Human-modified habitats facilitate forest-dwelling populations of an invasive predator, Vulpes vulpes.

ABSTRACT: Invasive and over-abundant predators pose a major threat to biodiversity and often benefit from human activities. Effective management requires understanding predator use of human-modified habitats (including resource subsidies and disturbed environments), and individual variation within populations. We investigated selection for human-modified habitats by invasive red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, within two predominantly forested Australian landscapes. We predicted that foxes would select for human-modified habitats in their range locations and fine-scale movements, but that selection would vary between individuals. We GPS-tracked 19 foxes for 17-166 days; ranges covered 33 to >2500 ha. Approximately half the foxes selected for human-modified habitats at the range scale, with some 'commuting' mo

SUBMITTER: Hradsky BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5612948 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature