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Ahlers AA, Lyons TP, Heske EJ. Population dynamics of muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) and American mink (Neovison vison): investigating contemporary patterns in a classic predator–prey system. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A well-studied predator–prey relationship between American mink (Neovison vison (Schreber, 1777); formerly known as Mustela vison Schreber, 1777) and muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus (Linnaeus, 1766)) in Canada has advanced our understanding of population cycles including the influence of density dependence and lagged responses of predators to prey abundances. However, it is unclear if patterns observed in Canada extend across the southern half of their native range. We used data from the United States to create a 41-year time series of mink and muskrat harvest reports (1970–2011) for 36 states. After controlling for pelt-price effects, we used second-order autoregressive and Lomb–Scargle spectral density models to identify the presence and periodicity of muskrat population cycles. Additionally, we tested for evidence of delayed or direct density dependence and for predator-driven population dynamics. Our results suggest muskrat populations may cycle in parts of the United States; however, results varied by modeling approaches with Lomb–Scargle analyses providing more precise parameter estimates. Observed cycle lengths were longer than expected with weak amplitudes and we urge caution when interpreting these results. We did not detect evidence of a predator–prey relationship driven by a lagged numerical response of American mink. American mink and muskrat fur returns were largely correlated across the region suggesting extraneous factors likely synchronize both populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam A. Ahlers
- Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, Kansas State University, 1712 Claflin Road, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Timothy P. Lyons
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, 517 Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege Street, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Edward J. Heske
- Division of Mammals, Museum of Southwest Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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Ganoe LS, Lovallo MJ, Brown JD, Walter WD. Ecology of an Isolated Muskrat Population during Regional Population Declines. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/045.028.0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laken S. Ganoe
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - Matthew J. Lovallo
- Bureau of Wildlife Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA 17110
| | - Justin D. Brown
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - W. David Walter
- US Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
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Ahlers AA, Heske EJ. Empirical evidence for declines in muskrat populations across the United States. J Wildl Manage 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam A. Ahlers
- Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources; Kansas State University; Manhattan KS 66506 USA
| | - Edward J. Heske
- Illinois Natural History Survey; Prairie Research Institute; Champaign IL 61820 USA
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Martinig AR. Habitat suitability modeling for mink passage activity: A cautionary tale. J Wildl Manage 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- April Robin Martinig
- Department of Biology; Concordia University; 7141 Sherbrooke Street W Montreal Quebec H4B 1R6 Canada
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