Environmental change and the ecological dynamics of Great Basin small mammals over the past century: Insights from historical museum records and modern resurveys

University Of Utah, Salt Lake City UT

Investigators

Abstract

This project uses historical museum records and modern field surveys to assess changes in the small mammal communities of the Great Basin over the past century. Comparative "then and now" data from resurveyed historical localities, information from repeat photography, and historical and modern climate data will be used to distinguish the relative impact of human land use and climate change on Great Basin mammals. Preliminary data from the Ruby Mountains reveal major faunal changes over the past 80 years. At local sites, these include the apparent loss or gain of species or changes in species relative abundance. Some local changes are associated with altered plant communities and reflect land-use history, whereas others are likely direct responses to climate change. Local community similarity has decreased over time, and faunal changes have been most profound at lower elevations. Across elevation, distributions of some moisture-loving species have shifted upslope consistent with predicted response to climate change. In contrast, ranges of arid-adapted species have not expanded. Land use, invasive species, and climate change have altered biotic communities throughout the Great Basin, now considered one of the most threatened bioregions in North America. Understanding how species and communities respond to environmental change requires a longterm perspective. This research will develop the use of museum data to investigate faunal response to environmental change. It will generate additional data for investigating future biotic change, and to support future studies on the ecology, population genetics, and biogeography of regional mammals. Results will have direct relevance for regional land management. The project will support a post-doctoral scientist and will engage university students and volunteers in field research, museum science, and scholarship. Results will support museum programs and K-12 science curricula on environmental change and the relevance of natural history collections to this important topic.