Habitat use and food selection of small mammals near a sagebrush/crested wheatgrass interface in southeastern Idaho

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Great Basin Naturalist; (United States)

OSTI ID:7065190

Koehler, D K ^[1]; Anderson, S H ^[2]

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1. Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Idaho Falls (United States)
2. Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Univ., Laramie (United States)

Research has been conducted on various aspects of the ecology of wildlife residing on and adjacent to the Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) and one other low-level radioactive waste disposal site on the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in southeastern Idaho. Habitat use and food selection data were collected for deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), montane voles (Microtus montanus), Ord's kangaroo rats (Dipodomys ordii), and Townsend's ground squirrels (Spermophilus townsendii) near a sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)/crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) interface. Significantly more captures occurred in the native sagebrush habitat than in areas planted in crested wheatgrass or in disturbed sites. Crested wheatgrass, a prolific seed producer, still accounted for over 30% of the total captures. Montane voles and Townsend's ground squirrels (during periods of aboveground activity) used the crested wheatgrass habitat throughout the summer, while deer mice and Ord's kangaroo rats exhibited heavy use after seed set.

• OSTI ID: 7065190
• Journal Information: Great Basin Naturalist; (United States), Vol. 51:3; ISSN 0017-3614
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
IDAHO NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
WILD ANIMALS
ECOLOGY
FEEDING
HABITAT
IDAHO
MAMMALS
ANIMALS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
FEDERAL REGION X
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
VERTEBRATES
540210* - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (1990-)
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage