Small mammal activity in south-central Idaho during the 2017 solar eclipse

Authors

Eric A. Rickart, Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108Follow
Obedh E. Ornelas, Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108Follow
Douglas J. Merkler, Aerial M2 LLC, Boulder City, NV 89005Follow
Lois F. Alexander, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89002Follow

Abstract

We collected quantitative data on small mammal activity during the 2017 solar eclipse at a locality in south-central Idaho, at the center of the path of totality where the eclipse reached totality near midday. The day before the eclipse, temperature and light intensity approached daily maximum values during the 3-h period that would encompass the solar eclipse, and only diurnal squirrels were active during this interval. During the eclipse, changes in temperature and light were similar to those that normally occur before dusk and following dawn. Results suggest that diurnal species may have curtailed their activity during the eclipse, and species with facultative activity responded as they would with the approach of dusk. Despite their numerical dominance, nocturnal species were not detected during the eclipse, perhaps due to the brevity of the event or the stronger influence of endogenous activity cycles.


Recopilamos datos cuantitativos sobre la actividad de pequeños mamíferos durante el eclipse solar de 2017 en una localidad en el centro-sur de Idaho, en el centro del camino de totalidad donde el eclipse alcanzó totalidad cerca del mediodía. El día anterior al eclipse, la temperatura y la intensidad de la luz se acercaron a los valores máximos diarios durante el período de tres horas que abarcaría el eclipse solar, y solo las ardillas diurnas estuvieron activas durante este intervalo. Durante el eclipse, los cambios en la temperatura y la luz fueron similares a los que ocurren normalmente antes del atardecer y después del amanecer. Resultados sugieren que las especies diurnas pueden haber reducido su actividad durante el eclipse, y las especies con actividad facultativa respondieron como lo harían con el enfoque del atardecer. A pesar de su dominio numérico, las especies nocturnas no se detectaron durante el eclipse, quizás debido a la brevedad del evento o la mayor influencia de los ciclos de actividad endógena.

Recommended Citation

Rickart, Eric A.; Ornelas, Obedh E.; Merkler, Douglas J.; and Alexander, Lois F. (2020) "Small mammal activity in south-central Idaho during the 2017 solar eclipse," Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 80: No. 1, Article 9.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol80/iss1/9