Gedir, J.V., J.W. Cain III, T.L. Swetnam, P.R. Krausman, and J.R. Morgart. 2020. Extreme drought and adaptive resource selection by a desert mammal. Ecosphere 11(7):e03175.
Abstract
We examined habitat selection in desert bighorn sheep in Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, USA, at multiple spatial and temporal scales to gain insight into how desert ungulates respond to variations in climatic conditions. This study highlights the importance of identifying resource selection at both spatial and temporal scales when investigating the interrelationship between species and their environment. It provides insight into the dynamics of resource selection in a desert ungulate, and how they respond to constraints imposed on them by their environment. This work provides an adaptive framework that can serve to inform strategies for managing and conserving species living in arid environments when faced with climate change.