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Observations On The Reproduction And Embryology Of The Lahontan Tui Chub, Gila Bicolor, In Walker Lake, Nevada, James J. Cooper

Great Basin Naturalist

Various aspects of the reproduction and embryology of Walker Lake Lahontan tui chub, Gila bicolor, were investigated during the spring–summer period of 1976, 1977, and 1981. Tui chub were found to spawn in littoral regions of the lake beginning in late May or early June. Early in the season male chub substantially outnumbered females over the spawning grounds, with a normal 1:1 sex ratio gradually approached as the season progressed. The developmental period between fertilization to hatch-out was shortened by increases in water temperature. Selected stages of embryonic development are described from egg fertilization through post-hatch.

Summer Food Habits Of Coyotes In Central Wyoming, Joseph Tucker Springer, J. Steven Smith

Great Basin Naturalist

Summer food habits of coyotes (Canis latrans) were investigated on a 3100-km² area in central Wyoming, divided into one deer-use area and five non-deer areas. Analysis of 404 scats (fecal samples) revealed an overall average of 63 percent occurrence of native ungulates, 63 percent leporids, 46 percent rodents, 14 percent livestock, and 11 percent birds. Pronghorn (Antilocapra Americana) was the ungulate most frequently consumed, occurring in about 87 percent of the scats. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) occurred in only 8 percent, and in 5 percent the native ungulate remains were not identifiable beyond …

Feeding Interrelations Of Native Fishes In A Sonoran Desert Stream, Donald C. Schreiber, W. L. Minckley

Great Basin Naturalist

Native fishes in Aravaipa Creek, Arizona, cropped foods proportional to abundance of those foods within the system. Ephemeropteran nymphs and adults comprised the major prey of 5 of 7 fishes (Gila robusta, Meda fulgida, Rhinichthys osculus, Tiaroga cobitis, and Catostomus insignis). The omnivorous Agosia chrysogaster ate almost as many nymphal mayflies as did the carnivores. Pantosteus clarki was herbivorous, taking animals only when they were abundant. When ephemeropterans decreased in abundance, a shift by some fish species occurred to other locally or seasonally abundant items. Other fishes continued to feed upon the same foods throughout the year. Abundance …

Contributions To The Life History Of Sacramento Perch, Archoplites Interruptus, In Pyramid Lake, Nevada, Steven Vigg, Paul A. Kucera

Great Basin Naturalist

During a two-year period (1976–1977), 180 Sacramento perch (Archoplites interruptus) were sampled from Pyramid Lake, Nevada, on a monthly basis using several capture methods in all lake areas. Age and growth determinations of these fish were inconsistent with previous research on this species. Sacramento perch are entirely carnivorous, adults feeding primarily on tui chub (Gila bicolor). Fish accounted for 6 percent of the diet (by volume) of Sacramento perch less than 300 mm fork length, and 98 percent for those exceeding 300 mm. Amphipods, Odonata, and Chironomidae composed 6.3, 5.7, and 1.8 percent, respectively, of the …

Bird Community Composition In Relation To Habitat And Season In Betatakin Canyon, Navajo National Monument, Arizona, Jack D. Brotherson, Lee A. Szyska, William E. Evenson

Great Basin Naturalist

Bird species density, diversity, and species richness in relation to habitat and seasonal variations were studied in the Betatakin Canyon area of Navajo National Monument, Arizona. The two most prominent habitat types are a riparian forest deep in the canyon bottom and a mature pinyon-juniper woodland on the mesas and slopes above the canyon. One hundred thirty-five species of birds were encountered during the study and recorded by season and habitat. The avifauna assemblages demonstrate definite habitat selection into groups associated with the riparian and pinyon-juniper woodland communities. Diversity, density, and species richness were greatest in the riparian habitat during …

The Invertebrate Fauna Of The Caves Of The Uinta Mountains, Northeastern Utah, Stewart B. Peck

Great Basin Naturalist

Seven large caves in the Uinta Mountains, Utah, were surveyed for their invertebrate faunas. Thirty-eight species were found, and 30 of these are typical cave inhabitants. Diptera are the predominant group. Cave-restricted species are an amphipod, two diplurans, and possibly a Rhagidia mite. The caves were probablv uninhabitable in the past glacial because of severe periglacial environmental conditions, and the faunas have moved into the present cave sites since deglaciation of the Uintas.

A Checklist Of The Alpine Vascular Flora Of The Teton Range, Wyoming, With Notes On Biology And Habitat Preferences, John R. Spence, Richard J. Shaw

Great Basin Naturalist

A checklist of the vascular flora of the alpine zone (treeless vegetation above 9500 feet or 2900 m) of the Teton Range is presented. For each of the 216 species, six attributes are listed: flower color and shape, pollination mode, life form, habitat preference, and whether each species is found in the Arctic. White and yellow flowered species are most common, and zoophilous species greatly predominate over anemophilous and apomictic species. Perennial/biennial herbs are the most common life form. Common habitats in the alpine zone include dry and wet meadows, bogs, debris accumulations, and cliffs and rock faces. Arctic species …

Some Spatial And Behavioral Features Of The Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel, Tim W. Clark

Great Basin Naturalist

Some relationships between home range, agonistic behavior, and reproductive patterns in thirteen-lined ground squirrels were investigated in Laramie Plains, Wyoming (August 1966–April 1969). Population size and densities fluctuated seasonally and annually. Adult male (N = 7) home ranges averaged 0.24 ha and were smaller than those of the female (N = 9), which averaged 0.35 ha. Agonistic interactions were more frequent during the natal period (late May–June) than during the breeding-gestation period (mid April–May). Most squirrels (86 percent) shared capture sites and had overlapping home ranges. However, a certain degree of spacing existed because of agonistic behavior.

Compositional Similarity Within The Oakbrush Type In Central And Northern Utah, L. M. Kunzler, K. T. Harper, D. B. Kunzler

Great Basin Naturalist

Indices of similarity were used to evaluate the similarity of oakbrush stands throughout the Uinta National Forest and to compare oak communities in central and northern Utah. Results show that Gambel oak stands in central Utah differ significantly among themselves in respect to quantitative aspects of the vegetation. Those differences can be correlated with elevation, slope exposure, and fire history. Nevertheless, there is currently inadequate justification for recognizing more than one habitat type for the species in the study area. There is a need to develop a model capable of predicting growth rate of oak on specific sites.

Plants Of Angel Island, Marin County, California, J. D. Ripley

Great Basin Naturalist

The floristic composition of Angel Island, Marin County, California, is presented. The vascular flora consists of 416 native and naturalized plants, representing 252 genera and 73 families. Eighty species of ornamental plants persisting from cultivation, representing 64 genera and 39 families, are also identified. The nonvascular flora consists of 42 species of fungi, 7 species of green algae, 8 species of brown algae, and 41 species of red algae. The vascular flora occurs in seven plant communities and is composed mainly of the following plant types: forbs (69 percent), grasses (13 percent), shrubs (8 percent), and trees (4 percent). Approximately …

Observations On Seasonal Variation In Desert Arthropods In Central Nevada, Robert D. Pietruszka

Great Basin Naturalist

Pitfall and Malaise trap collections from terrestrial arthropod populations in central Nevada were analyzed for four trapping periods during the 1978 growing season. Mites (Acarina) and ants (Formicidae) were the taxa represented by the largest numbers of individuals in pitfall trap collections throughout the season; Malaise collections were composed mainly of aerial taxa (largely Diptera and Hymenoptera). Peak arthropod abundance was recorded during mid-June. Collection diversities for both trapping methods were generally low due to the abundance of a few taxa. Evidence for spatial heterogeneity in arthropod populations was meager; temporal heterogeneity in these populations, however, was more apparent.

Relationships Among Total Dissolved Solids, Conductivity, And Osmosity For Five Artemia Habitats (Anostraca: Artemiidae), Nicholas C. Collins, Gray Stirling

Great Basin Naturalist

Graphs allowing interconversion between various physical chemical parameters are presented for five Artemia habitats in the western USA. Both the mean osmosity and its typical yearly range differ greatly among habitats. Consequently, Artemia populations provide an interesting opportunity to study physiological and life history adaptations to differing degrees of habitat stability.

Habitat And Plant Distributions In Hanging Gardens Of The Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah, George P. Malanson

Great Basin Naturalist

Hanging gardens are insular plant communities of the Colorado Plateau. This study examines hanging gardens in the Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah. The floristic similarity of gardens and the presence of species in classes of variables which characterize the habitat are disclosed. Although the gardens are isolated and dissimilar, the individual species are not restricted in the range of habitat found. Floristic dissimilarity cannot be attributed to differences in habitat. These results are compared to studies of hanging gardens in eastern Utah.

Short-Term Effects Of Logging On Red-Backed Voles And Deer Mice, Thomas M. Campbell Iii, Tim W. Clark

Great Basin Naturalist

Clearcutting and selective logging effects on red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi) and deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) were studied (September–November, 1975; June–October, 1976) in Bridger–Teton National Forest, Wyoming. Five selective cuts (total 137 ha) removed 57 percent (range 34–74 percent) of the trees. One clearcut (9.6 ha) eliminate 84 percent of the trees. Soils remained mesic in selective cuts, but became xeric in the clearcut. Snap-trapping indicated that voles were most abundant on the unlogged and selectively cut mesic sites (76 percent of 408 captures), whereas deer mice were more common on the xeric clearcut (80 percent of …

Some Aspects Of Succession In The Spruce-Fir Forest Zone Of Northern Utah, David J. Schimpf, Jan A. Henderson, James A. Macmahon

Great Basin Naturalist

A site in the Rocky Mountain subalpine forest zone with which a series of hypotheses concerning ecosystem succession was tested is characterized. Succession from herb-dominated meadows to climax forests of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir can follow at least four identified pathways. After fire, spruce and fir may reinvade a site directly, follow invasion by aspen, or follow invasion by lodgepole pine, the pathway depending on a combination of physical and biotic factors. In other cases, succession begins with long-established meadows which do not owe their existence to fire. In this latter pathway, aspen invades meadows by suckering and changes …

Decreases Of Juniper Woodland In The Utah And Salt Lake Valleys Since Settlement, E. M. Christensen, J. D. Brotherson

Great Basin Naturalist

Although pinyon-juniper woodland is common throughout most of Utah, it is less so in Utah and Salt Lake valleys. Even so, stands do occur in the valleys and are known to have been there since presettlement times. Three such stands occurring along the eastern sections of the valleys have shown major decreases in area since settlement times, and one has all but disappeared. Their disappearance is attributed to early use for fuel, agricultural, and urbanization purposes.

Competitive Displacement As A Factor Influencing Phytoplankton Distribution In Utah Lake, Utah, Lorin E. Squires, Mark C. Whiting, Jack D. Brotherson, Jack D. Rushforth

Great Basin Naturalist

Phytoplankton studies during the summer of 1974 in Utah Lake, Utah, demonstrated the development of disjunct distributions of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and Ceratium hirundinella. Differential response to environmental factors and competitive displacement are proposed as probable explanations for this phenomenon.

Flora Of The Lee Creek Valley, Alberta, Keith R. Shaw

Great Basin Naturalist

The floristic composition of the Lee Creek valley in southwestern Alberta, Canada, is presented. The valley flora consists of 299 species of vascular plants representing 173 genera and 46 families. The flora is dominated by forbs (73 percent), followed by grasses (24 percent), shrubs (12 percent), and trees (11 percent). The valley of Lee Creek is divided into upper and lower sections on the basis of elevational, climatic, and biotic differences. Floristic richness of the Lee Creek valley is quite evenly divided between the upper and lower valleys: 105 species limited to the upper valley, 95 to the lower valley, …

Competition Between Harvester Ants And Rodents In The Cold Desert, Dan S. Landeen, Clive D. Jorgensen, H. Duane Smith

Great Basin Naturalist

Local distribution patterns of three rodent species (Perognathus parvus, Peromyscus maniculatus, Reithrodontomys megalotis) were studied in areas of high and low densities of harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex owyheei) in Raft River Valley, Idaho. Numbers of rodents were greatest in areas of high ant-density during May, but partially reduced in August; whereas, the trend was reversed in areas of low ant-density. Seed abundance was probably not the factor limiting changes in rodent populations, because seed densities of annual plants were always greater in areas of high ant-density. Differences in seasonal population distributions of rodents between areas of high …

Ecological And Community Relationships Of Eriogonum Corymbosum (Polygonaceae) In The Uinta Basin, Utah, Jack D. Brotherson, Karen J. Brotherson

Great Basin Naturalist

Ecological and community relationships of 10 different plant communities in the Uinta Basin, Utah, where Eriogonum corymbosum was found to grow were studied and described. Each community was sampled to determine the amount of ground cover, percent composition, frequency, and density of participating species. Physical site factors, viz., soil texture, total soluble salts, pH, cation exchange capacity, and amounts of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium were determined. The 10 communities were compared to determine the degree of similarity between them. Correlations between individual plant species and measurable characteristics of the community were attempted. Evidence is presented that the distributional patterns …

Review Of Tularemia In Utah And The Great Basin, Harold E. Stark

Great Basin Naturalist

This is a compilation of tularemia research conducted in Utah, particularly at U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), Utah, and an evaluation of this information in relation to the current status of tularemia studies. A brief history of tularemia in Utah and a review of field and laboratory studies are included.

Human cases of tularemia occur throughout Utah during all seasons of the year. An analysis of recent human disease reveals a concentration of cases in rural areas, with a greater seasonal occurrence in late summer and early fall.

Annual Energy Budgets For Three Common Rodent Species In The Northern Great Basin, R. Kent Schreiber

Great Basin Naturalist

Annual energy budgets were calculated for three species of small mammals (Peromyscus maniculatus, Onychomys leucogaster, Reithrodontomys megalotis) from the northern Great Basin, Benton County, Washington. Individual ingestion rates were based on species activity, microclimate regime, coefficient of digestibility, caloric diet, and the cost for reproduction. For males and females, the estimated energy expenditures were: P. maniculatus, 6080, 5891; O. leucogaster, 5714, 6587; and R. megalotis, 4057, 3791 kcal/yr. By comparison, each species on an individual basis processes more energy annually than the more abundant species in the community, Perognathus parvus, but their total contribution to community energy flow …

Phytoseiid Predators Of Mite Pests In Utah Apple Orchards, Clive D. Jorgensen, Vichitra Mongkolprasith

Great Basin Naturalist

Recent efforts to integrate phytoseiid predators in pest (mite) management programs for apples have been somewhat successful and economical in several fruit growing areas of North America. Convenient descriptions and reviews of the literature for species which have been collected from Utah are provided to stimulate further local work. Seven species of Amblyseius and five Typhlodromus are described (none new), with notes provided concerning their respective geographic distributions and biologies.

Ants From Northern Arizona And Southern Utah, Dorald M. Allred, Arthur C. Cole

Great Basin Naturalist

Ants of 22 species were collected in can pit-traps from 16 different vegetative associations to determine distribution, seasonal and annual occurrence, and population as bases for monitoring environmental impact. Thirteen species were sufficiently abundant and distributed to qualify as indicator species. Myrmecocystus mexicanus was the most widespread ecologically. Pogonomyrmex occidentalis was the most abundant species, but second in ecological distribution. The greatest number of species was found in the juniper-Ephedra-grass association, and the fewest species in Ephredra-Coleogyne-Grayia.

Beetles From The Environs Of Lake Powell In Southern Utah And Northern Arizona, Dorald M. Allred, Vasco M. Tanner

Great Basin Naturalist

Sixty-eight species of beetles of 14 families were collected in pit traps in 12 major vegetative communities during environmental monitoring studies in the summers of 1971 to 1973 in southern Utah and northern Arizona. Seasonal and plant community differences and correlations in population and composition were noted for the 16 sites studied. Highest populations and the most species were found in a grass community, but occurred in different months in each of the three years. Lowest populations were found in a Coleogyne community, and fewest species in an Artemisia-grass community.

Diatom Floristics And Succession In A Peat Bog Near Lily Lake, Summit County, Utah, Shobha A. Jatkar, Samuel R. Rushforth, Jack D. Brotherson

Great Basin Naturalist

Diatoms from core samples obtained from the edge of Lily Lake, Summit County, Utah, were studied. Populations from each 15 cm of the core and niche metrics of the important species were analyzed. This study demonstrates four periods of history in the lake as mirrored by the diatom populations. The first period was mesotrophic and alkaline. This graded into an acidic, dystrophic period which in turn yielded again to a mesotrophic alkaline period. The most recent period can be characterized by a return to dystrophy.

Vertical Distribution Of Adult Fish In Pyramid Lake, Nevada, Steven Vigg

Great Basin Naturalist

Inshore and limnetic vertical distribution of adult fish in Pyramid Lake, Nevada was determined from late spring to early fall 1977. The benthic (23 m) inshore area exhibited a relatively diverse composition of five species, while the inshore surface and offshore limnetic zones were composed of over 98 percent tui chubs (Gila bicolor). Vertical fish distribution was associated with temperature and zooplankton distribution.

Correction: Rhamnus Cathartica L. Is Not Prunus Nigra Ait. From Alberta, R Keith Shaw

Great Basin Naturalist

The plant previously reported from Alberta as Canada Plum (Prunus nigra Ait.) flowered and is now recognized European Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica L.).

The Algal Flora Of The Campus Of Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, Cheng Mou-Sheng, Samuel R. Rushforth

Great Basin Naturalist

The algal flora of the Brigham Young University campus is more diverse than previously thought. Sixty-eight genera containing 160 species of Chlorophyta, Euglenophyta, Chrysophyta, and Cyanophyta were collected and identified. The greatest number of species was obtained from a small pond in the arboretum, with progressively fewer species obtained in the irrigation canal partly surrounding the campus and in specialized habitats in the greenhouses.

An Annotated List Of The Aquatic Insects Of Southeastern Idaho, Part Ii: Trichoptera, Robert L. Newell, G. Wayne Minshall

Great Basin Naturalist

Distribution records for the Trichoptera occurring in the southeastern one-third of Idaho are summarized based on published records and collections by the authors and their colleagues. The study revealed representatives of 13 families, 37 genera, and 84 species. Several species were collected for the first time in Idaho, including: Hesperophylax magnus, Limnephilus frijole and L. thorus, Psychoglypha ormiae, Ceraclea annulicornis and C. copha, Polycentropus crassicornis, Tinodes provo, and Agrypania dextra.