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Diel Activity of Female Desert Bighorn Sheep in Western Arizona

1989; Wiley; Volume: 53; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/3801345

1937-2817

Jay A. Alderman, Paul R. Krausman, Bruce D. Leopold,

Rangeland and Wildlife Management

Mountains, Arizona, July 1985 -June 1987 25 5. Diel regression models (Y = a + Bi X: + mean relative hunidity (%) for summer (Su), Fall (F), winter (W), and spring (Sp) in the Little Harguahala Mountains, Arizona, July 1985 -June 1986 26 6.Mean hourly moisture content (%) of littleleaf palo verde for summer (Su) 1985, in the Little Harguahala Mountains, Arizona 27 7. Nocturnal regression models (Y = a + Bi X; + B 2*i^ mean activity (%) for summer (Su), fall (F), winter (W), and spring (Sp) in the Little Harguahala Mountains, Arizona, July 1985 -June 1986 28 v LIST OF TABLES Ifeble Page 1. Pearson product-moment correlation (r) coeficients and P values (P) for diurnal and nocturnal (*) rela tionships between sheep activities (%), temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) (%) in the Little Harquahala Mountains, Arizona, 1985-86.All cor relations are significant (P < 0.05) 29 2. Mean seasonal forage moisture (%) (diurnal/nocturnal), relative humidity (RH) (%), and temperature (T) in the Little Harquahala Mountains, Arizona, 1985-86 30 vi ABSTRACT I studied diel activity patterns of female desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) in the Little Harquahala Mountains, Arizona, July 1985 -June 1986.Diurnal activity patterns were similar throughout the year.Nocturnal activity patterns were similar for all seasons except spring when activity significantly (P = 0.003) decreased.Bighorn sheep were active an average of 39 and 33% of any given hour during the day and night, respectively.Diurnal ambient temperatures and relative humidity were significantly (P £ 0.048) correlated with bighorn sheep activity during all seasons.Bighorn sheep spent a majority of the time foraging in the fall and winter, but spent more time resting during spring and summer.Bighorn sheep obtain water in their food throughout the day; percent moisture content of forage species remained high (> 32%) for any given hour of the day throughout the year.vii