Question

Describe how American pika populations in Glacier National Park respond to modern elevated temperatures. How does...

Describe how American pika populations in Glacier National Park respond to modern elevated

temperatures. How does this differ from pika responses to modern climate change in the Great

Basin?

This question is from biology class and I was wondered if anyone can explain for me.

0 0
Add a comment Improve this question Transcribed image text
Answer #1

American pikas (Ochotona princeps) are small, food-hoarding mammals whose foraging opportunities are restricted by heat and risk of predation. If hiking disturbance is perceived by pikas as predation risk, it could reduce the amount of food stored overwinter, possibly affecting survival. The hiker disturbance events for 48 pikas in Glacier National Parks, British Columbia, to estimate foraging time lost due to hikers. We tested risk avoidance hypotheses using four indicators of risk behavior: alert distance (DA), flight initiation distance (DF), exit delay (TE), and delay in return to forage (TR). All hiker disturbance events elicited antipredator behaviors in foraging pikas and reduced foraging time; however, when compared to increasing temperatures over 4–6 hour observation periods, the latter best predicted a reduction in pikas' foraging activity. For every 1 °C increase in temperature, pika foraging activity decreased by 3%. Pikas near trails lost an average of 4.1 minutes of foraging time per disturbance event compared to 13.2 minute lost by pikas with territories >100 m away from trails. Such differences might reflect habituation in pikas undergoing frequent disturbance. Monitoring pika populations for declines would be sensible given projected trends in warming climate and potential increases in hiking traffic.

Although the American pika (Ochotona princeps) continues to receive attention due to documented declines and range retractions, particularly in the Great Basin, thorough range inventories have yet to be completed in many parts of the region. Thr recently discovered populations in northwestern Nevada in areas not suspected to support pika activity under current climate regimes. We describe 238 new locations with evidence of past or current occupancy by pikas that cluster into 31 locales, which we interpret as metapopulations or in 15 distinct mountain ranges or geographic areas. We documented twice as many relict sites (sites with evidence of former pika occupancy) as currently occupied sites; supporting previous observations of local range retraction and site losses within the pika’s range. In looking at the overall site data, median elevation and water year precipitation were higher and minimum and maximum July temperatures were lower for occupied sites respective to relict sites.Occupied sites were more likely to be found between a lower and upper limit of water year precipitation, in cooler climates, and on more mesic-facing aspects, but many of these environmental descriptors also describe relict sites. The apparent extirpation of pikas from the range with the highest elevation and lowest temperatures a continue persistence in some of the lowest and hottest areas of (Home Camp Range) is particularly noteworthy. Since pikas were known from only a handful of early 20th century records in the area, both current and historic pika distribution in the northwestern Great Basin and shed light on patterns of pika persistence and extirpation in a region typified by harsher climates respective to other areas with extant pika populations.

Add a comment
Know the answer?
Add Answer to:
Describe how American pika populations in Glacier National Park respond to modern elevated temperatures. How does...
Your Answer:

Post as a guest

Your Name:

What's your source?

Earn Coins

Coins can be redeemed for fabulous gifts.

Not the answer you're looking for? Ask your own homework help question. Our experts will answer your question WITHIN MINUTES for Free.
Similar Homework Help Questions
  • 2) What were some of the key challenges they encountered? How did they overcome them? 3)...

    2) What were some of the key challenges they encountered? How did they overcome them? 3) What were some of the key takeaways they learned to use in the future? When I assumed the leadership of Heinz’s Asia/Pacific business, in 1993, the company’s revenues from that part of the world were hardly a blip—and I’d never visited most of the countries in the region. I made my first trip there soon after I took the job, and it really opened...

  • Hi there! I need to compare two essay into 1 essay, and make it interesting and...

    Hi there! I need to compare two essay into 1 essay, and make it interesting and choose couple topics which im going to talk about in my essay FIRST ESSAY “Teaching New Worlds/New Words” bell hooks Like desire, language disrupts, refuses to be contained within boundaries. It speaks itself against our will, in words and thoughts that intrude, even violate the most private spaces of mind and body. It was in my first year of college that I read Adrienne...

  • First, read the article on "The Delphi Method for Graduate Research." ------ Article is posted below...

    First, read the article on "The Delphi Method for Graduate Research." ------ Article is posted below Include each of the following in your answer (if applicable – explain in a paragraph) Research problem: what do you want to solve using Delphi? Sample: who will participate and why? (answer in 5 -10 sentences) Round one questionnaire: include 5 hypothetical questions you would like to ask Discuss: what are possible outcomes of the findings from your study? Hint: this is the conclusion....

ADVERTISEMENT
Free Homework Help App
Download From Google Play
Scan Your Homework
to Get Instant Free Answers
Need Online Homework Help?
Ask a Question
Get Answers For Free
Most questions answered within 3 hours.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT