Annual dynamics of den use by red foxes Vulpes vulpes and badgers Meles meles in central Poland

• Autorzy: Goszczynski J. , Wojtowicz I.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

This study on den use by red foxes Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) and badgers Meles meles (Linnaeus, 1758) was conducted in central Poland (51°48'N, 19°53'E) over two years. We found a strong negative correlation between monthly den utilisation rate by foxes and air temperature (r = -0.83, p = 0.0001). Correlation between temperature and den use by badgers was positive but less distinct (r = 0.40, p = 0.036). During the whole study period, a negative correlation between the monthly intensity of den use by badgers and by foxes was found (r = -0.51, p = 0.008). The seasonal pattern of den utilisation differed between the species. Foxes used the dens mainly in winter and spring whereas in summer and autumn the intensity of den utilisation sharply decreased to a minimum in August-September. A peak in den use by foxes was observed in March and coincided with rut and selection of future breeding dens. In badgers, two peaks in den use were observed: the first in April and the second in August-September. An individual badger used more dens and used them more evenly throughout the year than an individual fox. The same dens were visited by foxes and badgers mostly from January to April, with a maximum in March.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Theriologica
• Rocznik: 2001
• Tom: 46
• Numer: 4
• Opis fizyczny: p.407-417,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Goszczynski J.

• Warsaw Agricultural University, Rakoniewicka 26/30, 02-528 Warsaw, Poland

autor

Wojtowicz I.

Bibliografia

• Asferg T., Jeppsen J. L. and SGrensen J. A. 1977. Grcvlingen (Meles meles) og gravclingejagten I Danmark 1972/73. Danske VildtundersDgelser 28: 1-56. [In Danish]
• Bailey N. T. J. 1959. Statistical methods in biology. The English Universities Press, London: 1-200.
• Brochier B. 1989. Emplacement et densité des terriers de mis-bas du renard roux (Vulpes vulpes L.) en périphérie bruxelloise. Cahier d'Ethologie appliquée 9: 495-508.
• Cresswell W. J., Harris S., Cheeseman C. L. and Mallinson P. J. 1992. To breed or not to breed: an analysis of the social and density-dependent constraints on the fecundity of female badgers (Meles meles). Proceedings of Royal Society of London, B, Biological Sciences 338: 393-407.
• Doncaster C. P. and Woodroffe R. 1993. Den site can determine shape and size of badger territories: implications for group-living. Oikos 66: 88-93.
• Dunwell M. R. and Killingley C. A. 1969. The distribution of badger setts in relation to geology of the Chilterns. Journal of Zoology, London 158: 204-208.
• Fowler P. A. and Racey P. A. 1988. Overwintering strategies of the badger, Meles meles, at 57°N. Journal of Zoology, London 214: 635-651.
• Geptner V. G., Naumov N. P., Jurgenston B. P., Sludskij A. A., Chirkova A. F. and Bannikov A. G. 1967. Mlekopitayushchie Sovetskogo Soyuza. Vol. 2. Morskie korovy i khishchnye. Vysshaja Shkola, Moskva: 1-1004. [In Russian]
• Goszczyński J. 1986. Diet of foxes and martens in central Poland. Acta Theriologica 31: 491-506.
• Goszczyński J. 1989a. Population dynamics of the red fox in central Poland. Acta Theriologica 34: 141-154.
• Goszczyński J. 1989b. Spatial distribution of red foxes Vulpes vulpes in winter. Acta Theriologica 34: 361-372.
• Goszczyński J., Jędrzejewska B. and Jędrzejewski W. 2000. Diet composition of badgers (Meles meles) in a pristine forest and rural habitats of Poland compared to other European populations. Journal of Zoology, London 250: 495-505.
• Goszczyński J. and Skoczyńska J. 1996. Density estimation, family group size and recruitment in a badger population near Rogów (Central Poland). Miscellánia Zoológica 19: 27-32.
• Harris S. 1982. Activity patterns and habitat utilization of badgers (Meles meles) in suburban Bristol: a radio-tracking study. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London 49: 301-323.
• Harris S. 1984. Ecology of urban badger Meles meles: distribution in Britain and habitat selection, persecution, food and damage in the city of Bristol. Biological Conservation 28: 349-375.
• Harrison R. J. and Neal E. G. 1956. Ovulation during delayed implantation and other reproductive phenomena in the badger (Meles meles L.). Nature (London) 177: 977-979.
• Hewson R. 1986. Distribution and density of fox breeding dens and the effects of management. Journal of Applied Ecology 23: 531-538.
• Jensen P. V. 1959. Lidt om grcvlingen. Naturens Verden 11: 289-320. [In Danish]
• Jia J. and Ma J. 1992. Principal component analysis on the dens of red fox in the western suburbs of Harbin. Journal of Northeast Forestry University 30: 24-29.
• Kruuk H. 1989. The social badger. Oxford University Press, Oxford: 1-155.
• Lindstrom E. 1982. Population ecology of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in relation to food supply. Ph D thesis, University of Stockholm, Stockholm. Lloyd H. G. 1981. The red fox. B. T. Batsford. London: 1-320.
• Long C. A. and Killingley C. A. 1983. The badgers of the world. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois: 1-404.Meia J.-S. and Weber J.-M. 1992. Characteristics and distribution of breeding dens in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in a mountainous habitat. Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde 57: 137-143.
• Nakazono T. 1970. Notes on the burrows of Vulpes vulpes japonica in Kyushu, Japan. 2. Four examples of burrow construction. Journal of the Mammalogical Society of Japan 5: 45-49.
• Nakazono T. and Ono Y. 1987. Den distribution and den use by the red fox Vulpes vulpes japonica in Kyushu. Ecological Research 2: 265-277.
• Neal E. 1977. Badgers. Blandford Press, Poole, Dorset: 1-321.
• Neal E. G. and Roper T. J. 1991. The environmental impact of badgers (Meles meles) and their setts. Symposia of Zoological Society of London 63: 89-106.
• Paquot A. and Libois R. M. 1986. Etude des criteries d'implantation du terrier chez les renard roux (Vulpes vulpes) au Pays de Liege. Cahier d'Ethologie appliquée 6: 7-26.
• Priklonsky S. G. 1965. Coefficients to treat the data of winter transect method of census taking of game animals by their traces. Byulleten Moskovskogo Obshchestva Ispytatelei Prirody, Otdelenie Biologii 70(6): 5-12. [In Russian with English summary]
• Roper T. J. 1992a. The structure and function of badger setts. Journal of Zoology, London 227: 691-698.
• Roper T. J. 1992b. Badger Meles meles setts - architecture, internal environment and function. Mammal Review 22: 43-53.
• Roper T. J. 1993. Badger setts as a limiting resource [In: The badger. I. J. Hayden, ed]. Royal Irish Academy, Dublin: 26-34.
• Roper T. J. and Christian S. F. 1992. Sett use in badger Meles meles. [In : Wildlife telemetry: remote monitoring and tracking of animals. I. G. Priede and S. M. Swift, eds]. Ellis Hordwood, New York: 661-669.
• Roper T. J., Ostler J. R., Schmid T. K. and Christian S. F. 2001. Sett use in European badgers Meles meles. Behaviour 138: 173-187.
• Skinner C. A., Skinner P. J. and Harris S. 1991. An analysis of the factors affecting the current distribution of badger, Meles meles, setts in Essex. Mammal Review 21: 51-65.
• Sokolov I. I. and Sokolov A. S. 1972. Some specific features of the locomotor organs of the badger as a burrower. Byulleten Moskovskogo Obshchestva Ispytatelei Prirody, Otdelenie Biologii 77(5): 19-28. [In Russian with English summary]
• Stubbe M. 1980. Population ecology of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes L., 1758) in the G.D.R. Biogeographica 18: 71-96.
• Sumiński P. 1989. [The badger. Ecological monograph]. PWRiL, Warsaw: 1-127. [In Polish]
• Thornton P. S. 1988. Density and distribution of badgers in south-west England: a predictive model. Mammal Review 18: 11-23.
• Virgós E. and Casanovas J. G. 1999. Badger Meles meles sett site selection in low density Mediter­ranean areas of central Spain. Acta Theriologica 44: 173-182.
• Weber D. 1985. Zur Baubenutzung und ihrer Funktion beim Fuchs (Vulpes vulpes L.). Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde 50: 356-368.
• Wijngaarden A. van and Peppel J. van de. 1964. The badger, Meles meles (L.), in the Netherlands. Lutra 6: 1-60.
• Zejda J. and Nesvadbova J. 1983. Habitat selection and population density of the badger (Meles meles) in Bohemia and Moravia. Folia Zoologica 32: 319-333.