Red foxes enhance long‐term tree growth near the Arctic treeline

Lang, Jessica A.; Roth, James D.; Tardif, Jacques; Markham, James W.

doi:10.1002/ecs2.4236

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Home sites perennially used by predators may have long-lasting PIEs. Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) dens in the subarctic are used for decades or longer, resulting in greater nutrient concentrations at den sites (Lang et al 2021) and greater annual growth and reproductive output of nearby mast-seeding trees (Kucheravy et al 2021;Lang et al 2022). Some PIEs associated with predator home sites may be due to disturbance behavior (e.g., burrowing activities; (Gharajehdaghipour et al 2016;Kurek et al 2014;Lang et al 2021), but experiments could disentangle the relative influence prey-derived nutrients and bioturbation have on generating biogeochemical hotspots.…”

Section: Nutrient Accumulation Pathway: Predators Create Biogeochemic...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Patchy indirect effects: predators contribute to landscape heterogeneity and ecosystem function via localized pathways

Johnson‐Bice

Gable

Roth

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Predators are widely recognized for their irreplaceable roles regulating the abundance and altering the traits of lower trophic levels. Predators also have irreplaceable roles in shaping community interactions and ecological processes via highly localized pathways, irrespective of their influence on prey density or behavior. We synthesized empirical and theoretical research describing how predators have indirect ecological effects confined to discrete patches on the landscape, processes we have termed patchy indirect effects of predation. Predators generate patchy indirect effects via three main pathways: generating and distributing prey carcasses, creating biogeochemical hotspots by concentrating nutrients derived from prey, and killing ecosystem engineers that create patches. In each pathway, the indirect ecological effects are limited to discrete areas with measurable spatial and temporal boundaries (i.e., patches). Our synthesis reveals the diverse and complex ways that predators indirectly affect other species via discrete patches, ranging from mediating scavenger interactions to interspecific parasite/disease transmission risk, and from altering ecosystem biogeochemistry to facilitating local species biodiversity. We also show how existing multi-scale ecological frameworks (metapopulation, meta-ecosystem, and patch dynamics concepts) offer insight into the mechanisms underlying the formation of these patches within ecosystems. We then provide basic guidelines on how these effects can be quantified at both the patch and landscape scales, and discuss how these predator-mediated patches ultimately increase landscape heterogeneity and contribute to ecosystem functioning. Whereas density- and trait-mediated indirect effects of predation generally occur through population-scale changes, patchy indirect effects of predation occur through individual- and patch-level pathways. Our synthesis provides a more holistic view of the functional role of predation in ecosystems by addressing how predators create patchy landscapes via localized pathways, in addition to influencing the abundance and behavior of lower trophic levels.

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Section: Nutrient Accumulation Pathway: Predators Create Biogeochemic...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Patchy indirect effects: predators contribute to landscape heterogeneity and ecosystem function via localized pathways

Johnson‐Bice

Gable

Roth

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Home sites perennially used by predators may have long‐lasting PIEs. Red fox Vulpes vulpes dens in the subarctic are used for decades or longer, resulting in greater nutrient concentrations at den sites (Lang et al 2021) and greater annual growth and reproductive output of nearby mast‐seeding trees (Kucheravy et al 2021, Lang et al 2022). Some PIEs associated with predator home sites may be due to disturbance behavior (e.g.…”

Section: Nutrient Accumulation Pathway: Predators Create Biogeochemic...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Patchy indirect effects of predation: predators contribute to landscape heterogeneity and ecosystem function via localized pathways

Johnson‐Bice,

Gable,

Roth

et al. 2023

Oikos

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Predators are widely recognized for their irreplaceable roles in influencing the abundance and traits of lower trophic levels. Predators also have irreplaceable roles in shaping community interactions and ecological processes via highly localized pathways (i.e. effects with well‐defined and measurable spatio–temporal boundaries), irrespective of their influence on prey density or behavior. We synthesized empirical and theoretical research describing how predators – particularly medium‐ and large‐sized carnivores – have indirect ecological effects confined to discrete landscape patches, processes we have termed ‘patchy indirect effects (PIEs) of predation'. Predators generate PIEs via three main localized pathways: generating and distributing prey carcasses, creating ecological hotspots by concentrating nutrients derived from prey, and killing ecosystem engineers that create patches. In each pathway, the indirect effects are limited to discrete areas with measurable spatial and temporal boundaries (i.e. patches). Our synthesis reveals the diverse and complex ways that predators indirectly affect other species via patches, ranging from mediating scavenger interactions to influencing parasite/disease transmission risk, and from altering ecosystem biogeochemistry to facilitating local biodiversity. We provide basic guidelines on how these effects can be quantified at the patch and landscape scales, and discuss how predator‐mediated patches ultimately contribute to landscape heterogeneity and ecosystem functioning. Whereas density‐ and trait‐mediated indirect effects of predation generally occur through population‐scale changes, PIEs of predation occur through individual‐ and patch‐level pathways. Our synthesis provides a more holistic view of the functional role of predation in ecosystems by addressing how predators create patchy landscapes via localized pathways, in addition to influencing the abundance and behavior of lower trophic levels.

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“…If red foxes do supplant Arctic foxes on the tundra, it is unclear whether they can replicate the functional role of Arctic foxes. However, recent research from temperate and subarctic forests has shown that, similar to Arctic foxes, red foxes can also act as ecosystem engineers by concentrating nutrients at frequently used den sites (Kurek et al 2014, Kucheravy et al 2021, Lang et al 2021, Lang et al 2022). Thus, tundra dens occupied by red foxes plausibly could have similar ecological impacts as those occupied by Arctic foxes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foxes engineer hotspots of wildlife activity on the nutrient-limited Arctic tundra

Zhao

2021

Preprint

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Top predators largely affect ecosystems through trophic interactions, but they also can have indirect effects by altering nutrient dynamics and acting as ecosystem engineers. Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) are ecosystem engineers that concentrate nutrients around their dens, creating biogeochemical hotspots with lush vegetation on the nutrient-limited tundra. Red foxes (V. vulpes) similarly engineer subarctic environments through their denning behavior, and have recently expanded onto the tundra where they now often occupy historically Arctic fox dens. We evaluated the impact of Arctic and red fox denning behavior on other tundra wildlife by comparing predator and herbivore visits to dens and adjacent control areas using camera traps in northeastern Manitoba, where both fox species are sympatric. Both the capture rates and species richness of wildlife were significantly greater at fox dens relative to control sites. Predators were detected almost exclusively on dens occupied by foxes, suggesting carcass or fox presence attracts predators to den sites. This is supported by observations of predators investigating and scavenging prey remains (carrion, feathers) from the dens. Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) visited dens more often than control areas, and we hypothesize they are attracted to the enhanced vegetation typically found on dens. Our results suggest Arctic fox ecosystem engineering has a prolonged, indirect effect on caribou by enriching vegetation at dens, whereas both Arctic and red foxes directly facilitate predators by provisioning resources. Understanding how predators affect other organisms via non-trophic interactions provides an enriched view of their functional roles within ecosystems.

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Red foxes enhance long‐term tree growth near the Arctic treeline

Cited by 6 publications

References 45 publications

Patchy indirect effects: predators contribute to landscape heterogeneity and ecosystem function via localized pathways

Patchy indirect effects: predators contribute to landscape heterogeneity and ecosystem function via localized pathways

Patchy indirect effects of predation: predators contribute to landscape heterogeneity and ecosystem function via localized pathways

Foxes engineer hotspots of wildlife activity on the nutrient-limited Arctic tundra

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