Arctic fox winter dietary response to damped lemming cycles estimated from fecal DNA
Abstract Climate-caused changes in prey abundance may alter predator–prey dynamics in the Arctic food web. Lemmings (Dicrostonyx spp.) are important prey for Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) and their annual population fluctuations drive fox reproduction, creating strongly linked predator–prey populati...
Published in: | Journal of Mammalogy |
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Oxford University Press (OUP)
2021
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyab115 https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/102/6/1455/41986876/gyab115.pdf |
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croxfordunivpr:10.1093/jmammal/gyab115 2024-09-30T14:28:30+00:00 Arctic fox winter dietary response to damped lemming cycles estimated from fecal DNA Dudenhoeffer, Megan Roth, James D Johnson, Lucy K Petersen, Stephen D Moore, Ben Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Churchill Northern Studies Centre Northern Research Fund American Society of Mammalogists 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyab115 https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/102/6/1455/41986876/gyab115.pdf en eng Oxford University Press (OUP) https://academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model Journal of Mammalogy volume 102, issue 6, page 1455-1465 ISSN 0022-2372 1545-1542 journal-article 2021 croxfordunivpr https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyab115 2024-09-10T04:15:37Z Abstract Climate-caused changes in prey abundance may alter predator–prey dynamics in the Arctic food web. Lemmings (Dicrostonyx spp.) are important prey for Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) and their annual population fluctuations drive fox reproduction, creating strongly linked predator–prey population cycles. Winter diet directly impacts Arctic fox reproductive success, but winter prey diversity on the tundra is low. Strategies such as using the marine environment to scavenge seals have allowed Arctic foxes to persist during years of low lemming abundance. However, warming winters have decreased snowpack quality, preventing lemmings from reaching their previous high abundances, which may reduce their impact on predator dynamics. We investigated Arctic fox dietary response to lemming abundance by reconstructing Arctic fox winter diet in the low Arctic. Next-generation sequencing of fecal DNA, from samples (n = 627) collected at dens in winters of 2011–2018, identified prey both from terrestrial and marine environments. Despite lemming cycle damping, Arctic foxes still increased lemming consumption during years of higher lemming abundance. Alternative prey such as marine resources were consumed more during years of low lemming abundance, with up to 45% of samples containing marine resources in low lemming years. In addition, Arctic foxes consumed high proportions of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), which may represent a new alternative prey, suggesting climate change may be creating new foraging opportunities. Changes in prey abundance illustrate how climate-caused disturbances are altering Arctic food-web dynamics. Dietary flexibility and availability of alternative prey may become increasingly important for Arctic predators as the Arctic continues to change. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Fox Arctic Climate change Tundra Vulpes lagopus Oxford University Press Arctic Journal of Mammalogy 102 6 1455 1465 |
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Oxford University Press |
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croxfordunivpr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Climate-caused changes in prey abundance may alter predator–prey dynamics in the Arctic food web. Lemmings (Dicrostonyx spp.) are important prey for Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) and their annual population fluctuations drive fox reproduction, creating strongly linked predator–prey population cycles. Winter diet directly impacts Arctic fox reproductive success, but winter prey diversity on the tundra is low. Strategies such as using the marine environment to scavenge seals have allowed Arctic foxes to persist during years of low lemming abundance. However, warming winters have decreased snowpack quality, preventing lemmings from reaching their previous high abundances, which may reduce their impact on predator dynamics. We investigated Arctic fox dietary response to lemming abundance by reconstructing Arctic fox winter diet in the low Arctic. Next-generation sequencing of fecal DNA, from samples (n = 627) collected at dens in winters of 2011–2018, identified prey both from terrestrial and marine environments. Despite lemming cycle damping, Arctic foxes still increased lemming consumption during years of higher lemming abundance. Alternative prey such as marine resources were consumed more during years of low lemming abundance, with up to 45% of samples containing marine resources in low lemming years. In addition, Arctic foxes consumed high proportions of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), which may represent a new alternative prey, suggesting climate change may be creating new foraging opportunities. Changes in prey abundance illustrate how climate-caused disturbances are altering Arctic food-web dynamics. Dietary flexibility and availability of alternative prey may become increasingly important for Arctic predators as the Arctic continues to change. |
author2 |
Moore, Ben Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Churchill Northern Studies Centre Northern Research Fund American Society of Mammalogists |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Dudenhoeffer, Megan Roth, James D Johnson, Lucy K Petersen, Stephen D |
spellingShingle |
Dudenhoeffer, Megan Roth, James D Johnson, Lucy K Petersen, Stephen D Arctic fox winter dietary response to damped lemming cycles estimated from fecal DNA |
author_facet |
Dudenhoeffer, Megan Roth, James D Johnson, Lucy K Petersen, Stephen D |
author_sort |
Dudenhoeffer, Megan |
title |
Arctic fox winter dietary response to damped lemming cycles estimated from fecal DNA |
title_short |
Arctic fox winter dietary response to damped lemming cycles estimated from fecal DNA |
title_full |
Arctic fox winter dietary response to damped lemming cycles estimated from fecal DNA |
title_fullStr |
Arctic fox winter dietary response to damped lemming cycles estimated from fecal DNA |
title_full_unstemmed |
Arctic fox winter dietary response to damped lemming cycles estimated from fecal DNA |
title_sort |
arctic fox winter dietary response to damped lemming cycles estimated from fecal dna |
publisher |
Oxford University Press (OUP) |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyab115 https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/102/6/1455/41986876/gyab115.pdf |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Fox Arctic Climate change Tundra Vulpes lagopus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Fox Arctic Climate change Tundra Vulpes lagopus |
op_source |
Journal of Mammalogy volume 102, issue 6, page 1455-1465 ISSN 0022-2372 1545-1542 |
op_rights |
https://academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyab115 |
container_title |
Journal of Mammalogy |
container_volume |
102 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
1455 |
op_container_end_page |
1465 |
_version_ |
1811634147444129792 |