Kit Fox Population Study

An ecosystem contain biological communities and abiotic factors that interact with each other. However, Introduced pest species in Australia have always been a major issue due to the unique ecosystems that have developed, undisturbed over millions of years, due to Australia's geographical isolation. This is especially evident in the introduction the European red fox in Australia, which has prompt negative changes to the population of the Long-nosed Bandicoot due to the predation by these foxes in the Field of mars and around Australia. The disruption the fox foxes have on the Long-nosed bandicoot can also result in sever cascading effects on the rest of the ecosystem, including abiotic factors like the soil and biotic factors like other native flora and fauna

The conquering and development of natural land has in the past, been seen as a mark of human civilization. In the United States, our progress is often measured by growth and development, but should this be re-examined? There are many opinions on the subject of urban sprawl and its effects on wildlife, but one thing is for certain, we are expanding. From 1955 to 2005, urban and suburban areas grew by 300%, however, the population only increased by 75% over the same period (Ewing, Kostyack and Chen). According to NatureServe, a non-profit conservation organization, urban sprawl threatens one of every three endangered species in the United States. NatureServe’s analysis states, “rare and endangered species data shows that three-fifths (60

Since about 1990, island fox populations were relatively stable (Bakker, et al., 2009, p. 1). Fox populations on each island were naturally small and varied in relation to island size, but reproduction and survival were high, and the densities were greater than almost any other North American carnivore. According to Bakker, et al. (2009) Scientists and researchers came to the conclusion that there were two main factors causing the decline in the island fox population.

As a historically semi-arid environment, California has also suffered heavily from several environmental impacts as a result of the current drought conditions. The first of these is on its forests. The US Forest Service estimates that 12 million trees have died in the past year due to drought; this combined with the drying of forest floor material greatly increases the flammability of the landscape. The result of this is the numerous devastating wildfires that have swept through the state throughout 2015, costing not only wildlife and habitat but also human property (CBS News, 2015) (Lustgarten, et al., 2015) (Google, 2015). Aside from wildfires, the drought and associated loss of habitat is said to be having a negative effect on both flora and fauna due to their contribution to the spread of West Nile Virus, whilst also threatening populations of geese, ducks, salmon and Joshua trees (Lustgarten, et al., 2015) (Beaudry, 2015). Finally, with groundwater contributing up to 50% of stream flow in drought, there is a worry that over usage near the coast could result in irreversible salinization through the drawing in of salt water (USGS, 2016) (Kasler & Reese, 2015).

The animal I was given for this assignment was the Channel Island Fox. They are considered to be near extinction animals with nearly about 2,500 fox left (last checked 2008). The Channel Island Fox is a type of fox that only lives on the Channel Islands, which is located around the coast of Southern California in about 19 to 61 miles away from the continental state. On a clear day in California, many visitors have the chance to see the islands over the shores. Within the eight islands, only six of the islands have the Channel Island Fox on their land. The six islands are San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Santa Catalina, San Nicolas and San Clemente. Each island has different features which has given each island fox a different trait compared to each one, but they are still considered as Island Fox.

Kit foxes, also called Vulpes Macrotis are among the smallest foxes in America. The kit fox is very easily mistaken for a dog however when you look at their appearance you realize that proportions are not that of a dog's. Many people often confuse the kit fox with its larger cousin, the grey desert fox.

It is undeniable that climate change is drastically changing our current landscapes throughout the world. There are many individuals who consider climate change to be a natural and organic progression, but many studies indicate that due to excess greenhouse gas emissions, humans are accelerating global warming at an alarming rate. It’s convenient to continuously dismiss the studies and evidence that suggest climate change is real and it could have serious consequences, but when these drastic changes are taking place in our own backyard, it becomes a harsh reality. There is longstanding research, which indicates that the Colorado River has been in a drought since the early 2000’s and researchers allege that due to rising temperatures, the

Climate change is occurring across the globe and particularly in the Southwest region of the United States of America. The Southwest has a long history of warm temperatures and drought, yet the climate is currently changing like never before. This research paper will identify various case studies of Arizona tribes being threatened due to climate change’s effects of rising temperature and drought. Rising temperatures as well as drought will continue to result in an increase in the melt of snowpack, reduced water sources, and changes in the ecosystem for various Arizona tribes. Additionally, the paper will address various solutions to these threats. The effects of climate change will threaten the livelihoods of tribal communities in Arizona and

Throughout history, species have evolved and evolved over time. Evolution is caused by many factors some of which include natural selection, mutations, genetic drift, neutral or random evolution, migration or gene flow. Unlike evolution, many species are being extinct such as the Baiji River Dolphin, the Javan tiger, and golden toad. Before these organisms extinct, they were first endangered. An endangered specie is a specie on the brinck of extinction. This is the case of the swift fox, also known as Vulpes velox. For decades, scientists have thrived to keep the Vulpes velox from extinction through many means. To understand the swift foxes’ lifespan, one must learn their history and background, reasons they’re declining in numbers, historical homeland and present homeland and finally factors that caused this decline.

Because most greenhouse gases would remain in the atmosphere for a long period of time, the temperature of the earth will be continuously rising. If global heat-trapping emissions proceed at a medium to high rate, temperatures in California are expected to rise 4.7 to 10.5°F by the end of the century1. With the rise of temperature, the climate of California would also be changed. California has large area of forest and farmland, hundreds of miles of coastline, large amount of snowpack, and other natural wonders. And these special treasures of nature are especially at risk2. So it is very necessary to understand the strategies of California to combat climate change.

Schwinning, Susan. “Sensitivity of the Colorado Plateau to changes: Climate, ecosystems, and society.” Ecology and Society, vol. 13, no. 2, 2008,

Missouri is a pretty big hunting state, having our own national forest and several plots of land dedicated to just hunting is also pretty nice. Since we have so much forestry, why don’t I teach you a little bit about the wild animals that live in these deep valleys and cool springs, some of these you might not see every day.

Habitat loss is one of the most evident effects of climate change on animals. Forests, as well as deserts support many forms of life. It is the home of insects and animals like bears, and birds. If forests will be cleared out for the development of land for families, business and farming purposes, animals will loose their homes and food. Because of deforestation, many of the trees and the other plants that provide food to the herbivorous animals will get extinct at a faster speed. Droughts caused by global warming could dry up 90 percent of central U.S. wetlands, eliminating essential breeding habitat for ducks, geese and other traveling species (National Wildlife Federation). Climate change is the main reason to wildlife's survival and putting natural resources in danger. The change in temperature caused by global warming has many effects on the habitats of animals. The melting ice will cause the loss of habitat for species such as the polar bears, penguins, and seals. The arctic ice that is melting makes it difficult for polar bears to hunt. Warmer water will also cause the population of fish such as trout

1. The predicted range of climate change by 2050 will place 15 to 35 percent of the 1,103 species studied at risk of extinction.

Species distribution implies the geographic pattern of occurrence of any species across the landscape. This distribution of species is greatly influenced by geographic and environmental factors. To understand this spatial pattern of distribution we need to model the distribution. Species distribution models (SDMs) estimate the relationship between species records at sites and the environmental and/or spatial characteristics of those sites (Franklin, 2009). They are widely used for many purposes in biogeography, conservation biology and ecology (Elith and Leathwick, 2009). Predictive modeling of species geographic distributions based on the environmental conditions of sites of known occurrence constitutes an important technique in analytical biology, with applications in conservation and reserve planning, ecology, evolution, epidemiology, invasive species management and other fields (Corsi et al., 1999; Peterson & Shaw, 2003; Peterson et al., 1999; Scott et al., 2002; Welk et al., 2002; Yom-Tov & Kadmon, 1998). A number of species have been affected by recent climatic change, with changes in penology and ranges expanding towards higher latitudes and altitudes (Parmesan and Yohe, 2003; Root et al., 2003). Among different other impacts of climate change, understanding the potential geographic distribution of species due to the changing climate are being considered with high priority (Box et al., 1993; Oliver et al., 2009). The climate change of the twentieth