Abstract
Diets of black-tailed jack rabbits (Lepus cutYfornicus) and composition of plant communities were compared among habitats that supported different densities of jack rabbits in sagebrush (Arlemisia tridentata)/perenniaI grass communities on the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in southeastern Idaho. Diets were more similar than vegetation among areas, indicating that jack rabbits feed selectively; winterfat (Ceratoides hata) and perennial grasses were staple foods, comprising about 80% of the diet in all areas. Jack rabbit densities were higher in areas having higher proportions of grass cover. Similarity between diet and vegetation was positively correlated with jack rabbit density and with the amount of grass cover in the habitat. Jack rabbits selected grassdominated areas for feeding at night and then fed as generalists on the grass species present.
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