Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus)
Plants
Low shrubs
Lichens
Mosses
Biodiversity
Adaptation
Camouflage
Predatory
Furry feet that prevent
slipping on ice
Environmental
Round compact body with
short muzzle, ears and legs
to minimize heat loss
Thick white fur that
blends in the snow
Bushy tail used as a
blanket for their body
Ecosystems
Islands in the arctic ocean
Alpine Tundra
Costal Areas
Arctic Tundra
Prey
Small mammals
Birds and eggs
Carrion
Insects
Marine life
Preditors
Humans
Red foxes
Large birds
Subspecies
Bering sea arctic fox
European Arctic fox
Genetic Diversity
Founder effects and genetic drift
Arctic fox trait frequeny
changes (genetic drift)
example: A small group of Arctic
Fox's live together. Just by luck a
few of them have more offspring
with a specific fur colour. That colour
will become more common overtime.
Arctic fox's migrating
to new regions
Creating new gene pool based
on the new environment
Allele Frequencies
fur colour alleles
Threats to biodiversity
Humans
Farming
Both human and arctic foxes
relying on livestock for food
Tourism
human preasance causing
physical and psychological
har, to arctic foxes
Contaminants
Habitat loss
Resource Extraction
Oil drilling
Mining
Human
settlement
human wildlife conflicts
Infrastucture
devlopment
Roads
Pipelines
Animal Systems
Resperatory system
Cold adaptation in breathing
Nasal adaptations (nasal passage
helps warming and humidifying
cold, dry air)
Recirculation of warm air
(as the fox breathes in cold air,
the nasal passage warms it using
the heat from exhaled air)
Reduced respiratory rate
Lung structure
Well developed alveoli
to optimize reperatory
efficiency in low temp
environments
Relatively Large lungs
Two lungs
Digestive system
Arctic foxes diet
Anatomy
Mouth and teeth
Arctic fox have sharp,
pointed teeth adapted
to catch prey
Esophagus
A muscular tube that connects
the stomach to the mouth. moves
food from mouth to stomach using
muscular contractions
Stomach
Stomach acids and enzymes
help break down food, initiating
the digestion process
Small intestine
Where majority of nutrient
absorption occurs. Divided
into three sections: duodenum,
jejunum, and ileum
Pancreas and Liver
Produces digestive enzymes
and bile that are released into
the small intestine to further
break down nutrients
Large intestine
Absorbs water and electrolytes,
forming whats left of the food
into feces
Cecum
A pouch-like structure where
fermentation of plant material
occurs, helping in the digestion
of some components of the arctic
foxes diet
Rectum and Anus
Rectum stores feces until they are ready to be eliminated through the anus
Energy Storage
Metabolically
Their body adapts to extract
as much energy as possible
from the limited food resources
available in the Arctic
Reduced activity in extreme cold
During harsh winter conditions,
the foxes might reduce their activity
to concerve their energy.
Increased food intake
in prep for winter
During summer and early fall Arctic foxes might increase their food intake.
Fat reserves
The increased food intake
helps store fat reserves.
This stored fat serves as a
important energy source during
periods when food is scarce like
winter.
Circulatory system
Heart adaptations
Heart Rate
Ability to increase
and decrease to distribute
heat efficiently
Blood Vessel Adjustments
Constricting blood vessels
in cold environments (becoming
narrower)
Helps conserve heat ensuring
vital organs recieve oxygen
and nutrients
Thermoregulation
Evolution
Natural selection
Fur colour adaptation
White fur is more favoured
because of the environment
they live in. (snowy)
Predator avoidance
Foxes that exhibit burrowing
and den-building behaviors have
higher survival rates and pass the
trait to future generations.
Reproductive success
Foxes that have traits related
to reproduction like, good timing of breeding are subject to natural selection
Fossils
Adaptation over time
The fur thickness, body size, and traits crucial for Arctic conditions could be traits that evolved over time.
these evolved traits might indicate
how the species adapted to diffrent
weather
Fossils of ancestral canids
Found in Arctic locations
Explains why Arctic foxes
adapt well to cold tempuratures
The family Arctic foxes belong to
Genetics
Genetic adaptation to cold
Fur
Thickness
Colour
Body size
compact body size
Minimizes heat loss
Behavioral traits
Adaptive behavior
Seeking shelter
Helps conserve heat
Burrowing
Reproduction (the strategies they use)
Adapt to resource
availability
Food availabilty
The foxes will wait
until theres enough
food for them to
reproduce
Shelter availabilty
The foxes will find
a shelter before
reproducing
Seasonal
Breeding
Early spring
Late winter
Monogamous
Pairing
the foxes form
monogamous pairs
better chance of
survival for offspring
Dens (for shelter and birth)
Females create dens
to shelter the young
Females create dens
to give birth in
provides protection from
extreme weather and preditors
Canid Family
Taxonomy of actic fox
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia