Observations on the Ecology of the Gunnison Prairie Dog in Colorado

Longhurst, William M.

doi:10.2307/1374714

Cited by 37 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Newly excavated burrows of Gunnison's prairie dogs often are shorter than established burrows (Longhurst 1944). For established burrows, periodic deposition of recently excavated earth at the burrow entrance suggests continued enlargement of the burrow system (Alcorn 1940;Armitage 2003;Fitch 1948;Longhurst 1944). Smith and Gardner (1985) measured soil deposition at the burrow entrance and estimated that Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus) lengthen their burrows by an average of 4-7 rn per year.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Factors influencing burrow length and depth of ground-dwelling squirrels

Vuren

Ordeñana

2012

J Mammal

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We reviewed the literature on burrows of North American ground-dwelling squirrels to assess factors influencing burrow length and depth. Prior research suggested that soil characteristics and burrow age can influence burrow dimensions; we extended these findings by evaluating the influence of body size, temperature stress, and degree of sociality. We found that body size was positively correlated with burrow length and depth, probably because larger species require more space for underground activities. This relationship did not hold for Marmota monax and M. flaviventris, for unknown reasons. Burrow length scaled allometric ally with body mass (b = 0.72), possibly because the metabolic effects of limited ventilation in burrows placed a constraint on burrow length. Temperature stress was not related to burrow depth, perhaps because of the insulation provided by snow and soil. The more highly social species excavated longer burrow systems, probably because of the greater space needs of multiple residents per burrow.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing burrow length and depth of ground-dwelling squirrels

Vuren

Ordeñana

2012

J Mammal

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“…Vigilance behavior comprises a significant part of aboveground behavior of prairie dogs (Longhurst, 1944); its frequency varies between pre-juvenile and post-juvenile periods (Verdolin and Slobodchikoff, 2002) and by location within the colony (Armitage, 1962;Svendsen, 1974;Hoogland, 1979). Relatively high mounds and low vegetation facilitate better detection of predators and receiving visual signals from conspecifics.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mounds usually are neither disproportionately downhill on slopes (Longhurst, 1944) nor do they have specific orientation on flat areas (Bailey, 1931;Scheffer, 1947). For burrowing mammals, size (i.e., surface area and volume) of mound varies (Vogel et al, 1973) and whether the mound at the opening to burrows correlates with size of burrow system is questionable (Butler, 2006;Schulz, 1978).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We observed each colony once every 7 days for 2 h. Two colonies were observed in the morning (0800-1100 h), and the other two colonies were observed in the afternoon (1500-1800 h). These periods correspond to bimodal activity peaks of Gunnison's prairie dog (Longhurst, 1944;Rayor, 1988). We switched morning and afternoon observations so that colonies were monitored in morning or afternoon every other day.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Importance of Burrow-Entrance Mounds of Gunnison's Prairie Dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni) for Vigilance and Mixing of Soil

Gedeon

Drickamer

Meador³

2012

The Southwestern Naturalist

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Isotopic Evidence for Long‐Distance Mammal Procurement, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, USA

2016

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Previous research on the prehistoric communities of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico (ca. A.D. 800–1250) provides evidence of an extensive procurement system of nonlocal food and economic goods. In this paper, we use oxygen and strontium isotope analyses to establish whether animal protein followed a similar pattern. We contextualized our isotopic analyses of the archaeofaunas from recent excavations at Pueblo Bonito with data on modern faunas across an area of approximately 100,000 km2 around the site. Our results show that most archaeological deer, rabbits, and prairie dogs were obtained from >40 km away from Pueblo Bonito with the latter two likely being garden hunted. The Chuska Mountains west of Chaco Canyon and more distant San Juan Mountains to the north were the main source areas. These results closely align with previous results on architectural wood, corn, and other key resources. The importation of small game animals suggests that the local supplies could not meet the needs of the community. Long‐distance meat procurement may have been embedded within a more complex network of ritual‐goods exchange or tribute that helped to offset the transport costs. Resource depletion may have contributed to the eventual abandonment of the region during the Medieval Warm Period.

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Observations on the Ecology of the Gunnison Prairie Dog in Colorado

Cited by 37 publications

References 2 publications

Factors influencing burrow length and depth of ground-dwelling squirrels

Factors influencing burrow length and depth of ground-dwelling squirrels

Importance of Burrow-Entrance Mounds of Gunnison's Prairie Dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni) for Vigilance and Mixing of Soil

Isotopic Evidence for Long‐Distance Mammal Procurement, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, USA

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