Dissertation Research: Climatic constraints on American pika distribution and abundance

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The American pika is a small mammal that inhabits high-elevation rock slopes throughout the western United States. Reports that pika populations are declining in the Great Basin region have raised concerns that these populations may be particularly sensitive to climate change, in part because high-elevation ecosystems are disproportionately threatened by warming temperatures. Two years of preliminary data across 69 sites suggest that precipitation patterns impact pika distribution in the southern Rocky Mountains. This research will be extended through focused monitoring of climate and pika densities at 25 sites. Gene frequencies will be compared among pika populations to determine how climate and habitat may have constrained the dispersal of pikas across this region. The intellectual merit of the proposed research lies in its investigation of why climate is impacting the pika and similar sensitive species.This research will have several broader impacts. It will inform conservation efforts for the pika and other species that may be threatened by climate change. Mechanistic studies such as this are critical to developing the understanding needed for sustainable management of biological resources in a changing world. Second, undergraduate students will continue to play an integral role in this research. Finally, it will support develoment of a Colorado pika citizen science program that will empower local citizens to get involved in science and conservation.