Date of Award:
5-1-1981
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Biology
Department name when degree awarded
Life Sciences:Biology
Committee Chair(s)
Emily C. Oaks
Committee
Emily C. Oaks
Committee
James A. Gessaman
Committee
John C. Malechek
Abstract
1. Pikas coexisting in areas with marmots gathered marmot scats along with vegetation for their haypiles during the summer and fall months. In these areas, haypiles were much smaller than those in areas that did not contain marmot populations. 2. Winter survival rates of pikas which coexisted with marmots were high even though haypiles on the average were small. This high rate of survival is attributed to the energy content in marmot scats which increased the total energy available in the haypiles. 3. The consumption rate of haypile vegetation by pikas in the lab decreased with the addition of marmot scats to the diet. 4. Theoretical considerations of metabolic needs of pikas suggest that the caloric content of the vegetative part of a compound haypile alone is sufficient to sustain an animal through an 8-month winter, whereas vegetation and scats of such a haypile should provide sufficient energy for such a time period.
Recommended Citation
Goliszek, Andrew G., "The Ecological Relationship Between Pikas and Marmots in Northern Utah" (1981). Biology. 468.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd_biology/468
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