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Finding the right home: distribution of food resources and terrain characteristics influence selection of denning sites and reproductive dens in arctic foxes

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Abstract

We examined 83 arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) dens on Bylot Island (Canada) during the summers of 2003–2005, to determine how arctic foxes select a denning site among potential sites, and a breeding den among existing dens. We compared denning sites to random locations in a 425 km2 study area (landscape scale) and to other potential denning sites in a 100 m radius (local scale). Dens were located on mounds or in slopes and were closer to streams than expected. Sites with low snow cover in spring, high ground temperature, high depth to permafrost, and steep and southerly exposed slopes were preferred. Of the 83 dens, 27 were used at least once for reproduction from 2003 to 2005. We show with a resource selection function analysis that an attractive force (distribution of food resources) and an apparently repulsive one (presence of other dens in the vicinity) affected selection of dens for reproduction. We generate testable hypotheses regarding the influence of food and social factors on the denning ecology of arctic foxes.

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Acknowledgments

We thank I. Klvana, P. Bergeron, M-A. Giroux, B. Tremblay, V. Careau, B. Laliberté, M. Morrissette, M. Graham-Sauvé, J. Pitseolak, G. Darou and S. Côté for their valuable assistance in the field, A. Caron for assistance in statistical and geospatial analysis, Sirmilik National Park of Canada for allowing us to work in the park, and E. Fuglei for her comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript. This study was supported by (alphabetical order): Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canada Research Chairs, Fonds Québécois de la Recherche sur la Nature et les Technologies, Mittimatalik Hunters and Trappers Organization, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada ArcticNet, Northern Ecosystem Initiative (Environment Canada), Northern Scientific Training Program (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada), Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Parks Canada, Polar Continental Shelf Project, and Université du Québec à Rimouski. This is Polar Continental Shelf Project contribution no 037-07.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Canada Research Chair in Conservation of Northern Ecosystems and Centre d’études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC, Canada, G5L 3A1

    Guillaume Szor & Dominique Berteaux

  2. Département de biologie et Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada, G1K 7P4

    Gilles Gauthier

Authors
  1. Guillaume Szor
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  2. Dominique Berteaux
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  3. Gilles Gauthier
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Correspondence to Dominique Berteaux.

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Szor, G., Berteaux, D. & Gauthier, G. Finding the right home: distribution of food resources and terrain characteristics influence selection of denning sites and reproductive dens in arctic foxes. Polar Biol 31, 351–362 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0364-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0364-1

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