Modelling Recolonization of Second-Growth Forest Stands by the North American Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

2007 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 1311-1339 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Nyquist ◽  
R. Tyson ◽  
K. Larsen
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Forest Stands ◽  
The North ◽  
Second Growth ◽  
North American Red Squirrel

Exploring territory quality in the North American red squirrel through removal experiments

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 1115-1122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl W. Larsen ◽  
Stan Boutin
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Territory Quality ◽  
The North ◽  
Removal Experiments ◽  
Habitat Saturation ◽  
Removal Studies ◽  
North American Red Squirrel

If territory quality affects the fitness of its holder, then relatively unsuccessful individuals should relocate if given the opportunity to appropriate a higher quality territory. Relocation by these animals, however, may be prevented by habitat saturation, poor competitive ability, or the costs of relocating. We conducted two removal studies that created numerous territory vacancies in a population of the North American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), thus providing favourable conditions for relocation. In both experiments, we tested whether nonbreeding females were more likely to relocate than breeding females, presumably because they (the nonbreeders) occupied relatively poor-quality territories. In our first experiment we permanently removed most of the squirrels from a study site and monitored the relative proportions of the remaining nonbreeding and breeding females that relocated. In our second experiment we monitored the response of squirrels to vacant territories that had been previously held by nonbreeding and breeding females, as well as by males. We also monitored the behaviour of squirrels that did not hold territories (dispersing offspring), as these individuals would not experience the same costs of relocation as adults. Our experiments showed that neither category of female was likely to relocate, regardless of the type of territory available. Both residents and dispersing offspring displayed no biases towards vacant territories that previously belonged to nonbreeding or breeding females or to males. Relocation does not appear to be a strategy for a female in this system to increase her reproductive opportunities. This suggests that either territory quality is inconsequential or the costs of relocation are prohibitive. Dispersing offspring also may be unable to select certain territories because of the premium placed on acquiring a territory, regardless of its quality.

scholarly journals Why do North American Red Squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, Mothers Relocate Their Young? A Predation-based Hypothesis

2008 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tricia Kerr ◽  
Sébastien Descamps
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Red Squirrels ◽  
Efficient Strategy ◽  
North American Red Squirrels ◽  
The Impact ◽  
North American Red Squirrel

Our study reports the first observations consistent with Short-Tailed Weasel predation on juvenile North American Red Squirrels in the nest. Red Squirrel mothers are known to relocate their young to another nest after a disturbance. We suggest that this behaviour might be an efficient strategy that reduces the impact of litter depredation by weasels.

Characterization of a Novel Poxvirus in a North American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

2013 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsea G. Himsworth ◽  
Colin J. McInnes ◽  
Lesley Coulter ◽  
David J. Everest ◽  
Janet E. Hill
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
North American Red Squirrel

Spring and summer time budgets and feeding behaviourof the red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 385-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ferron ◽  
J. P. Ouellet ◽  
Y. Lemay
Keyword(s):  
Ambient Temperature ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Time Budget ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
The North ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Summer Time

The purpose of the study was to attempt to understand how feeding requirements, reproductive constraints, and fluctuating environmental conditions (specifically, ambient temperature and food availability) are integrated in the time budget of the red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), an arboreal sciurid of the North American coniferous forest that remains active year-round. It appears that ambient temperature and food availability have important influences on the allocation of time among different activities. Reproductive constraints apparently do not affect differently the time budgets of males and females during the spring breeding season. The analysis of food habits of the red squirrel demonstrates that the species is opportunistic and takes advantage of the continuously changing food availability during the growing season. Fluctuations in diet influence whether feeding and foraging are arboreal or terrestrial, as well as affecting the relative importance of these two activities in the time budget of the red squirrel.

Use of track transects to measure the relative occurrence of some boreal mammals in uncut forest and regeneration stands

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 1816-1823 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. D. Thompson ◽  
I. J. Davidson ◽  
S. O'Donnell ◽  
F. Brazeau
Keyword(s):  
Red Fox ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Cold Weather ◽  
Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Winter Mortality ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Red Squirrels ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Second Growth

Tracks of marten (Martes americana), lynx (Felis lynx), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), ermine (Mustela erminea), snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), and red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) were censused from 1980 to 1985 on 1-km transects in uncut stands and on eight sites that had been clear-cut between 1 and 33 years ago, in boreal mixedwood habitat near Manitouwadge, Ontario. Marten tracks were more common in uncut areas than in younger stands. Lynx tracks were most abundant on sites that were logged 20–30 years ago and were absent in uncut areas and stands less than 5 years old. Counts of red fox tracks were lowest in uncut stands and showed no consistent pattern among years of our survey with respect to stand age in second-growth forest. Hare tracks were most abundant in 20- and 30-year-old stands, and least abundant in stands less than 5 years old. Red squirrels were most common in uncut areas, but similar high values were also found in 20- and 30-year-old sites during 3 years when populations in the area were depressed. No selection of stands by age was seen for ermine. Numbers of tracks were significantly correlated with live captures of marten, hare, and red squirrels. Our results suggested that track abundance can be used as an index of habitat preferences and population trends. Highest counts were achieved in December for marten, red squirrel, and ermine, likely as a result of several types of over-winter mortality and inactivity in cold weather, which may have reduced counts in January and March. As a result of high and nonhomogeneous variance among transects and years, nonparametric statistical analysis was required. Transect length for fox and lynx should be substantially longer than 1 km (probably 3–5 km) to avoid numerous zero results.

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