Bobcat ranging behavior in relation to small mammal abundance on Colima Volcano, Mexico
One adult male bobcat and one adult female bobcat (Lynx rufus) werecaptured near the summit of Colima Volcano, western Mexico. The overall homerange of the adult male was 560.5 ha, which encompassed the range of the adultfemale at 98.9 ha. Determination of core areas from cluster analysis helpedeluc...
| Autores: | , , |
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| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Estado: | Versão publicada |
| Data de publicação: | 2003 |
| País: | México |
| Recursos: | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México |
| Repositório: | Redalyc-UNAM |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:redalyc.org:45874107 |
| Acesso em linha: | https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=45874107 |
| Access Level: | Acceso aberto |
| Palavra-chave: | Biología disturbance small mammals Colima Volcano western Mexico ranging behavior |
| Resumo: | One adult male bobcat and one adult female bobcat (Lynx rufus) werecaptured near the summit of Colima Volcano, western Mexico. The overall homerange of the adult male was 560.5 ha, which encompassed the range of the adultfemale at 98.9 ha. Determination of core areas from cluster analysis helpedelucidate habitat preferences. The adult male centered activity on a large rockylava flow field produced during the 1869 flank eruption of the parasitic vent, ElVolcancito. A second core area was identified as the 1880 lava flow on the northernflank of the volcano, which was favored by the adult female. The femalebobcat also centered activity in grassland on the western slopes of the volcanobetween 3100 and 3200 m. Bobcat preference for the lava flows and grasslandwas related to their preferred mode of hunting, involving stalking prey andlying in wait, requiring cover and vantage points, and the distribution of smallmammals on the volcano. Small mammals were sampled within tree and grasslandhabitats on the volcano using a replicated trapping design. Abundance ofsmall mammals was greater in grassland as opposed to wooded habitats. Seedproduction can be expected to be greater in grassland habitats favoring highdensities of small mammals. The high abundance of the bunchgrass Calamagrostistolucensis, along with herbs, in grassland habitats on the volcano should providesufficient vegetative material for species such as Microtus mexicanus. |
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