Title | Botanical content of blacktailed jackrabbit diets on semi-desert rangeland |
Publication Type | Thesis |
Year of Publication | 1989 |
Authors | Wansi T |
Number of Pages | 84 |
Date Published | 1989 |
University | New Mexico State University |
City | Las Cruces, New Mexico |
Thesis Type | M.S. Thesispp |
Accession Number | JRN00091 |
Call Number | 00358 |
Keywords | diet,lagomorph, dissertation, dissertations, lagomorpha, diet, Lepus,diet, rabbit,SEE <LAGOMORPH>, theses, thesis |
Abstract | Botanical content of the blacktailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) diets and relative preference indices for various plant species were evaluated. The study was conducted in southern New Mexico in June, August and October, on six vegetation types: mesquite-grass type, black grama type, snakeweed type, mixed-shrub grass type, creosotebush type and tarbush type. Diets were quantified using microhistological examination of fecal samples. Results from this study suggested that there is a significant (P<.01) difference for most of the important plant species in the diet for vegetational type, period and the vegetational type x period interaction. Grasses were preferred nearly in proportion to their availability. All forbs, except for broom snakeweed, were preferred. Tarbush and creosotebush were not preferred. |