Temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance
The rapidly growing interest for nature-based recreational activities threaten biodiversity values and increases the disturbance caused to wildlife. Several studies have demonstrated spatial and temporal activity shifts of animals in response to human disturbance. However, most studies investigate e...
Published in: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Elsevier
2021
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01602 https://doaj.org/article/660caefea5864464b349d8cceab5d11a |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:660caefea5864464b349d8cceab5d11a |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:660caefea5864464b349d8cceab5d11a 2023-05-15T14:31:10+02:00 Temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance Malin Larm Karin Norén Anders Angerbjörn 2021-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01602 https://doaj.org/article/660caefea5864464b349d8cceab5d11a EN eng Elsevier http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989421001529 https://doaj.org/toc/2351-9894 2351-9894 doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01602 https://doaj.org/article/660caefea5864464b349d8cceab5d11a Global Ecology and Conservation, Vol 27, Iss , Pp e01602- (2021) Wildlife tourism Human-wildlife interactions Recreation Human disturbance Mutual relationship Arctic fox Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01602 2022-12-31T09:10:44Z The rapidly growing interest for nature-based recreational activities threaten biodiversity values and increases the disturbance caused to wildlife. Several studies have demonstrated spatial and temporal activity shifts of animals in response to human disturbance. However, most studies investigate effects on how animals use an area of high tourism disturbance, such as a tourist resort or hiking trail, and not the effects of human disturbance at a key site for the animal, such as a denning or breeding site. In this study, we use photos from remote camera monitoring of arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) dens with the aim to investigate the effects of various levels of tourism disturbance on the diurnal activity pattern and vigilance of breeding adult arctic foxes at the den site. We find a temporal shift towards a higher daytime activity at the den in response to high intensity tourism (71 ± 3.9% in disturbed areas compared with 53 ± 6.2% in undisturbed areas), which stands in contrast to an increased nocturnality seen in studies of many other species, including another study of arctic foxes. We suggest that the difference could be explained by the higher cost of avoiding a key site for the animal, as in this study, compared with avoiding a more general human disturbance in an area within the distribution range of the animal, as in most other studies. Increased time spent avoiding the perceived threat of humans could compromise other important activities and have potential negative effects on e.g. hunting or provisioning for the juveniles. Human disturbance focused at a key site, such as a denning or breeding site, can thereby be expected to have larger consequences than what is observed in most studies of disturbance effects on wildlife. Based on observations of both tourists and arctic foxes during close encounters in an area of high intensity tourism, we also find that they both respond behaviorally to each other. The potential for positive or negative feedback mechanisms in such relationships between tourists and ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Fox Arctic Vulpes lagopus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Global Ecology and Conservation 27 e01602 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Wildlife tourism Human-wildlife interactions Recreation Human disturbance Mutual relationship Arctic fox Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
Wildlife tourism Human-wildlife interactions Recreation Human disturbance Mutual relationship Arctic fox Ecology QH540-549.5 Malin Larm Karin Norén Anders Angerbjörn Temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance |
topic_facet |
Wildlife tourism Human-wildlife interactions Recreation Human disturbance Mutual relationship Arctic fox Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
The rapidly growing interest for nature-based recreational activities threaten biodiversity values and increases the disturbance caused to wildlife. Several studies have demonstrated spatial and temporal activity shifts of animals in response to human disturbance. However, most studies investigate effects on how animals use an area of high tourism disturbance, such as a tourist resort or hiking trail, and not the effects of human disturbance at a key site for the animal, such as a denning or breeding site. In this study, we use photos from remote camera monitoring of arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) dens with the aim to investigate the effects of various levels of tourism disturbance on the diurnal activity pattern and vigilance of breeding adult arctic foxes at the den site. We find a temporal shift towards a higher daytime activity at the den in response to high intensity tourism (71 ± 3.9% in disturbed areas compared with 53 ± 6.2% in undisturbed areas), which stands in contrast to an increased nocturnality seen in studies of many other species, including another study of arctic foxes. We suggest that the difference could be explained by the higher cost of avoiding a key site for the animal, as in this study, compared with avoiding a more general human disturbance in an area within the distribution range of the animal, as in most other studies. Increased time spent avoiding the perceived threat of humans could compromise other important activities and have potential negative effects on e.g. hunting or provisioning for the juveniles. Human disturbance focused at a key site, such as a denning or breeding site, can thereby be expected to have larger consequences than what is observed in most studies of disturbance effects on wildlife. Based on observations of both tourists and arctic foxes during close encounters in an area of high intensity tourism, we also find that they both respond behaviorally to each other. The potential for positive or negative feedback mechanisms in such relationships between tourists and ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Malin Larm Karin Norén Anders Angerbjörn |
author_facet |
Malin Larm Karin Norén Anders Angerbjörn |
author_sort |
Malin Larm |
title |
Temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance |
title_short |
Temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance |
title_full |
Temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance |
title_fullStr |
Temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance |
title_full_unstemmed |
Temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance |
title_sort |
temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01602 https://doaj.org/article/660caefea5864464b349d8cceab5d11a |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Fox Arctic Vulpes lagopus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Fox Arctic Vulpes lagopus |
op_source |
Global Ecology and Conservation, Vol 27, Iss , Pp e01602- (2021) |
op_relation |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989421001529 https://doaj.org/toc/2351-9894 2351-9894 doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01602 https://doaj.org/article/660caefea5864464b349d8cceab5d11a |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01602 |
container_title |
Global Ecology and Conservation |
container_volume |
27 |
container_start_page |
e01602 |
_version_ |
1766304864173817856 |