Habitat of Woodrats (Neotoma) in the Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, Utah: Vegetation
Armstrong DM. 1974. Habitat of Woodrats (Neotoma) in the Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, Utah: Vegetation. Laramie, WY
Three species of woodrats (Neotoma mexicana, N. albigula, N. cinerea) are sympatric at middle elevations (5000 to 5040 ft.) in the Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, San Juan Co., Utah. All den among rocks of the Permian Cutler Formation. Vegetational composition and structure were considered among a number of characteristics of possible importance in establishing complementarity of realized niches and allowing coexistence. Vegetation was sampled at 11 stations on each of 26 semicircular grids (400 sq. m.) centered on woodrat dens, noting density, coverage, and frequency of species within each synusia. Analyses of vegetation considered floristics and physiognomy, species diversity and habitat diversity. Using nonparametric statistical tests, no significant differences were found in vegetation around dens of the three species of woodrats, except that graminoids were more important about unoccupied dens than about dens of N. cinerea, and forbs were more important near dens of N. mexicana than those of N. albigula.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Armstrong, David
- Date of Issue
- 1974-04
- Units
- CANY
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Distribution, Inventory, Mammals, Monitoring, Needles District Canyonlands National Park UT, Physical Sciences, Rodents (Rodentia), Woodrats (Neotoma)