Is the European red fox a vector of the invasive basket asparagus (Asparagus aethiopicus) in eastern Australia?

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 204
Author(s):  
Julie M. O'Connor ◽  
David M. Burrows ◽  
Benjamin L. Allen ◽  
Scott E. Burnett
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Late 19Th Century ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Primary Means ◽  
Avian Seed Dispersal

Basket asparagus (Asparagus aethiopicus) has become a naturalised invasive plant in some coastal areas of Australia since its introduction in the late 19th century. Its spread through garden waste dumping and avian seed dispersal has been well documented and both are considered to be the primary means of dispersal. While a small number of avian vectors have been identified, no Australian studies have investigated the potential of mammals to disperse basket asparagus seeds. We collected basket asparagus seeds from fox (Vulpes vulpes) scats collected in the field, confirmed the viability of these seeds in germination trials, and further documented the germination of basket asparagus seeds from an undisturbed fox scat in situ. These results demonstrate that foxes consume and disperse basket asparagus seeds, and that these seeds are viable and germinate under field conditions. Foxes not only use basket asparagus stands as harbour, but can also facilitate the plant’s dispersal in coastal ecosystems.

Development of a Field Instrument to Quantify Frictional Drag of an In-Service Ship Hull

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Travis Hunsucker ◽  
Geoffrey Swain
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Experimental Testing ◽  
Channel Length ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Frictional Drag ◽  
Late 19Th Century ◽  
Marine Fouling ◽  
Accurate Quantification

It has been shown that the presence of marine fouling, even as a light slime, will cause a detrimental effect on the powering or speed of a full-scale ship. Studies from as early as the late 19th century have attempted to quantify the increase in power or decrease in speed imposed on a ship from the presence of hull roughness. The accurate quantification is limited and often difficult and expensive to obtain. The present study aims to develop an instrument that will remove some ambiguity by directly measuring the frictional drag of a ship in situ. Results from experimental testing of a prototype in the lab are presented and used to identify the channel length, height, and accuracy limitations of a field deployable prototype.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal spread of sarcoptic mange in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Switzerland over more than 60 years: lessons learnt from comparative analysis of multiple surveillance tools

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Roberto Rolando Pisano ◽  
Fridolin Zimmermann ◽  
Luca Rossi ◽  
Simon Capt ◽  
Ezgi Akdesir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
General Health ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Sarcoptes Scabiei ◽  
Health Surveillance ◽  
Sarcoptic Mange ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
First Case ◽  
Combining Data

Abstract Background Sarcoptic mange is a contagious skin disease of wild and domestic mammals caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Reports of sarcoptic mange in wildlife increased worldwide in the second half of the 20th century, especially since the 1990s. The aim of this study was to provide new insights into the epidemiology of mange by (i) documenting the emergence of sarcoptic mange in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the last decades in Switzerland; and (ii) describing its spatiotemporal spread combining data obtained through different surveillance methods. Methods Retrospective analysis of archived material together with prospective data collection delivered a large dataset from the 19th century to 2018. Methods included: (i) a review of historical literature; (ii) screening of necropsy reports from general health surveillance (1958–2018); (iii) screening of data on mange (1968–1992) collected during the sylvatic rabies eradication campaign; (iv) a questionnaire survey (<1980–2017) and (v) evaluation of camera-trap bycatch data (2005–2018). Results Sarcoptic mange in red foxes was reported as early as 1835 in Switzerland. The first case diagnosed in the framework of the general health surveillance was in 1959. Prior to 1980, sarcoptic mange occurred in non-adjacent surveillance districts scattered all over the country. During the period of the rabies epidemic (1970s-early 1990s), the percentage of foxes tested for rabies with sarcoptic mange significantly decreased in subregions with rabies, whereas it remained high in the few rabies-free subregions. Sarcoptic mange re-emerged in the mid-1990s and continuously spread during the 2000–2010s, to finally extend to the whole country in 2017. The yearly prevalence of mange in foxes estimated by camera-trapping ranged from 0.1–12%. Conclusions Sarcoptic mange has likely been endemic in Switzerland as well as in other European countries at least since the mid-19th century. The rabies epidemics seem to have influenced the pattern of spread of mange in several locations, revealing an interesting example of disease interaction in free-ranging wildlife populations. The combination of multiple surveillance tools to study the long-term dynamics of sarcoptic mange in red foxes in Switzerland proved to be a successful strategy, which underlined the usefulness of questionnaire surveys.

Red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) favour seed dispersal, germination and seedling survival of Mediterranean Hackberry (Celtis australis L.)

2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Traba Juan ◽  
Arrieta Sagrario ◽  
Herranz Jesús ◽  
Clamagirand M. Cristina
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Celtis Australis

Ecology of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in an agricultural landscape. 2. Home range and movements

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Carter ◽  
Gary W. Luck ◽  
Simon P. McDonald
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Minimum Convex Polygon ◽  
Eastern Australia

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a major predator of Australian wildlife and livestock, but relatively few data exist on fox home-range size and movements in agricultural landscapes. We used radio-telemetry to measure variability in fox home-range size and overlap, and to quantify nightly movements in farmland in south-eastern Australia. Home-range estimates were calculated using the Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP) and Kernel Contours methods. Fourteen foxes were radio-tracked, with home-range size varying from 287 to 3574 ha (mean = 1177 ha, ±920 ha (s.d.), n = 10 foxes) based on the 100% MCP and 151–3196 ha (mean = 639 ha, ± 930 ha (s.d.), n = 10 foxes) based on 95% Kernel. Home-range overlap was greater between subadults than adult foxes; especially at the core home-range level where adult home ranges were virtually exclusive. The average (minimum) area covered by adult foxes during a 12-h nightly period was 383 ha (±347 ha (s.d.), range = 136–1446 ha, n = 4 foxes). The minimum (straight-line) distance travelled by adult foxes during a night was 4.8–16 km (mean = 9.4 km, ± 3.7 km (s.d.), n = 4 foxes). Through continuous radio-tracking, we found that foxes habitually travel over the same ground when moving between foci of interest. Our results improve understanding of fox ranging behaviour in the agricultural landscapes of southern Australia.

Primary osteoblast culture from red fox (Vulpes Vulpes)

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Pedro Perpetuo ◽  
Alessandro Felder ◽  
Andrew Pitsillides ◽  
Michael Doube ◽  
Isabel Orriss
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Primary Osteoblast ◽  
Osteoblast Culture
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