Pika occupancy sign surveys (Mammalia)

Knowledge graph centered on Pika occupancy sign surveys (Mammalia) with 70 nodes and 150 connections. Top connected: Rushes, climate change, Erigeron, Populus, Mertensia.

Method synopsis

Standardized searches for fresh pika sign including visual and auditory detection of individuals and fresh food caches (haypiles) to determine current site occupancy. Sites without initial detection receive follow-up exhaustive searches.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 4 papers using this protocol.

Procedure from a recent peer-reviewed implementation

Steps below were extracted from the most recent peer-reviewed implementation of this protocol in the corpus — Determinants of pika population density vs. occupancy in the Southern Rocky Mountains (2014), Ecological Applications. The protocol was originally introduced by The effects of slope orientation and temperature upon activity of the north american pika, <i>Ochotona princeps</i> (2006). Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Establish transect layout
   A control point was located at the lowest instance of rocky debris at each site. Base transect was established 10 m upslope of the control point running perpendicular to the dominant site aspect. Additional transects were established upslope and parallel to the base transect at 60-m intervals. Number of transects per site varied between 1-6 depending on extent of rocky debris.
   Quantities: 1-6 transects per site spaced at 60-m intervals, base transect 10 m upslope from control pointDuration: Setup completed during initial site visitConditions: Transects oriented perpendicular to dominant site aspect
2. Latrine density surveys
   Crews recorded all fresh haypiles, fresh latrines, and individual pikas observed within 30 m of transects. Fresh latrines were determined by presence of green pigment in constituent plant material. Pikas produce both caecal feces (reingestedand fecal pellets (not reingested). Only fecal pellets were examined for evidence of deposition within the current year based on green color disappearing within months of deposition.
   Quantities: Surveys within 30 m buffer of each transect, territory diameter of 25 m used as referenceDuration: Surveys conducted in 2009 and 2010, specific duration per site not specifiedConditions: Most transects were <150 m long, with longer transects having middle portions excluded

Typical Equipment

• visual and auditory detection methods
• exhaustive talus searching methods

Output Measurements

• occupancy status
• presence/absence data

Papers Using This Protocol (4)

Species Studied With This Protocol