Recent findings suggest adding red fox (Vulpes vulpes) to climate-threatened whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) trophic system

Canadian Journal of Zoology, Ahead of Print. Mountain ecosystems are sensitive to climate change, and climate-driven declines in primary producers can impact food webs. Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.) seed, a valuable food resource for montane wildlife species, is threatened by climate change. Whitebark pine exhibit masting, and during a snow-tracking study of Rocky Mountain red foxes (Vulpes vulpes macroura Baird, 1852) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem that happened to coincide with masting, we unexpectedly observed red foxes consuming whitebark pine seeds from red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus (Erxleben, 1777)) middens. Seed production then decreased the following year. To investigate whether whitebark pine seed availability affected winter foraging and habitat use by Rocky Mountain red foxes, we assessed interannual variance in our dietary and habitat use data. We found both seed consumption and use of habitats where seeds were available also decreased during the non-mast winter. Given the limitations of our small-scale, opportunistic analysis, we suggest that whitebark pine seeds may be an important food resource for montane red foxes and that their relationship warrants further research and consideration in conservation efforts for both species.
Source: Canadian Journal of Zoology - Category: Zoology Authors: Source Type: research