90%) on lemmings when lemming density is >1 ha −1 , but the shapes of the predators’ responses vary greatly. Snowy owls can lay 3–11 eggs per year, depending on the availability of food. The collared lemming in the high-Arctic tundra in Greenland is preyed upon by four species of predators that show marked differences in the numbers of lemmings each consumes and in the dependence of their dynamics on lemming density. As a result, the authors note, the warming of the Arctic is not only causing some species to shift their ranges northward, but is even adversely affecting those that stay put. Collared lemmings are the same overall size as brown lemmings but with a shorter tail (about 15 mm). "We expect we will lose the snowy owl, skua, and stoat," he says, noting that these three species are dependent on the lemmings to feed their young. Collared lemming tells you what's what Ashley Asmus. During the summer its coat is gray tinged with buff or reddish brown and with dark stripes on the face and back. Gilg et al. The collared lemming, which lives in the high-arctic tundra, is the single prey in one of the world's simplest vertebrate predator-prey relationships. Collared Lemmings are made up of the species: 1. Dicrostonyx torquatus On Traill Island, populations peaked at more than 10 rodents per hectare in 1990, 1994, and 1998—but since then, there have been scarcely more than two lemmings per hectare in each 4-year cycle. By Virginia MorellSep. Predators in Nunavut include carnivores and birds. Dicrostonyx nelsoni Schmidt and his colleagues have not yet fully determined why the lemming cycle has collapsed, but they suspect that changing snow patterns and conditions are largely to blame. KARUPELV VALLEY PROJECT Cyclic Dynamics in a Simple Vertebrate Predator-Prey Community Olivier Gilg¹,²* Ilkka Hanski¹, Benoît Sittler³. In each cycle, the predators would take 75% to 80% of the population, and then the rodents would spend the next 3 years rebuilding. Arctic lemmings, simply called lemmings, are small rodents native to the Arctic Circle, which spans from Alaska to Siberia. They weigh approximately 112 grams and are on average 16 cm in length. Few collared lemmings live more than a year in the wild and just over 3 years in captivity. Snowy owls can lay 3–11 eggs per year, depending on the availability of food. "It is a beautiful, if worrying, example of how a subtle change to the interactions between species may suddenly cause a switch in an ecological system from one state to another." In the study area in the Karup Valley, at 72o North, there is just one prey species, the collared lemming, which is preyed upon by four species of predators, the stoat, the … Lemming predators include Snowy Owls, Gulls, Arctic Foxes, and even Polar Bears. It contains the collared lemmings.They are the only North American rodents that turn completely white in winter. Predator–prey dynamics in northeast Greenland during the period 1988–2010: (a) collared lemmings, (b) stoat-depredated lemming nests, (c) snowy owl nests, (d) long-tailed skua nests and (e) the fraction of arctic fox dens used for breeding. Grasses Mosses Shrubs Arctic fox Stoat Skua Snowy owl Ptarmigan Collared lemming The primary food source of snowy owl chicks is the collared lemming. The paper begins by making the following point: The northern collared lemming, also known as the bering or nearctic collared lemming, is a short, stocky rodent with a thick pelage that varies seasonally. It contains the following species: "Dicrostonyx groenlandicus, Bering collared lemming", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Collared_lemming&oldid=994886470, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 18 December 2020, at 01:34. Dicrostonyx groenlandicus "The study nicely confirms what had been previously suspected—that the collapse of the lemming population cycles in some parts of the Arctic may have very serious consequences for the specialized predators of the tundra," says Gilles Gauthier, an ecologist at Laval University in Quebec City, Canada. The summer its coat is gray tinged with buff or reddish brown and with dark stripes on the predator. The same overall size as brown lemmings but with a shorter tail ( about 15 mm ) CHANGES the... Dicrostonyx nelsoni Dicrostonyx nunatakensis Dicrostonyx richardsoni Dicrostonyx torquatus Dicrostonyx unalascensis is a collared lemming a predator vinogradovi during... Be a subspecies of the simplest Vertebrate Predator-Prey Community Olivier Gilg¹, ² * Hanski¹! Suicide by running blindly off cliffs—that 's a myth enlarged claws in the family.. And only because of winter population growth do these populations persist is considered undetermined many other animals bear! 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19 dec2020

is a collared lemming a predator

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Dicrostonyx nunatakensis Gallery. A study of the population biology of the collared lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) in Greenland illustrates the population interactions between lemmings and four predators. 3) is the single most important prey of four predators in the High Arctic: the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), the Arctic fox (Fig. Other species are gray, sandy… Lemmings don't commit suicide by running blindly off cliffs—that's a myth. Lemmings were the main prey item for arctic foxes, but the predatory response to Lemmus spp. In the study area in the Karup Valley, at 72o North, there is just one prey species, the collared lemming, which is preyed upon by four species of predators, the stoat, the … To monitor lemming numbers, Schmidt and his colleagues each year tally up the rodents' winter nests, which are visible after the snow melts. They are the only North American rodents that turn completely white in winter. The story is even grimmer at Zackenberg. The diagram below shows the results of his experiment. The northern collared lemming, also known as the bering or nearctic collared lemming, is a short, stocky rodent with a thick pelage that varies seasonally. Their numbers follow a characteristic 4-year cycle, rising and falling with such regularity that the pattern has long fascinated scientists. Collared Their colour changes with the seasons (hence their other common name, “varying lemming”). A choice of predator. some populations are likely facing local extinction, U.S. agency sidesteps listing monarch butterflies as endangered, Watch these ‘beetlebots’ keep flying, even after crashing into poles, Targeting U.S. wetland restoration could make cleaning up water much cheaper, Chicken-size dino with a furlike mane stirs ethics debate, Chemist Nancy Goroff eyes national stage despite losing race for Congress. Using these data, we assess the impact of predation on the dynamics of the collared lemming with a 4 yr cycle and >100‐fold difference between maximum and minimum densities. ter. Losing the lemmings could lead to a "substantial transition in the entire ecosystem, including the vegetation," says Chris Thomas, an ecologist at the University of York in the United Kingdom. Already, snowy owls have largely stopped breeding on Traill Island, and the population of stoats at Zackenberg has plunged. Collared lemmings play a key role in the arctic food web, as shown. Only the Arctic fox may survive because it can live on anything from fish that wash ashore to musk ox carcasses." This species has a short, chunky body covered with brownish-grey fur, with a thin dark stripe along the back and a yellow line along its sides. Dicrostonyx unalascensis Add a photo to this gallery. mRNA's next challenge: Will it work as a drug? Other articles where Collared lemming is discussed: lemming: The colour of the collared lemming varies seasonally. Dicrostonyx is a genus of rodent in the family Cricetidae. (b) Predator abundance and reproduction. lemmings, including recent findings discussed here. History Talk (0) Share. The project at Zackenberg, 250 kilometers away, was started "to track the effect of climate change on the lemmings," says Niels Schmidt, a population biologist at Aarhus University in Denmark and the lead author of the new study. Lemmings do not hibernate and instead endure the tough Arctic winters, with the lemming having special protection from the cold from its thick fur. Now that the lemmings have virtually vanished, the local predators are struggling because there are no other rodents in Greenland for them to pursue. CG Wiklund, A Angerbjoern, E Isakson, N Kjellen, and Tannerfeldt, Lemming Predators on the Siberian Tundra: Ambio. The collared lemming in the high-Arctic tundra in Greenland is preyed upon by four species of predators that show marked differences in the numbers of lemmings each consumes and in the dependence of their dynamics on lemming density. WILL COLLARED LEMMINGS AND THEIR PREDATORS BE THE FIRST VERTEBRATES TO “FALL OVER THE CLIFF” IN GREENLAND DUE TO GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGES? A lemming is a small rodent, usually found in or near the Arctic in tundra biomes.Lemmings make up the subfamily Arvicolinae (also known as Microtinae) together with voles and muskrats, which form part of the superfamily Muroidea, which also includes rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils.In popular culture, a longstanding myth holds that they commit mass suicide. No particularly safe environment is available to lemmings, although both brown and collared lemmings prefer land patches with protective plant cover. Tundra vole numbers increased rapidly in most summers but usually declined overwin- 3) is the single most important prey of four predators in the High Arctic: the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), the Arctic fox (Fig. 28, no. 4), the long-tailed skua (Stercorarius longicaudus), and the short-tailed weasel (Fig. The snowy owl and the stoat, in particular, are now struggling to find food. Collared Lemmings are prey for a variety of animals including Owls, Wolves, Arctic Foxes, and Weasels. Publishedfriday 21. september 2012 - 06:20 Arctic predators are facing a hungry future. Many species of lemming spend their winters in tunnels and nests under the snow. Scientists have tracked lemming populations at two Greenland sites, Traill Island and Zackenberg, since 1988 and 1996, respectively. Lemming populations fluctuate enormously based on predators, food, climate and other factors. It contains the collared lemmings. (2000) argue that their dynamics are those of a classic predator in an unstable resource-consumer model. Collared lemmings play a key role in the arctic food web, as shown. Lemmings thrive during long winters under thick, stable layers of snow—beneath the snow's protective cover, they can move safely and raise their young. curtail lemming population growth in summer. Stoats also eat collared lemmings year-round. A predator prey model based on the field-estimated predator respon … But at the turn of the millennium, the lemming cycle collapsed in northeastern Greenland and has not recovered, most likely due to the increased warming of the Arctic, scientists report today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Lemmings do not hibernate and instead endure the tough Arctic winters, with the lemming having special protection from the cold from its thick fur. Since 2000, however, there have been generally "shorter periods of snow cover," Schmidt says, "and that could be a reason for the lemmings' low numbers.". 4), the long-tailed skua (Stercorarius longicaudus), and the short-tailed weasel (Fig. These arctic rodents can go through spectacular explosions and crashes. The collared lemming in the high-Arctic tundra in Greenland is preyed upon by four species of predators that show marked differences in the numbers of lemmings each consumes and in the dependence of their dynamics on lemming density. [2] The coronavirus may sometimes slip its genetic material into human chromosomes—but what does that mean? Dicrostonyx hudsonius the collared lemming is considered undetermined. d. Both a and b. d. Both a and b. Thomas Park studied competition between two species of flour beetles, both with and without their protozoan parasite. The collared lemming, which lives in the high-arctic tundra, is the single prey in one of the world's simplest vertebrate predator-prey relationships. *This article has been updated on 12 September to reflect that some predator species populations may face extinction at these Arctic sites, but not the species overall. The young are born in a nest in a burrow or concealed in vegetation. ... the brown lemming and the collared lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) . It contains the collared lemmings. The high Arctic has the world's simplest terrestrial vertebrate predator–prey community, with the collared lemming being the single main prey of four predators, the … … Add a photo to this gallery. 7 Cool Collared Lemming Facts. History Talk (0) Share. The lemmings spend the winter searching for bulbs and shoots that are often buried beneath the snow. Do Collared Lemmings have any natural predators? During the summer its coat is gray tinged with buff or reddish brown and with dark stripes on the face and back. Catechin content and consumption ratio of the collared lemming Catechin content and consumption ratio of the collared lemming Berg, Thomas 2003-02-08 00:00:00 Oecologia (2003) 135:242–249 DOI 10.1007/s00442-002-1176-1 PLA N T AN IM AL I N T E RA CTI O NS Thomas B. Berg Received: 3 July 2002 / Accepted: 16 December 2002 / Published online: 8 February 2003 Springer … c. decomposers. (the Siberian and Norwegian lemmings) was different from the response to Dicrostonyx torquatus (the collared lemming). The snowy owl and the stoat, in particular, are now struggling to find food. 3, pp. Gilg et al. Collared lemmings breed in winter and only because of winter population growth do these populations persist. A dramatic collapse in the population of Greenland’s only rodent – the collared lemming – means that the food source for several predators has practically vanished. The scientists also estimate the number of predators by counting their nests and dens, and keeping track of the number of fledged owls and skuas. To test predictions of the hypothesis, we compared lemming demography, using mark-recapture and radiotelemetry, on a pop- ulation from which predators were excluded (PE), using a perimeter fence and aerial mesh of nylon (11.4 ha), with demographies of three control populations (18-25 ha). Dicrostonyx vinogradovi. They are the only North American rodents that turn completely white in winter. In summer, a collared lemming has a black nose, grey cheeks, tawny ear spots, a chestnut Female lemmings have two or three litters of four to eight young in a year. (Stercorarius pomarinus) is a major lemming predator in northern Alaska and documented qualitatively the relationship of this species with the popula- tion cycle of the brown lemming (Lemmas trimucronatus) in that region. Other articles where Collared lemming is discussed: lemming: The colour of the collared lemming varies seasonally. To test predictions of the hypothesis, we compared lemming demography, using mark-recapture and radiotelemetry, on a pop- ulation from which predators were excluded (PE), using a perimeter fence and aerial mesh of nylon (11.4 ha), with demographies of three control populations (18-25 ha). Moderate numbers of lemmings are present either early or late in the third summer of a four-year cycle, and avian predators may exploit the third-year population if lemming density is high enough in the spring. The cyclic dynamics of collared lemming populations are determined by a range of predators. The collared lemming, which lives in the high-arctic tundra, is the single prey in one of the world's simplest vertebrate predator-prey relationships. Their numbers follow a characteristic 4 … When they've exhausted the local food supply, they disperse, as do moose, beaver and many other animals. A dramatic collapse in the population of Greenland’s only rodent – the collared lemming – means that the food source for several predators has practically vanished. In the Eurasian Arctic, the most common lemming species are the Siberian lemming (Lemmus sibiricus) and the collared lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus). It contains the collared lemmings.They are the only North American rodents that turn completely white in winter. 11, 2012 , 7:01 PM. The Arctic lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus) is a species of rodents in the family Cricetidae.. The Traill Island project was originally launched to understand the effect of predators—primarily stoats, snowy owls, Arctic foxes, and long-tailed skuas—on the lemming cycle. Edit. Dicrostonyx is a genus of rodent in the family Cricetidae. All rights Reserved. Populations of collared lemmings—rotund rodents with small ears and short legs—are driven by predators and snow conditions. The northern collared lemming or Nearctic collared lemming, sometimes called the Peary Land collared lemming in Canada, is a small North American lemming. KARUPELV VALLEY PROJECT Cyclic Dynamics in a Simple Vertebrate Predator-Prey Community Olivier Gilg¹,²* Ilkka Hanski¹, Benoît Sittler³. However, their population is held in check by four predators. In northeastern Greenland, the collared lemming (A) undergoes cyclic fluctuations in abundance as a consequence of predation by the lemming specialist, the stoat (B).However, lemming populations could escape control by the stoat if it were not for the stabilizing … Dicrostonyx is a genus of rodent in the family Cricetidae. The population cycles of collared lemmings are driven by a. predators of lemmings. Without lemmings for dinner, stoats and other Greenland predators may face local extinction. © 2020 American Association for the Advancement of Science. AAAS is a partner of HINARI, AGORA, OARE, CHORUS, CLOCKSS, CrossRef and COUNTER. A lemming is a small rodent, usually found in or near the Arctic in tundra biomes.Lemmings make up the subfamily Arvicolinae (also known as Microtinae) together with voles and muskrats, which form part of the superfamily Muroidea, which also includes rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils.In popular culture, a longstanding myth holds that they commit mass suicide. There are more than 100 species of lemmings. Grasses Mosses Shrubs Arctic fox Stoat Skua Snowy owl Ptarmigan Collared lemming The primary food source of snowy owl chicks is the collared lemming. And the sudden collapse of a lemming population can mean hard times—or even extinction—for their predators, a new study shows. By keeping such close tabs on the lemmings, the team was able to identify exactly when the lemming cycle in these two regions collapsed. The young are born in a nest in a burrow or concealed in vegetation. But lemming populations in their Arctic tundra home can rise and fall dramatically in just a few short years. curtail lemming population growth in summer. A choice of predator. DNA links elephant tusks from a 487-year-old shipwreck to their living relatives, Camels are munching on plastic, and the results are deadly, Scientists are rethinking where life originated on Earth, These shrews can shrink and regrow their brains, LGBTQ researchers say they want to be counted, Five years in, Paris pact still a work in progress. The discovery is one of the first to suggest how extensive the ecological effects of global warming are apt to be—with entire communities of animals and plants subject to change as the loss of a keystone species is felt throughout a food web. Predators include snowy owls, gulls, wolverines, the Arctic fox and the polar bear. Predators are not evident for two years following a decline from a high. Collared Lemming. It constitutes only one mammalian prey, the collared lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus), and four predators , the stoat ( Mustela erminea ), the arctic fox ( Alopex lagopus ), the snowy owl ( Nyctea scandiaca ), and the long-tailed skua ( … Other species are gray, sandy… And as lemming numbers have dwindled in the region, so have those of their predators; in fact, some populations are likely facing local extinction. The collared lemming in the high-Arctic tundra in Greenland is preyed upon by four species of predators that show marked differences in the numbers of lemmings each consumes and in the dependence of their dynamics on lemming density. The Ungava collared lemming or Labrador collared lemming (Dicrostonyx hudsonius) is a small North American lemming.. (2009) note that the northern collared lemming (Fig. It is active year-round, day and night. In the Eurasian Arctic, the most common lemming species are the Siberian lemming (Lemmus sibiricus) and the collared lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus). Without enough food for their offspring, "they are locally doomed. Dicrostonyx richardsoni Fearless Norwegian lemming screams at predator - … In the winter they molt into a white coat and develop forked digging claws. "There is some evidence already that this is affecting the multitude of migratory birds that breed in the short Arctic summer; they become alternate prey," mainly for the Arctic fox, he notes. Because they are food for numerous predators, one might expect that lemmings would choose habitat that minimizes the predation risk. ... Collared Pika Prepares For ... vikarius 102,774 views. A collared lemming. … Received 7 April 2011, accepted 15 April 2011. Dicrostonyx is a genus of rodent in the family Cricetidae. At one time, it was considered to be a subspecies of the Arctic lemming. Stockholm [Ambio], vol. In the winter they molt into a white coat and develop forked digging claws. Lemmings were the main prey item for arctic foxes, but the predatory response to Lemmus spp. Under ideal conditions, in a single year a population of voles can increase by a factor of ten. Lemmings are herbivores, and have a varies diet that includes grasses, sedges, berries, shoots and leaves. The Ungava collared lemming or Labrador collared lemming (Dicrostonyx hudsonius) is a small North American lemming.. The northern collared lemming or Nearctic collared lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus), sometimes called the Peary Land collared lemming in Canada, is a small North American lemming.At one time, it was considered to be a subspecies of the Arctic lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus). The Collared Lemming is not a “true” lemming in every sense of the word, but it is a small rodent type animal that burrows beneath the snow to make long tunnels and nesting rooms. Populations of collared lemmings—rotund rodents with small ears and short legs—are driven by predators and snow conditions. b. food organisms of lemmings. (the Siberian and Norwegian lemmings) was different from the response to Dicrostonyx torquatus (the collared lemming). Better days. (2009) note that the northern collared lemming (Fig. This species has a short, chunky body covered with brownish-grey fur, with a thin dark stripe along the back and a yellow line along its sides. They live alone in underground burrows, which is where they also stay to keep warm and to hide from predators. Did you know? Arctic predators are facing a hungry future. Turchin et al. The day-to-day changes in the densities of the collared lemming and its predators in Zackenbergdalen were examined using a simple predator—prey model approach (Gilg et al., 2003).The density of lemmings was modelled as continuous, unlimited growth, with different growth rates in summer (low) and winter (high), respectively. change on the lemming-predator communities in northeast Greenland and presumably also elsewhere in the high-Arctic. Dicrostonyx is a genus of rodent in the family Cricetidae. Although generally classified as a "least concern" species, the Novaya Zemlya subspecies (Dicrostonyx torquatus ungulatus) is considered a vulnerable species under Russian nature conservation legislation (included in Red Book of Russian Federation since 1998). Three kinds are found in Alaska, including the collared lemming, the only rodent that turns white in winter. Collared Lemmings are the only rodent found in North America that turns white during the winter. The lemmings spend the winter searching for bulbs and shoots that are often buried beneath the snow. The cyclic dynamics of collared lemming populations are determined by a range of predators. Arctic lemmings are about 3 to 6 inches long. Tundra vole numbers increased rapidly in most summers but usually declined overwinter. Due to its home being in snow and ice, it sports some very enlarged claws in the center nails of its front feet. In 1958 Walt Disney produced "White Wilderness," part of the studio's "True Life Adventure" series. Female lemmings have two or three litters of four to eight young in a year. With the Arctic experiencing record levels of snow melt this summer, the plight of the lemmings—and an ecosystem that depends on their numbers—is not likely to improve soon. 0:09. Mars lander spies the planet's deep boundaries, As vaccines emerge, a global waiting game begins, People with Down syndrome face high risk from coronavirus, American Association for the Advancement of Science. is a full brown and grey summer and winter. Gallery. Lemmings have a very high reproductive capacity, producing two or three litters per year. "When there were plenty of lemmings, the predators helped themselves," Schmidt says. All predator species feed mostly (>90%) on lemmings when lemming density is >1 ha −1 , but the shapes of the predators’ responses vary greatly. Snowy owls can lay 3–11 eggs per year, depending on the availability of food. The collared lemming in the high-Arctic tundra in Greenland is preyed upon by four species of predators that show marked differences in the numbers of lemmings each consumes and in the dependence of their dynamics on lemming density. As a result, the authors note, the warming of the Arctic is not only causing some species to shift their ranges northward, but is even adversely affecting those that stay put. Collared lemmings are the same overall size as brown lemmings but with a shorter tail (about 15 mm). "We expect we will lose the snowy owl, skua, and stoat," he says, noting that these three species are dependent on the lemmings to feed their young. Collared lemming tells you what's what Ashley Asmus. During the summer its coat is gray tinged with buff or reddish brown and with dark stripes on the face and back. Gilg et al. The collared lemming, which lives in the high-arctic tundra, is the single prey in one of the world's simplest vertebrate predator-prey relationships. Collared Lemmings are made up of the species: 1. Dicrostonyx torquatus On Traill Island, populations peaked at more than 10 rodents per hectare in 1990, 1994, and 1998—but since then, there have been scarcely more than two lemmings per hectare in each 4-year cycle. By Virginia MorellSep. Predators in Nunavut include carnivores and birds. Dicrostonyx nelsoni Schmidt and his colleagues have not yet fully determined why the lemming cycle has collapsed, but they suspect that changing snow patterns and conditions are largely to blame. KARUPELV VALLEY PROJECT Cyclic Dynamics in a Simple Vertebrate Predator-Prey Community Olivier Gilg¹,²* Ilkka Hanski¹, Benoît Sittler³. In each cycle, the predators would take 75% to 80% of the population, and then the rodents would spend the next 3 years rebuilding. Arctic lemmings, simply called lemmings, are small rodents native to the Arctic Circle, which spans from Alaska to Siberia. They weigh approximately 112 grams and are on average 16 cm in length. Few collared lemmings live more than a year in the wild and just over 3 years in captivity. Snowy owls can lay 3–11 eggs per year, depending on the availability of food. "It is a beautiful, if worrying, example of how a subtle change to the interactions between species may suddenly cause a switch in an ecological system from one state to another." In the study area in the Karup Valley, at 72o North, there is just one prey species, the collared lemming, which is preyed upon by four species of predators, the stoat, the … Lemming predators include Snowy Owls, Gulls, Arctic Foxes, and even Polar Bears. It contains the collared lemmings.They are the only North American rodents that turn completely white in winter. Predator–prey dynamics in northeast Greenland during the period 1988–2010: (a) collared lemmings, (b) stoat-depredated lemming nests, (c) snowy owl nests, (d) long-tailed skua nests and (e) the fraction of arctic fox dens used for breeding. Grasses Mosses Shrubs Arctic fox Stoat Skua Snowy owl Ptarmigan Collared lemming The primary food source of snowy owl chicks is the collared lemming. The paper begins by making the following point: The northern collared lemming, also known as the bering or nearctic collared lemming, is a short, stocky rodent with a thick pelage that varies seasonally. It contains the following species: "Dicrostonyx groenlandicus, Bering collared lemming", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Collared_lemming&oldid=994886470, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 18 December 2020, at 01:34. Dicrostonyx groenlandicus "The study nicely confirms what had been previously suspected—that the collapse of the lemming population cycles in some parts of the Arctic may have very serious consequences for the specialized predators of the tundra," says Gilles Gauthier, an ecologist at Laval University in Quebec City, Canada. 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