Non-tropic interactions between Arctic foxes and lemmings Relationships between predators and their prey are most often discussed primarily focused in terms of the most basic interactions between trophic levels. In every ecosystem found on the planet, predators serve a crucial role in maintaining balance of population among their species and their prey, as well as all the other animals in coexistence. The relationships between predators and prey are quite complex, and they are dependent upon several more factors than what is portrayed in food webs. The functioning of ecosystems comprises of more than just simply trophic interactions; all abiotic and biotic factors within an ecosystem are intricately interconnected. The analyzation of non-trophic …show more content…
However, this also means that predators in Arctic biomes serve an even larger role than a tropical rainforest, for example, where there is an overwhelming amount of different species living in an area of lush vegetation. Within the tundra biome of Canada, Alaska, and Fennoscandia, Arctic foxes are a key predator (Chesemore, 1969, Elmhagen et. al 2000, Mcdonald et al. 2017). Furthermore, in these areas, lemmings tend to be their most commonly pursued prey. Lemmings are small mammals classified in the order Rodentia, part of the subfamily Arvicolinae (including voles and muskrats) of the mouse family, Muridae (Editors of Encyclopedia Brittanica, 2017). Arctic foxes do heavily influence decreasing the number of species of their prey, but they also play an exceptional role in influencing the lives of lemmings by further means than simply consuming them. Arctic foxes may actually provide considerable benefits to lemmings during the winter through nutrient recycling and ecosystem engineering. Thriving in the Arctic is a fairly challenging feat for organisms living within; it is a biome of harsh, frigid temperatures and limited vegetation. Animals living within the Arctic must accomplish protecting themselves as well as their young with an adequate …show more content…
The construction of new dens can prove to be a difficult undertaking for Arctic foxes to accomplish due to the harsh temperatures and well as subpar soil conditions. However, Arctic foxes rise to the challenge and indeed build impressively functional dens, some of their dens still remaining even centuries after their initial construction (Macpherson, 1969). Arctic foxes leave behind a substantial amount of nutrients on their dens. The high nitrogen content, in particular, promotes an abundance of vegetation growth on their dens. Lots of vegetation could potentially result in greater snow accumulation, because the plants can catch snow on them as the wind blows (Gharajehdaghipour and Roth,2018). Therefore, the ample vegetation on dens can provide a substantially thick snow cover, providing better insulation against the bitter temperatures of the Arctic. Lemmings, of course, also need a safe space for shelter, particularly during their breeding season, which occurs during winter. They make their nests in subnivean space, a thin layer of snow close to the soil surface (Korslund and Steen, 2006). Lemmings must create nests in order to be protected from the cold, as well as to have a safe space to breed