Ecology of Canada lynx in Southern boreal forest

Canada lynx occur throughout boreal forests of North America, but ecological conditions in southern regions differ in many respects from those in Canada and Alaska. To evaluate the extent to which lynx ecology and population biology may differ between these regions, we review existing information from southern boreal forests and compare our findings to information presented in Chapter 9 on lynx in the taiga. Throughout North America, lynx diets in both winter and summer are dominated by snowshoe hares. In southern boreal forests, alternative prey, especially red squirrels, are important constituents of the diet. This reliance on alternative prey may reflect a response to low-density hare populations in southern regions, because alternative prey are also important in the taiga during lows in the snowshoe hare cycle. In addition, limited information on lynx diets during snow-free months indicates that alternative prey are important during summer in both northern and southern populations, regardless of the status of local hare populations. As in the taiga, lynx in southern regions are associated with boreal and sub-boreal forest conditions, including upper elevation, coniferous forests in