Gary W. Roemer
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198515562
- eISBN:
- 9780191705632
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198515562.003.0009
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
The island fox (Urocyon littoralis) is endemic to the California Channel Islands, a continental archipelago located off the coast of the southwestern United States. A descendent of the mainland gray ...
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The island fox (Urocyon littoralis) is endemic to the California Channel Islands, a continental archipelago located off the coast of the southwestern United States. A descendent of the mainland gray fox (U. cinereo argenteus), it is hypothesized that island foxes first colonized the three northern Channel Islands (Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel) by chance. Native Americans then transported foxes from these islands to three southern Channel Islands (Santa Catalina, San Clemente, and San Nicolas). Each island's fox population is currently recognized as a distinct subspecies, and both the hypothesized colonization scheme and the current taxonomic classification are supported by morphological and genetic evidence. This chapter discusses the evolution, ecology, and conservation of the island fox.Less
The island fox (Urocyon littoralis) is endemic to the California Channel Islands, a continental archipelago located off the coast of the southwestern United States. A descendent of the mainland gray fox (U. cinereo argenteus), it is hypothesized that island foxes first colonized the three northern Channel Islands (Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel) by chance. Native Americans then transported foxes from these islands to three southern Channel Islands (Santa Catalina, San Clemente, and San Nicolas). Each island's fox population is currently recognized as a distinct subspecies, and both the hypothesized colonization scheme and the current taxonomic classification are supported by morphological and genetic evidence. This chapter discusses the evolution, ecology, and conservation of the island fox.
Torben C. Rick
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- May 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780813042428
- eISBN:
- 9780813043074
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9780813042428.003.0003
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
Separated from the mainland throughout the Quaternary, California's Channel Islands contain a depauperate terrestrial fauna, including a limited number of terrestrial mammals. With a few exceptions, ...
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Separated from the mainland throughout the Quaternary, California's Channel Islands contain a depauperate terrestrial fauna, including a limited number of terrestrial mammals. With a few exceptions, determining when and by what means (human assisted, natural, or combination) many of these animals colonized the islands is unclear. Part of the problem is that few studies have systematically reviewed the fossil and archaeological records of Channel Island mammals. This chapter presents an analysis and synthesis of the origins of Channel Island endemic mammals, concluding these species arrived through a combination of natural and human-assisted dispersals. These data provide context for understanding the structure and function of Channel Island ecosystems and the role of ancient hunter-gatherers in influencing island ecosystems.Less
Separated from the mainland throughout the Quaternary, California's Channel Islands contain a depauperate terrestrial fauna, including a limited number of terrestrial mammals. With a few exceptions, determining when and by what means (human assisted, natural, or combination) many of these animals colonized the islands is unclear. Part of the problem is that few studies have systematically reviewed the fossil and archaeological records of Channel Island mammals. This chapter presents an analysis and synthesis of the origins of Channel Island endemic mammals, concluding these species arrived through a combination of natural and human-assisted dispersals. These data provide context for understanding the structure and function of Channel Island ecosystems and the role of ancient hunter-gatherers in influencing island ecosystems.
John Seibert Farnsworth
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- September 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781501747281
- eISBN:
- 9781501747298
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501747281.003.0002
- Subject:
- Information Science, Information Science
This chapter presents the author's field notes from the Santa Cruz Island Reserve. The author was particularly interested in studying island foxes. Lacking natural predators, island foxes tend not to ...
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This chapter presents the author's field notes from the Santa Cruz Island Reserve. The author was particularly interested in studying island foxes. Lacking natural predators, island foxes tend not to find humans intimidating, indeed appearing tame even though they are technically wild. The island fox is currently on the rebound from endangered status. There were two thousand foxes on Santa Cruz Island in 1994, but canine distemper and golden eagle predation reduced the numbers to under 135 by 2000. The author was also interested in the endangered plants, the red-tailed hawk, the anise swallowtail, and the island scrub-jays. Not only is the island scrub-jay endemic, occurring only on the island, but it is also the only insular land bird in either the United States or Canada. The explanation for this is that scrub-jays seem incapable of crossing significant amounts of water.Less
This chapter presents the author's field notes from the Santa Cruz Island Reserve. The author was particularly interested in studying island foxes. Lacking natural predators, island foxes tend not to find humans intimidating, indeed appearing tame even though they are technically wild. The island fox is currently on the rebound from endangered status. There were two thousand foxes on Santa Cruz Island in 1994, but canine distemper and golden eagle predation reduced the numbers to under 135 by 2000. The author was also interested in the endangered plants, the red-tailed hawk, the anise swallowtail, and the island scrub-jays. Not only is the island scrub-jay endemic, occurring only on the island, but it is also the only insular land bird in either the United States or Canada. The explanation for this is that scrub-jays seem incapable of crossing significant amounts of water.
Daniel T. Blumstein
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780226925332
- eISBN:
- 9780226925363
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226925363.003.0006
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
This chapter first explains why scientific evidence plays a key role in conservation and management. It then discusses how scientific evidence should be used in decision making and how to handle lack ...
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This chapter first explains why scientific evidence plays a key role in conservation and management. It then discusses how scientific evidence should be used in decision making and how to handle lack of evidence. It presents examples of wise management involving the island fox (Urocyon littoralis) in Southern California's Channel Islands, the mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) in North America, and the hihi (Notiomystis cincta) in New Zealand.Less
This chapter first explains why scientific evidence plays a key role in conservation and management. It then discusses how scientific evidence should be used in decision making and how to handle lack of evidence. It presents examples of wise management involving the island fox (Urocyon littoralis) in Southern California's Channel Islands, the mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) in North America, and the hihi (Notiomystis cincta) in New Zealand.
John Seibert Farnsworth
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- September 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781501747281
- eISBN:
- 9781501747298
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501747281.001.0001
- Subject:
- Information Science, Information Science
The field notes taken for this book are not only about nature, but from nature as well. The book lets the reader peer over the author'shoulder as he takes his notes. The reader follows him to a ...
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The field notes taken for this book are not only about nature, but from nature as well. The book lets the reader peer over the author'shoulder as he takes his notes. The reader follows him to a series of field stations where he teams up with scientists, citizen scientists, rangers, stewards, and graduate students engaged in long-term ecological study, all the while scribbling down what he sees, hears, and feels in the moment. The field stations are located at Hastings Natural History Reservation, studying acorn woodpeckers; Santa Cruz Island Reserve, studying island foxes; Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, hawkwatching; H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest, recording a forest log for two weeks through the Spring Creek Project; and North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, which was built as mitigation for the environmental harm caused by the hydroelectric dam. The book explores how communal experiences of nature might ultimately provide greater depths of appreciation for the natural world.Less
The field notes taken for this book are not only about nature, but from nature as well. The book lets the reader peer over the author'shoulder as he takes his notes. The reader follows him to a series of field stations where he teams up with scientists, citizen scientists, rangers, stewards, and graduate students engaged in long-term ecological study, all the while scribbling down what he sees, hears, and feels in the moment. The field stations are located at Hastings Natural History Reservation, studying acorn woodpeckers; Santa Cruz Island Reserve, studying island foxes; Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, hawkwatching; H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest, recording a forest log for two weeks through the Spring Creek Project; and North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, which was built as mitigation for the environmental harm caused by the hydroelectric dam. The book explores how communal experiences of nature might ultimately provide greater depths of appreciation for the natural world.