Low species diversity in the Arctic promotes strong food-web linkages, as changes in abundance of one species may influence many others. Using harvest records, I determined Arctic fox populations are declining in their southern distributional range due to shallower snow potentially limiting density of lemmings, their primary prey, which live and breed beneath snow. Additionally, warm fall and spring temperatures are shortening access to alternative prey, seals on sea ice. Arctic foxes also influence other species through non-trophic interactions, as lemming winter nests were found on 70% of fox dens examined. I determined warmer subnivean temperatures promoted by accumulation of thick snow leeward of tall vegetation on dens attracted lemmings to these dens. Furthermore, lemming reproduction was higher dens compared to traditional lemming habitat. This research highlights the impact of climatic variables on Arctic predator-prey interactions and the importance of understanding impacts of trophic and non-trophic interactions on species demographics. / February 2017
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MANITOBA/oai:mspace.lib.umanitoba.ca:1993/31976 |
| Date | 05 January 2017 |
| Creators | Verstege, Jacqueline |
| Contributors | Roth, James (Biological Sciences), Markham, John (Biological Sciences) Fishback, LeeAnn (Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources) |
| Source Sets | University of Manitoba Canada |
| Detected Language | English |
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