We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Predator–prey coupling: interaction between mink Mustela vison and muskrat Ondatra zibethicus across Canada.
- Authors
Holmengen, Nina; Lehre Seip, Knut; Boyce, Mark; Stenseth, Nils Chr.
- Abstract
In this paper we explore variation in the predator-prey interaction between mink Mustela vison and muskrat Ondatra zibethicus across Canada based on 25 years of mink (predator) and muskrat (prey) data from the Hudson's Bay Company. We show that predator–prey interactions have stronger signatures in the west of Canada than in the east. In particular, we show that the observed phase plot trajectories of mink and muskrat rotate significantly clock-wise, consistent with predator–prey theory. We also investigate four phases of the mink muskrat interaction sequence (predator crash phase, prey recovery phase, etc.) and show that they are all consistent with a strong coupling in the west, whereas the presence of generalist predators and alternative preys can explain deviations from this pattern in the east.
- Subjects
CANADA; PREDATION; ECOLOGY of predatory animals; MINKS; MUSKRAT; PARASITISM; HOST-parasite relationships; BIOLOGY
- Publication
Oikos, 2009, Vol 118, Issue 3, p440
- ISSN
0030-1299
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1600-0706.2008.16613.x