Squirrels in California’s Sierra Nevada Suggests Niche Considerations Go Beyond Climate

Many species are anticipated to modify where and how they live when the climate changes.

As the climate heats, some are predicted to seek out cooler altitudes.

But what happens to species that are already at the summit of a mountain?

When attempting to anticipate where an animal will call home in a changing environment, the climate is only one component to take into account, according to a study of squirrels living in California's high-elevation Sierra Nevada.

Sierra Squirrels Find Their Niche Amid A Changing Climate

(Photo : Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

The study, which was done in alpine regions spanning over 200 miles from Alpine County near Lake Tahoe, along the spine of the Sierra, and south to Tulare and Inyo counties, is published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, as per Phys.org.

Three species of squirrels--the golden-mantled ground squirrel, the Belding's ground squirrel, and the yellow-bellied marmot--have their niche spaces characterized in the study.

The scientists examined approximately 6,000 observations of specific squirrels that were gathered from field survey data during a four-year period.

The "niche" for this study refers to all of the environmental factors that are necessary for an animal to live in a specific location.

Knowing an animal's niche enables scientists to determine which changes are predicted to have the greatest effects on that species and, thus, which creatures may be most vulnerable to climate change.

According to lead author Aviva Rossi, a graduate student in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology at UC Davis who conducted the study, they are attempting to comprehend from the perspective of conservation what will happen to these species as the world evolves.

Rossi can bring that knowledge forward and better comprehend the distinctions between species by doing a quantitative examination of what factors enable a species to live where it does.

The study, which was done in alpine regions spanning over 200 miles from Alpine County near Lake Tahoe, along the spine of the Sierra, and south to Tulare and Inyo counties, is published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

The scientists examined approximately 6,000 observations of specific squirrels that were gathered from field survey data during a four-year period.

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What remains constant

Niche was determined by terrain, such as how steep a region was, and land cover in addition to climate, such as meadows or forests, as per ScienceDaily.

The presence of rocks or the slope are two examples of these non-climate environmental factors that rarely change.

Despite the fact that all three squirrel species live in the same area, each uses that area slightly differently due to its unique niche.

Yellow-bellied marmots and the Belding's ground squirrel depended heavily on grassland meadows.

But within a meadow, Belding's ground squirrels favored moist vegetation while marmots chose drier circumstances.

Golden-mantled squirrels, which are prevalent in the local campgrounds, like wooded regions and thrive when there are more days without snow.

The ground squirrels of Belding's species preferred more time for the snow to accumulate.

In extreme years, Rossi noted, there can still be an excess of a good thing despite these general patterns of selection.

The study indicated that perceptions of mammals in high-elevation mountains as being vulnerable to climatic changes are common.

However, the outcomes highlight the significance of taking into account elements other than climate when establishing their niche.

Making Wiser Choices

Rossi points out that people frequently see climate change through a prism of hope or despair, but the study showed how its effects are more nuanced.

According to Rossi, there is optimism in some places but not in others.

As the planet changes, it might affect where one species lives but not the other.

Robert Klinger from the United States is one of the study's co-author, along with the Geological Survey, the UC Davis Department of Wildlife Fish and Conservation Biology's Elise Hellwig and Dirk Van Vuren, and others.

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