burrows to provide temperature regulation, avoid predators, and use during the inactive season (75 FR 22063–22070). Table 2. Habitat Associations for Mohave Ground Squirrel Land Habitat Habitat Supporting Land Cover Type Cover Use Designation Parameters Information Creosote bush Primary Active and Deep, sandy to Best 1995; Desert habitat Inactive gravelly soils on 2011 saltbush scrub, Season flat to Desert sink scrub, moderately Desert sloping terrain greasewood with open scrub, Shadscale vegetative cover scrub, Joshua Tree woodland Foraging Requirements The Mohave ground squirrel can be characterized as omnivorous and has diverse food habits, but also is a short-term dietary specialist during the active season (Best 1995). In the short term, they specialize in foraging on certain plant species, but as these sources become less available throughout the active season, the Mohave ground squirrel adapts its foraging strategy to maximize energy intake, exploiting food sources that are intermittently available (75 FR 22063–22070). High water content may be a component of their food selection as plants are eaten at different times depending on their water content (Best 1995; 75 FR 22063–22070). Mohave ground squirrels consume the leaves, fruits, and seeds of a variety of annual and perennial plants, fungi, arthropods, and butterfly larvae. At various time of the year and depending on location, it may consume leaves, forbs, shrubs, and grasses of several species and genera, including creosote (Larrea tridentata), winter fat (Krascheninnikovia lanata), spiny hop-sage (Grayia spinosa), freckled milk-vetch (Astragalus lentiginosus), eremalche (Eremalche exilis), desert-marigold (Baileya pleniradiata), langloisia (Langloisia setosissma), Mojave monardella (Monardella exilis), saltbush (Atriplex spp.), gilia (Gilia spp.), golden linanthus (Linanthus aureus), and Mediterranean grass (Schismus arabicus), as well as seeds of box thorn (Lycium spp.) (Best 1995; 75 FR MGSWG 2011). On the Coso Range (outside of the Plan Area),
burrows to provide temperature regulation, avoid predators, and use during the inactive season (75 FR 22063–22070). Table 2. Habitat Associations for Mohave Ground Squirrel Land Cover Type Land Cover Use Habitat Designation Habitat Parameters Supporting Information Creosote bush Desert saltbush scrub, Desert sink scrub, Desert greasewood scrub, Shadscale scrub, Joshua Tree woodland Primary habitat Active and Inactive Season Deep, sandy to gravelly soils on flat to moderately sloping terrain with open vegetative cover Best 1995; 2011 Foraging Requirements The Mohave ground squirrel can be characterized as omnivorous and has diverse food habits, but also is a short-term dietary specialist during the active season (Best 1995). In the short term, they specialize in foraging on certain plant species, but as these sources become less available throughout the active season, the Mohave ground squirrel adapts its foraging strategy to maximize energy intake, exploiting food sources that are intermittently available (75 FR 22063–22070). High water content may be a component of their food selection as plants are eaten at different times depending on their water content (Best 1995; 75 FR 22063–22070). Mohave ground squirrels consume the leaves, fruits, and seeds of a variety of annual and perennial plants, fungi, arthropods, and butterfly larvae. At various time of the year and depending on location, it may consume leaves, forbs, shrubs, and grasses of several species and genera, including creosote (Larrea tridentata), winter fat (Krascheninnikovia lanata), spiny hop-sage (Grayia spinosa), freckled milk-vetch (Astragalus lentiginosus), eremalche (Eremalche exilis), desert-marigold (Baileya pleniradiata), langloisia (Langloisia setosissma), Mojave monardella (Monardella exilis), saltbush (Atriplex spp.), gilia (Gilia spp.), golden linanthus (Linanthus aureus), and Mediterranean grass (Schismus arabicus), as well as seeds of box thorn (Lycium spp.) (Best 1995; 75 FR MGSWG 2011). On the Coso Range (outside of the Plan Area),
Mohave%20Ground%20Squirrel.docx