American Pika Monitoring within Lava Landscapes and Talus Slope Environments in UCBN and KLMN Parks
Shinderman M. 2021. American Pika Monitoring within Lava Landscapes and Talus Slope Environments in UCBN and KLMN Parks
Join Dr. Matt Shinderman, Oregon State University, to discuss the long-term pika monitoring work he’s been leading across several parks. The American pika, smallest member of the rabbit family, continues to be characterized as an indicator of ecosystem responses to changing climate in mountain environments. Despite that widespread perception, occupancy studies in both high-elevation and low-elevation habitats indicate the species appears to be persisting in many locations. Matt and his HERS Lab team at Oregon State University-Cascades in Bend OR have been collaborating with the UCBN and KLMN to conduct long-term monitoring of pika at four NPS units (CRLA, CRMO, LABE and LAVO) and one national monument administered by the US Forest Service (Newberry National Volcanic Monument in Oregon). The five monitoring sites feature lava landscapes (CRMO, LABE, NEWB) and talus slopes (CRLA, LAVO) that contain unique microhabitats (subsurface cold-air refugia) functionally “decoupled” from ambient climate conditions. Pika persistence in these areas supports other analyses suggesting the species may not be as vulnerable to extinction as previously thought, and also that low-elevation habitats may be important long-term refugia for pika.
- Type
- Presentation
- Authors
- Shinderman, Matthew
- Date of Issue
- 2021-01-27
- Units
- CRLA , CRMO , KLMN , LABE , LAVO , UCBN
- Keywords
- American pika, lava, monitoring, Ochotona princeps, talus
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Mammals