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<br />=': <br />:: <br />(Hector, 1976). They prefer open grassland and mountain <br />park habitats. The dense shrub cover of the study site <br />is suboptimal habitat. <br />2.6.5 Rodentia (Rodents) <br />The rodent order is the most diverse and numerous <br />mammalian order in the study region. Food preferences,' <br />habitat requirements and other ecological factors vary <br />considerably. Some spec•Yes are restricted ~o specialized <br />habitats while others are found in a wide range of environ- <br />mental conditions. Their role within the food web is <br />extremely important. As consumers, they help to control <br />undesirable insect populations and i'n turn are preyed upon <br />by a variety of mammals (carnivores) and hawks. <br />Four species of the family Scuridae are found in <br />the vicinity of the study site: Least chipmunks, Richardson's <br />ground squirrels, golden-mantled ground squirrels, and yellow- <br />bellied marmots. <br />Least chipmunks were abundant on the study site during <br />the faunal survey in October. They occurred in all four of <br />the major plant communities, but were most prevalent in <br />areas dominated by snowberry. This is probably due to diet <br />preference and burrowing requirements (the deep loamy soils of <br />snowberry stands are easily burrowed). Chipmunks are not <br />obligate hibernators, but are inactive through much of winter. <br />In October they were the most abundant species seen on the <br />study site; but in mid-November, they were conspicuously <br />absent. This indicates that the timing of inactivity <br />commences around early November in the Williams Fork <br />Mountains. <br />Richardson's ground squirrels were not seen on the study <br />site. However, several ground squirrel burrows were <br />observed along County Road 54 in the vicinity of the <br />Hayden Divide. These ground squirrels are obligate hiber- <br />nators and their absence on the faunal survey is attributed <br />to early hibernation. Richardson's ground scuirrels are <br />common in the Williams Fork biountains (Hector, 1974). <br />Their preference for open habitats limits the use of the <br />study site by this rodent. <br />Golden-mantled ground scuirrels were not seen on the <br />site in October. Although these ground squirrels are also <br />hibernators, they were seen in the other portions of the <br />Williams Fork Mountains. Thus, their absence on the study <br />site is not explainable due to hibernation. It is plausible <br />that none were seer on the site because the species is <br />-66- <br />, <br />__ <br />i <br />i <br />"S <br />i <br />_~ <br />-r <br />T <br /> <br />~~ <br />:mil <br />:~ <br />s <br /> <br />