Time budget of yellow-bellied marmots at high and low elevations

Abstract

Time budgets of the yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) were created observing two different localities within the Rocky Mountains of Colorado at different elevations (Cement Creek, 2641m and North Picnic, 2900m). Six behaviors (foraging, sitting/lying, locomotion (moving from place to place), fighting, grooming, and being alert/vigilant) were observed and recorded. Marmots at both elevations spent the majority of their time sitting/lying (47-54%). There were no significant differences between time spent foraging at North Picnic and Cement Creek. However, there was a 9% difference in time spent foraging between the sites, with Cement Creek having the greater percentage of foraging time. No agonistic behavior was observed at Cement Creek, while marmots at North Picnic were observed to spend 4% of their time behaving antagonistically. An absence of agonistic behavior could explain the increase in the percent of time spent foraging.