Evidence that the Tibetan fox is an obligate predator of the plateau pika: conservation implications

CORC > 昆明动物研究所 > 昆明动物研究所 > 遗传资源与进化国家重点实验室 > 动物生态学研究中心

	Evidence that the Tibetan fox is an obligate predator of the plateau pika: conservation implications
	Harris RB 1; Zhou JK 1; Ji YQ 2; Zhang K 2; Yang CY 2; Yu DW[*]2,3
刊名	JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
	2014
卷号	95 期号:6 页码:1207-1221
关键词	China obligate predator occupancy Ochotona curzoniae pest specialist Tibetan plateau Vulpes ferrilata
通讯作者	dougwyu@gmail.com
合作状况	其它
英文摘要	The Tibetan fox (Vulpes ferrilata) is generally acknowledged to be a specialist forager on its preferred prey, the burrowing lagomorph plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae), but whether true dependency characterizes the relationship remains unclear. We estimated the presence of Tibetan foxes in 62 habitat patches that reflected a continuum of environmental conditions within their known geographic distribution within Qinghai Province, China. We used site-occupancy modeling and quantified the abundance of plateau pikas as well as other site variables that could plausibly predict fox presence. We quantified fox presence by collecting and sequencing DNA from scats. The number of pikas and the number of their burrows were the only covariates supported in predictive models of Tibetan fox presence. The probability of site occupancy by foxes increased with pika abundance, and was close to 0 when pikas were absent even within habitat patches otherwise generally suitable. DNA-based diet analysis also allowed us to identify prey species consumed by Tibetan foxes. Approximately 99% of fox scats contained pika DNA sequences, 97% contained predominantly pika sequences, and 73% contained only pika sequences. We conclude that Tibetan foxes in this region are not merely foraging specialists of plateau pikas, but that they are obligate predators on pikas. Plateau pikas, while presently still abundant on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, are considered a pest by government policy and are subject to extensive, government-funded poisoning programs. The Tibetan fox is currently at no substantial risk as a species, but this could change if pika poisoning increases in scope, intensity, or effectiveness.
收录类别	SCI
资助信息	Primary funding came from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Senior International Scientist Program awarded to RBH. Supplemental support was received from the Denver Zoological Society, and additional logistical support from Qinghai Normal University, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, and Shan Shui. Fieldwork was ably assisted by Duojieduanzhi.
语种	英语
WOS记录号	WOS:000347399700010
公开日期	2015-02-06
内容类型	期刊论文
源URL	[http://159.226.149.42:8088/handle/152453/8250]
专题	昆明动物研究所_动物生态学研究中心
作者单位	1.Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812, USA 2.Ecology, Conservation, and Environment Center (ECEC), Kunming Institute of Zoology, #338, 32 Jiaochang East Road, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223 China 3.School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR 47TJ, United Kingdom
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Harris RB,Zhou JK,Ji YQ,et al. Evidence that the Tibetan fox is an obligate predator of the plateau pika: conservation implications[J]. JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY,2014,95(6):1207-1221.
APA	Harris RB,Zhou JK,Ji YQ,Zhang K,Yang CY,&Yu DW[*].(2014).Evidence that the Tibetan fox is an obligate predator of the plateau pika: conservation implications.JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY,95(6),1207-1221.
MLA	Harris RB,et al."Evidence that the Tibetan fox is an obligate predator of the plateau pika: conservation implications".JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 95.6(2014):1207-1221.