American Pika Research

Mountain ecosystems in North American may be among the most threatened environments worldwide due to geological constraints of alpine systems. Many organisms in these habitats have shown sensitivity thresholds to environmental perturbations, including recent climate changes, thus these species may serve as indicator species to monitor proper ecological function and health. The American pika (Ochotona princeps), a small lagomorph that are vulnerable to several habitat changes including reduced snowpack, warmer summer and winter months, and vegetation availability, due to the narrow thermal threshold and lack of mobility. The pika inhabits mountainous habitats experiencing the effects of climate change and previous research has documented local population extinctions.