The Tushar Mountains of Utah provide essential alpine habitat to a variety of flora and fauna, including 27 endemic plant species and several ungulates (mountain goats, deer, elk, cattle). These ungulates were observed throughout two growing seasons and field analyses were conducted to assess foraging selection. Overall, most ungulates, especially large nursery herds, tended to prefer foraging amongst alpine regions within the Bullion volcanic of the Tushars, which is characterized by denser vegetation than the Belknap volcanic region. Mountain goats and deer were most frequently observed foraging within the Tushar alpine habitat; however, elk and domestic cattle were also observed. Mountain goats preferred foraging at higher elevations than other ungulates and shared the most dietary overlap with deer. Out of the 27 plant species endemic to this region, only Castilleja parvula var. parvula, commonly known as the Tushar paintbrush, was encountered frequently utilized by ungulates. This plant species was also observed being eaten by a variety of rodents and lagomorphs. Long-term monitoring plots were established in four different populations of C. parvula var. parvula across the Bullion volcanic range of the Tushars. These plots were revisited on a yearly basis and used to ascertain demographic data, which will shed light on population trends over time. A variety of different measurements were used to better understand the biology and habitat requirements of this rare plant species. Although the four monitored populations share many similarities, they each have their own site characteristics, local densities, relative plant communities, and potential threats. Further monitoring is necessary to better understand trends and assess the level of the various threats to C. parvula var. parvula populations.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BGMYU2/oai:scholarsarchive.byu.edu:etd-10859 |
| Date | 14 April 2022 |
| Creators | Shipp, Heather |
| Publisher | BYU ScholarsArchive |
| Source Sets | Brigham Young University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/ |
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