Talus fragmentation mitigates the effects of pikas, Ochotona princeps, on high alpine meadows
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Authors: W. J. Roach, N. Huntly, and R. Inouye
Date: 2001
Journal: Oikos
Volume: 92
Number: 2
Pages: 315-324
Summary of Methods: Authors initiated investigation into the physical structure of talus slopes and how it affects the foraging behavior of the North American pika (Ochotona princeps), and how those differences in foraging behavior affect different plant functional groups in Wyoming. Pikas at three talus-meadow interfaces differed in the distances they traveled for forage, depending on the structure of the talus slope. Pikas fed preferentially on the vegetation within the talus, ventured into the surrounding meadow when talus vegetation was rare, and traveled farther when haying than when grazing. They traveled into the surrounding meadow less when talus fields were more fragmented and intra-talus vegetation was more abundant. When habitat structure forced pikas to venture out from the talus to forage, they decreased total vegetative biomass by as much as 80 percent and increased the relative importance of cushion plants and sedges. In this study, the authors demonstrated that herbivory by pikas has a strong effect on the biomass and species composition of alpine meadows and suggests that competition between plant species may be important when herbivory pressure is low.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: north american pika (ochotona princeps), talus slopes, foraging behavior, habitat use, habitat structure, functional groups, abundance
Annotation: During peak biomass and immediately after the plots were established, one strip of vegetation was clipped at ground level from each plot.
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