Small mammal community structure in northeastern Nevada

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

O'Farrell, Michael J.; Clark, William A.

Source:

Southwestern Naturalist, Southwestern Association of Naturalists, Volume 31, Issue 1, p.23-32 (1986)

Call Number:

A86OFA01IDUS

URL:

http://www.mammalogist.org/PDF/reprints/Pub048.pdf

Keywords:

chisel-toothed kangaroo rat, Dipodomys microps, Eutamias minimus, Great Basin pocket mouse, Least Chipmunk, Microtus montanus, montane vole, Neotamias minimus, Northern Pocket Gopher, Perognathus parvus, Reithrodontomys megalotis, Sorex vagrans, Thomomys talpoides, vagrant shrew, western harvest mouse

Abstract:

The authors examined the small mammal communities in four major plant associations in the Whirlwind Valley, Eureka and Lander Counties, Nevada. All associations have been extensively grazed by livestock. Live trapping plots were placed and sampled seasonally in each habitat. Dipodomys microps and Perognathus parvus were the primary species within the big sagebrush and shadscale associations. In the greasewood association, P. maniculatus and Eutamias [Neotamias] minimus were primary species. Microtus montanus, Reithrodontomys megalotis, Sorex vagrans, and Thomomys talpoides formed the small mammal community in the marsh-meadow association. Density was low on all plots, not exceeding a total of 13 individuals/ha. Grazing pressure probably accounts for the low habitat quality, which did not support more than 0.6 kg/ ha biomass in shadscale and big sagebrush-shadscale, whereas less than 0.3 kg/ha was supported on each of the remaining habitats. Mammal species diversity was highest in greasewood and the ecotonal plot which corresponded to the habitats with the greatest plant diversity, cover, and vertical structure.

Notes:

ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology