Impacts of Coyotes on Swift Foxes in Northwestern Texas

Kamler, Jan F.; Ballard, Warren B.; Gilliland, Rickey L.; Lemons, Patrick R.; Mote, Kevin

doi:10.2307/3802773

Cited by 79 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In addition, a growing body of field studies indicates that the phenomenon of mesopredator release is widespread among mammalian carnivore assemblages (e.g. Palomares et al 1995;Crooks & Soulé 1999;Trewby et al 2008) and appears to be particularly applicable to coexisting canids of differing body sizes such as dingoes and red foxes (Kamler et al 2003;Berger & Gese 2007). Given increasing support for the MRH and data on dingo -fox interactions (Newsome et al 2001;Letnic 2007;Johnson & Van Der Wal 2009; this study), we have no reason to believe that the outcomes of interactions between dingoes and foxes, and the prey of foxes, should not accord with the MRH.…”

Section: Discussion (A) the Effects Of Dingo Exclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Keystone effects of an alien top-predator stem extinctions of native mammals

et al. 2009

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Alien predators can have catastrophic effects on ecosystems and are thought to be much more harmful to biodiversity than their native counterparts. However, trophic cascade theory and the mesopredator release hypothesis predict that the removal of top predators will result in the reorganization of trophic webs and loss of biodiversity. Using field data collected throughout arid Australia, we provide evidence that removal of an alien top-predator, the dingo, has cascading effects through lower trophic levels. Dingo removal was linked to increased activity of herbivores and an invasive mesopredator, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and to the loss of grass cover and native species of small mammals. Using species distribution data, we predict that reintroducing or maintaining dingo populations would produce a net benefit for the conservation of threatened native mammals across greater than 2.42 Â 10 6 km 2 of Australia. Our study provides evidence that an alien top predator can assume a keystone role and be beneficial for biodiversity conservation, and also that mammalian carnivores more generally can generate strong trophic cascades in terrestrial ecosystems.

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Section: Discussion (A) the Effects Of Dingo Exclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Keystone effects of an alien top-predator stem extinctions of native mammals

et al. 2009

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“…), and northwestern Texas (J.F.K., W.B.B.). Detailed descriptions of study sites can be found in Kitchen et al (1999) for Colorado, Harrison (2003) for New Mexico, and Kamler et al (2003) for Texas. In all studies, swift foxes were captured in boxtraps, equipped with radio collars, and then monitored on a weekly or biweekly basis.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dispersal characteristics of swift foxes

Kamler¹,

Ballard²,

Gese³

et al. 2004

Can. J. Zool.

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From 1997 to 2001, we monitored movements of 109 adult and 114 juvenile swift foxes, Vulpes velox (Say, 1823), at study sites in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas to determine patterns of dispersal. Significantly more male (93%) than female (58%) juveniles dispersed, and both sexes had similar bimodal dispersal patterns with peaks in September–October and January–February. Adult dispersal occurred more evenly throughout the year, and significantly more male (32%) than female (5%) adults dispersed. Adult males tended to disperse after the death of their mate. Of dispersing foxes with known fates, settlement percentages in new territories were similar between juvenile males and females (40% overall), but they were significantly lower than for adults (89%). All other dispersing foxes with known fates died. Among juvenile females with known fates, similar percentages of philopatric and dispersing foxes reproduced as yearlings (50% overall), so the benefits of dispersal versus philopatry were not clear. Although rarely reported for other species, adult males were an important dispersal cohort in swift foxes (43% of male dispersals and 25% of all dispersals). Because of the female-biased philopatry among swift foxes, dispersal of adult males likely decreased the chances for inbreeding (e.g., father–daughter breeding).

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“…It is likely to occur when food is limiting and diet overlap is high, which is often the case for carnivores (Crooks & Vuren, 1995;Fedriani et al, 2000;Azevedo et al, 2006;Hayward & Kerley, 2008). Competition can have profound effects on populations, resulting in behavioural responses, changes in space and habitat use, reductions in population size and even local extinction (Creel & Creel, 1996;Durant, 1998Durant, , 2000aDurant, ,b, 2004Vucetich & Creel, 1999;Creel, 2001;Kamler et al, 2003;Ripple & Beschta, 2004;Fortin et al, 2005;Hayward & Kerley, 2008). These range from interspecific territoriality (Durant, 1998(Durant, , 2000a, kleptoparasitism (Cooper, 1991;Creel & Creel, 1996) and ultimately intraguild predation which constitutes an extreme case of interference competition and affects many species (Palomares & Caro, 1999;Donadio & Buskirk, 2006).…”

Section: Introduction (1) Coexistence and Conservation Of Large Prmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Lion King and the Hyaena Queen: large carnivore interactions and coexistence

2014

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Interactions among species, which range from competition to facilitation, have profound effects on ecosystem functioning. Large carnivores are of particular importance in shaping community structure since they are at the top of the food chain, and many efforts are made to conserve such keystone species. Despite this, the mechanisms of carnivore interactions are far from understood, yet they are key to enabling or hindering their coexistence and hence are highly relevant for their conservation. The goal of this review is thus to provide detailed information on the extents of competition and facilitation between large carnivores and their impact in shaping their life histories. Here, we use the example of spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta) and lions (Panthera leo) and provide a comprehensive knowledge of their interactions based on meta-analyses from available literature (148 publications). Despite their strong potential for both exploitation and interference competition (range and diet overlap, intraguild predation and kleptoparasitism), we underline some mechanisms facilitating their coexistence (different prey-age selection and scavenging opportunities). We stress the fact that prey abundance is key to their coexistence and that hyaenas forming very large groups in rich ecosystems could have a negative impact on lions. We show that the coexistence of spotted hyaenas and lions is a complex balance between competition and facilitation, and that prey availability within the ecosystem determines which predator is dominant. However, there are still many gaps in our knowledge such as the spatio-temporal dynamics of their interactions. As both species' survival becomes increasingly dependent on protected areas, where their densities can be high, it is critical to understand their interactions to inform both reintroduction programs and protected area management.

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Impacts of Coyotes on Swift Foxes in Northwestern Texas

Cited by 79 publications

References 25 publications

Keystone effects of an alien top-predator stem extinctions of native mammals

Keystone effects of an alien top-predator stem extinctions of native mammals

Dispersal characteristics of swift foxes

The Lion King and the Hyaena Queen: large carnivore interactions and coexistence

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