A grassy meadow lies just to the east of the highway into the park, one-quarter of a mile southeast of the park's entrance. On July 30, 1963, one hundred traps were placed in two lines through the meadow, and were run for one night. Only individuals of P. maniculatus were caught ([Table 1]).
M-2 Weather Station, Chapin Mesa
The M-2 weather station of the Wetherill Mesa Archeological Project was on the middle of Chapin Mesa at an elevation of 7,200 feet. This site was in an old C. C. C. area, about one mile north of the park's U. S. Weather Bureau station. The vegetation surrounding the M-2 site was a pinyon-juniper-muttongrass association. It was thought that both species of Peromyscus would occur in this habitat.
On May 10, 1964, 25 traps were placed in this area and were run for one night. Only individuals of P. truei were caught ([Table 1]).
Grassy Meadow, Southern End Moccasin Mesa
This large meadow is located eight miles south of the northern rim of Moccasin Mesa. The meadow lies in a broad, shallow depression that forms the head of a large drainage ([Fig. 1]). To the south of the meadow the drainage deepens, then reaches bedrock as it approaches the pour-off.
On August 23, 1964, one hundred traps were set in pairs in a line through the middle of the meadow; adjacent pairs were 20 feet from each other. Only individuals of P. maniculatus were caught ([Table 1]).
Grasses are dominant in the ground cover, and Sphaeralcea coccinea (globe mallow) is codominant. The abundance of globe mallow is due to the present and past disturbance of this meadow by a colony of pocket gophers. Trees are absent in the meadow. Species of plants include the following:
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Opuntia polyacantha Chenopodium sp. Artemisia ludoviciana Chrysothamnus nauseosus Koeleria cristata Poa pratensis Lupinus ammophilus Calochortus gunnisonii Erigeron speciosus Gutierrezia sarothrae Tetradymia canescens Tragopogon pratensis Bromus tectorum Sphaeralcea coccinea Eriogonum racemosum Polygonum sawatchense Comandra umbellata Penstemon strictus |