Correlations Between Seasonal Precipitation and Bobcat (Lynx rufus), Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus auduboni), and Black-tailed Jack Rabbit (Lepus californicus) Photo Rates Over 9 Years in Southcentral New Mexico.
Department, Center, or Institute
Biology
Presentation Format
Poster
Presentation Type
Off-campus research
Description
We used camera trap data from a large private ranch in southcentral New Mexico and weather data from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) for this study area to evaluate the effects of precipitation in this semi-arid climate on bobcat (Lynx rufus) population trends. We used bobcat photo rates from a 100 sq Km remote camera grid as a proxy for relative population size. Bobcat photo-rates over a 9 year period were compared with seasonal and annual levels of precipitation with 0 to 3 year time lags. We found that spring precipitation in the previous year was significantly correlated with bobcat population size in the following year (S=38, p-value=0.0503, rho=0.683). We suspect that this relationship between bobcat photo rates, assumed to be correlated with bobcat population size, and precipitation is mediated through the apparent population response of desert cottontails (Sylvilagus auduboni) and back-tailed jack-rabbit (Lepus californicus). Using the same type of data we found statistically significant positive correlations between precipitation and both cottontails and jack-rabbits in the same year (p=0.0176 and p=0.0559, respectively) and statistical significance or marginal significance with a 1 year time lag (p=0.044 and p=0.062, respectively).
Session Number
4
Start Date and Time
4-9-2019 3:00 PM
Location
PAC Gym
Recommended Citation
Bolich, Rebecca and Perry, Travis, "Correlations Between Seasonal Precipitation and Bobcat (Lynx rufus), Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus auduboni), and Black-tailed Jack Rabbit (Lepus californicus) Photo Rates Over 9 Years in Southcentral New Mexico." (2019). Furman Engaged!. 310.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/furmanengaged/2019/all/310
Correlations Between Seasonal Precipitation and Bobcat (Lynx rufus), Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus auduboni), and Black-tailed Jack Rabbit (Lepus californicus) Photo Rates Over 9 Years in Southcentral New Mexico.
PAC Gym
We used camera trap data from a large private ranch in southcentral New Mexico and weather data from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) for this study area to evaluate the effects of precipitation in this semi-arid climate on bobcat (Lynx rufus) population trends. We used bobcat photo rates from a 100 sq Km remote camera grid as a proxy for relative population size. Bobcat photo-rates over a 9 year period were compared with seasonal and annual levels of precipitation with 0 to 3 year time lags. We found that spring precipitation in the previous year was significantly correlated with bobcat population size in the following year (S=38, p-value=0.0503, rho=0.683). We suspect that this relationship between bobcat photo rates, assumed to be correlated with bobcat population size, and precipitation is mediated through the apparent population response of desert cottontails (Sylvilagus auduboni) and back-tailed jack-rabbit (Lepus californicus). Using the same type of data we found statistically significant positive correlations between precipitation and both cottontails and jack-rabbits in the same year (p=0.0176 and p=0.0559, respectively) and statistical significance or marginal significance with a 1 year time lag (p=0.044 and p=0.062, respectively).