Abstract
Dispersal is a fundamental process that facilitates population and range expansion by providing a mechanism for colonization and metapopulation linkages. Yet quantifying the dispersal process, particularly long-distance dispersal events, has been inherently difficult due to technological and observational limitations. Additionally, dispersal distance calculated as the straight-line distance between initiation and settlement fails to account for the actual movement path of the animal during dispersal. Here, we highlight six long-distance dispersal events, representing some of the longest dispersal distances recorded for red foxes. Cumulative dispersal movements ranged from 132 to 1036 km and occurred within both sexes (1 female, 5 males). With one exception, dispersal events ranged from 7 to 22 days and tended to be directed north-northwest. Importantly, cumulative movements were up to five times longer than straight-line distances, with two foxes traveling an additional 114 and 256 km before returning to, and settling in, areas previously encountered during dispersal. This suggests a role of habitat assessment and homing behavior during dispersal and indicates that the capacity and potential for dispersal are not limiting factors to either sex in a red fox population. Dispersal capacity should thus be considered regarding transboundary management and disease control of red fox populations.
Highlights
Dispersal is a fundamental process in ecology providing the mechanism behind population and range expansion (Sutherland et al 2000; Lambin et al 2001)
Far-ranging individuals and the role that they play in range expansion, colonization, and metapopulation linkages are of great interest to researchers (Shigesada and Kawasaki 2002; Wabakken et al 2007; Ciucci et al 2009)
Thirty of the 101 red foxes collared in this study dispersed during monitoring
Summary
Dispersal is a fundamental process in ecology providing the mechanism behind population and range expansion (Sutherland et al 2000; Lambin et al 2001). Quantifying the dispersal process, long-distance dispersal movements, has been inherently difficult due to technological and observational limitations (Nathan et al 2003; Nathan 2005; Whitmee and Orme 2013). This contributes to difficulties defining what represents a long-distance dispersal movement for different species. Long-distance dispersal has been alternately defined as an absolute dispersal distance, or, as those individuals that disperse substantially further than the rest of the population (Nathan 2005). Data are scarce and such events are believed to be notable but uncommon (Sutherland et al 2000; Nathan et al 2003) Quantifying such movements has largely remained elusive
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