Influence of habitat on behavior of Towndsend's ground squirrels (Spermophilus townsendii)
Journal of Mammalogy
By: Peter B. Sharpe and Beatrice Van Horne
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Abstract
Trade-offs between foraging and predator avoidance may affect an animal's survival and reproduction. These trade-offs may be influenced by differences in vegetative cover, especially if foraging profitability and predation risk differ among habitats. We examined above-ground activity of Townsend's ground squirrels (Spermophilus townsendii) in four habitats in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area in southwestern Idaho to determine if behavior of ground squirrels varied among habitats, and we assessed factors that might affect perceived predation risk (i. e. predator detectability, predation pressure, population density). The proportion of time spent in vigilance by ground squirrels in winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata) and mosaic habitats of winterfat-sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) was more than twice that of ground squirrels in burned and unburned sagebrush habitats. We found no evidence for the 'many-eyes' hypothesis as an explanation for differences in vigilance among habitats. Instead, environmental heterogeneity, especially vegetation structure, likely influenced activity budgets of ground squirrels. Differences in vigilance may have been caused by differences in predator detectability and refuge availability, because ground squirrels in the winterfat and mosaic habitats also spent more time in upright vigilant postures than ground squirrels in burned-sagebrush or sagebrush habitats. Such postures may enhance predator detection in low-growing winterfat.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Influence of habitat on behavior of Towndsend's ground squirrels (Spermophilus townsendii) |
| Series title | Journal of Mammalogy |
| Volume | 79 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Year Published | 1998 |
| Language | English |
| Contributing office(s) | Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center |
| Description | p. 906-918 |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Journal of Mammalogy |
| First page | 906 |
| Last page | 918 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |