Habitat Associations of Lepus californicus on Invasive Vegetation and Native Shrublands in Southwest Idaho
Additional Funding Sources
This project was made possible by the NSF Idaho EPSCoR Program and by the National Science Foundation under Award No. OIA-1757324. Additional support was received from the Idaho Army National Guard.
Abstract
The black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) is a keystone prey species in the sagebrush steppe habitats of western North America, performing a multitude of vital roles to the ecosystems they inhabit. However, recent research on whether they have adapted to ongoing changes in habitat and climate is lacking. Cheatgrass and other invasive vegetation have exploded across the American west resulting in loss of sagebrush and other native shrubs through increased fire frequency. Impacts on generalist herbivores including potential habitat displacement are largely unknown. We evaluated current habitat associations for jackrabbits, predicting that they would select habitats with increased proportions of native shrubs, which offer protection from extreme temperatures and predators. Contrary to our predictions, jackrabbits did not avoid cheatgrass and instead appeared to prefer habitats with higher proportions of cheatgrass.
Habitat Associations of Lepus californicus on Invasive Vegetation and Native Shrublands in Southwest Idaho
The black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) is a keystone prey species in the sagebrush steppe habitats of western North America, performing a multitude of vital roles to the ecosystems they inhabit. However, recent research on whether they have adapted to ongoing changes in habitat and climate is lacking. Cheatgrass and other invasive vegetation have exploded across the American west resulting in loss of sagebrush and other native shrubs through increased fire frequency. Impacts on generalist herbivores including potential habitat displacement are largely unknown. We evaluated current habitat associations for jackrabbits, predicting that they would select habitats with increased proportions of native shrubs, which offer protection from extreme temperatures and predators. Contrary to our predictions, jackrabbits did not avoid cheatgrass and instead appeared to prefer habitats with higher proportions of cheatgrass.