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Show 28 PELLET COUNTS Table 5. Number of fecal pellets counted on 100 randomly selected square meter pellets. plots in each of eight vegetation types and plants associated with the Community Fresh Weathered Pellets Pellets Pickleweed l 35 Greasewood 875 7,150 Shadscale-gray molly 150 220 Shadscale-gray molly- 235 1,880 Ratio Number of plants pruned. None. 1:82 8 greasewood. 1:1.47 lO gray molly; 5 shadscale. 1:8 25 gray molly; 8 shadscale; A greasewood; A mound salt brush. greasewood . Shadscale-budsage I70 735 l:4.§7 5 shadscale; l budsage. Vegetated dunes 670 180 130.27 21 sand dock, 16 rabbit brush, 8 greasewood, 3 budsage. Mixed brush 350 A90 Juniper-brush 530 6,200 l:l.h 1:12 8 sagebrush, 3 winterfat, . 2 shadscale. 7 sand dock; 5 fourewinged salt- bush; 2 shadscale; 6 sagebrush; l9 rabbitbrush. s indi- The relative numbers of pellets found in the different communitie amount of feeding cates considerable variation in the numbers of rabbits and the done in the different communities. In all cases except the vegetated dunes, the weathered pellets outnumber the fresh. In this case, it seems probable that Cause of blowing sand mey'cover the weathered pellets, but in other cases, the the divergence in ratio of fresh to weathered pellets is not obvious. PREDATOR‘RELATIONS A discussion of predator relations of coyotes to jack rabbits in Arizona is given by Vorhies and Taylor (l933:5h3).aad Orr (1940:96) treats relations of birds and reptiles to jack rabbits in California. These relations doubtless apply in a general way to our study area in western Utah. Coyotes, Canis latrans lestes Merriam, and the bobcat, lynx rufus palle- since much of it §£§n§_Merriam, are both common predators of our study area ies. has been protected from predator control of state and federal agenc ‘It food supplies from is assumed that both of these predators derive much of their es of the problem the jack rabbits of their home ranges even though special studi here have not been made. In addition, the kit fax, Vulpes macrotis nevadensis |
