Title

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

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Apr 9th, 3:00 PM

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).