Ecology Kaibab squirrel

a kaibab squirrel.

the kaibab squirrel lives in ponderosa pine forests, builds nest out of twigs , pine needles. kaibab squirrels, ponderosa pines, , fungi grow in vicinity of ponderosas exist in symbiotic relationship. squirrel eats acorns, fruit, , fungi (especially underground truffle), seeds, bark, , twigs of trees makes home. kaibab squirrel s significant source of food seeds found within ponderosa pine cones. young squirrels born between april , august.

in past kaibab squirrel given species status (sciurus kaibabensis) today considered subspecies of abert s squirrel, (sciurus aberti).

the kaibab squirrel example of evolution occurring through geographic isolation, not because of canyon. compared kaibab squirrel, abert s squirrel, several subspecies, has broader distribution , found on south rim of grand canyon. difference between north rim , south rim abert s squirrels has given rise commonly held incorrect assumption canyon acted barrier preventing gene flow between 2 populations. however, modern kaibab squirrels descended populations of abert s squirrels dispersed grand canyon area following last ice age.

as climate warmed, ponderosa pine stands , abert s squirrels living there limited areas of high elevation kaibab plateau. these isolated populations became modern kaibab squirrels and, climate cooled again , ponderosa pines once again grew @ lower elevations, other abert s squirrel subspecies returned grand canyon area, filling in former niches on south rim.