Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2023

Abstract

The distribution of a species across a landscape is the result of a multitude of factors, ranging from resource availability, climate, to competition from similar species that share habitat needs. While closely related, the influence of interspecific competition on the geographic distribution of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and kit fox (Vulpes macrotis) is not well documented. Our research objective was to examine how the geographic distribution of the red fox, gray fox, and kit fox overlap and the climate features driving these relationships. For data on fox distribution, we utilized camera trap data collected in the fall of 2019 from a nationwide mammal survey (i.e., Snapshot USA). We analyzed the species relationships between average temperature and precipitation with an ANOVA and the presence of each species across the contiguous USA with ArcGIS. Red fox was the most commonly detected fox species across the United States (13% camera sites), while the gray and kit fox were rare (7% and 0.3%, respectively). While these three fox species overlapped in their geographic range, they were rarely captured at the same camera sites. Temperature and precipitation significantly differed across the three species’ habitats, with red fox detections occurring at cooler and wetter locations. Therefore, a follow up experiment targeting red, gray, and kit fox could elucidate the relationship between their preferred climate and effects of interspecific competition on their distribution. Understanding these relationships are particularly valuable as climates nationwide are shifting and mammals will need to respond.

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