Occurrence and potential interaction of two chipmunk species (Tamias) in Rocky Mountain National Park
Abstract
• Two species of chipmunks, Tamias minimus and T.
umbrinus, are known to occur in the Front Range of the
Colorado Rockies, inhabiting a variety of vegetation types
and specific elevational ranges.
• Identification of and characterization of interactions
between these two species are difficult due to the similar
morphological characteristics they display, as well as their
sympatric distributions.
• Our study was part of a larger survey of small mammal
diversity in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), from
which we chose to focus on the distribution and
interactions between T. minimus and T. umbrinus.
• Based on previous studies, we expect to find T. minimus
in a variety of habitats and predict the frequent capture of
T. umbrinus with T. minimus areas ranging from middle to
higher elevations.
• If the two species are in competition with one another,
we expect the mass of T. umbrinus to be greater in the
absence of T. minimus.