Interactions between density, home range behaviors, and contact rates in the Channel Island fox (Urocyon littoralis).

摘要: Many of the mechanisms underlying density-dependent regulation populations, including contest competition and disease spread, depend on contact among neighboring animals. Understanding how variation in population density influences frequency animals is therefore an important aspect to understanding underlying, ecological consequences of, regulation. However, rates are difficult measure field may be influenced by through multiple pathways. This study explored local affects Channel Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis) two pathways: changes home range size overlap. We tracked 40 radio-collared at four sites San Clemente Island, California. Fox densities ranged from 2.8 ± 1.28 42.8 ± 9.43 foxes/km2. Higher fox were correlated with smaller ranges (R2 = 0.526, F1,38 = 42.19, P < 0.001). Thirty wore collars that also contained proximity loggers, which recorded time duration occasions when collared within 5 m one another. Contact between dyads positively overlap (R2 = 0.341, P = 0.008), but not (R2 = 0.012, P = 0.976). Individuals high had more neighbors overlapping (R2 = 0.123, P = 0.026) increase amount individual neighbors. was first directly measured compared Results suggest exhibit a threshold their degree tolerance for neighbors, reliable index direct island foxes, transmission will likely scale density.