understory cover. We believe the arctic hare's greater vulnerability to fox predation, found in this study, coupled with its apparent inability to utilize food resources in forested areas that support snowshoe hares, which we found in an earlier study, largely accounts for the current restriction of arctic hares in Newfoundland to certain mountain and coastal barrens. The status of arctic hare populations before the introduction of snowshoe hares is unclear. However, distribution and abundance likely decreased as red foxes and lynx (Lynx canadensis) increased and began to cycle with snowshoe hares. Dispersal of foxes, and perhaps of lynx, from forested areas following snowshoe hare declines would have periodically intensified predation on the barrens. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Small, Robert J. Keith, Lloyd B. |
author_facet |
Small, Robert J. Keith, Lloyd B. |
author_sort |
Small, Robert J. |
title |
An experimental study of red fox predation on arctic and snowshoe hares |
title_short |
An experimental study of red fox predation on arctic and snowshoe hares |
title_full |
An experimental study of red fox predation on arctic and snowshoe hares |
title_fullStr |
An experimental study of red fox predation on arctic and snowshoe hares |
title_full_unstemmed |
An experimental study of red fox predation on arctic and snowshoe hares |
title_sort |
experimental study of red fox predation on arctic and snowshoe hares |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1992 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z92-222 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z92-222 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic hare Arctic Lepus arcticus Newfoundland Lynx |
genre_facet |
Arctic hare Arctic Lepus arcticus Newfoundland Lynx |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 70, issue 8, page 1614-1621 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z92-222 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
70 |
container_issue |
8 |
container_start_page |
1614 |
op_container_end_page |
1621 |
_version_ |
1785561027204612096 |