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A Description and Analysis of Behavior Patterns Among Uinta Ground Squirrels

This research describes and analyzes the behavior of free-living Uinta ground squirrels (Spermophilus armatus) temporally, spatially and with reference to differences in sex, age, population density and habitat. In addition, the relationships between local meteorological parameters and time spent above ground are described and analyzed. The frequency of eight behaviors, feeding, moving, encounters, upright, motionless, grooming, nest gathering and calling, among ground squirrels was found to be labile, varying in frequency with time of day, period of the season, sex, age, population density and habitat, and varying in spatial distribution within the home range. The dominant behavior, feeding, was most frequent during the first and last two hours of the day and tended to occur within the home range core during these hours. During the midday periods home range use became more general and the frequency of the other behaviors increased as feeding frequency decreased. During periods of sexual activity (the beginning and end of the homeothermic season), male ground squirrels displayed high frequencies of encounters, moving and calling behaviors.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UTAHS/oai:digitalcommons.usu.edu:etd-3005
Date01 May 1978
CreatorsMorse, Thomas Earl
PublisherDigitalCommons@USU
Source SetsUtah State University
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
SourceAll Graduate Theses and Dissertations
RightsCopyright for this work is held by the author. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information contact Andrew Wesolek (andrew.wesolek@usu.edu).

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