Remapping the Cliff Chipmunk (Neotamias dorsalis) Distribution and Creating a Habitat Association Model in Southern Idaho
The distribution of the cliff chipmunk in Idaho was previously considered to include only the Raft River Valley and the Goose Creek Basin. A pilot study was conducted in 2003 and 2004. Thirty-five cliff chipmunk presence locations and 124 absence locations were recorded. Habitat variables of elevati...
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| Format: | Others |
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DigitalCommons@USU
2006
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| Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/6609 https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7667&context=etd |
| Summary: | The distribution of the cliff chipmunk in Idaho was previously considered to include only the Raft River Valley and the Goose Creek Basin. A pilot study was conducted in 2003 and 2004. Thirty-five cliff chipmunk presence locations and 124 absence locations were recorded. Habitat variables of elevation, slope, deviation from south, distance to water, and vegetation type were extracted for all of the absence and presence points by means of GIS analysis. The data were analyzed by implementing a classification tree, and a "GIS habitat association model" was created. The model was tested in 2005, and the overall model accuracy was 77.5%. The study extended the known cliff chipmunk range in Idaho west to Rock Creek, Twin Falls County, east to Weston Canyon, Franklin County, and north to the Cotterel Mountains, Cassia County. Monitoring current known locations and searching for new locations to further refine 11 understanding of the species' distribution and to determine the actual population status of cliff chipmunks in Idaho are recommended. |
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