Rabbit Abundance Relative to Rainfall and Plant Production in Northern Chihuahuan Desert Grassland and Shrubland Habitats

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Rabbit abundance patterns in the North American Southwest are poorly known, particularly relative to the potentially important influences of rainfall and plant production. We conducted a 10-year study on the comparative densities of black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) and desert cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus audubonii) in relation to annual rainfall and plant production in both black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) grassland and creosotebush (Larrea tridentata) shrubland habitats in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. We found that both species of rabbits were more abundant in black grama grassland than in creosotebush shrubland and that plant production was positively correlated with rainfall at both habitats. However, rabbit densities were not positively correlated with rainfall or plant production in either habitat. In fact, both species of rabbits exhibited gradual, multiyear changes in abundance rather than the patterns of high annual variation observed in desert rodent communities. Our f...