Landscape structure, predation of red foxes on grey partridges, and their spatial relations

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of agricultural landscape structure on the predation rate of red foxes Vulpes vulpes on grey partridges Perdix perdix during the breeding season and on their spatial relations. The number of partridge remains found around fox breeding dens (N=165) was used as an index of the predation rate in 10 study areas. Moreover, the distribution of both species and the searching intensity of partridge nesting habitat (permanent semi-natural vegetation) by foxes in relation to the landscape structure were studied using scat, track and call counts. The predation index (range 0.06–0.46 partridges/den) increased with spring partridge density and decreased with the occurrence of crop boundaries. The distribution of foxes and partridges in large fields was positively correlated with the occurrence of permanent vegetation, but no such effect was observed in small fields. The searching intensity in permanent vegetation by foxes decreased with the occurrence of these structures among small fields, but not among large fields. The study showed that in a differentiated landscape foxes and partridges had various structural elements at their disposal, which led to partial separation of the predator and its prey in the space.