Do red or grey squirrels increase their body weight in autumn in conifer plantations?
There are clear biometric differences between the two squirrel species in Britain and a number of mechanisms in relation to habitat use, diet and behaviour of the two species have been used to explain the observed pattern of red squirrel replacement by the introduced grey. These involve interference as well as resource competition hypotheses and a possible role for disease in some areas [see also: Rushton, S. P., Lurz, P. W. W., Gurnell, J. & Fuller, R. 2000. Modelling the spatial dynamics of parapoxvirus disease in red and grey squirrels: a possible cause of the decline in the red squirrel in the UK? Journal of Applied Ecology 37: 997-1012]. In addition, grey squirrels in deciduous woodlands have been reported to increase their body weight much more than red squirrels in autumn. This would give them a significant advantage which has been demonstrated in North America for sympatric fox (Sciurus niger) and grey squirrels. However, this has not been investigated in relation to patterns o
