Mohave ground squirrel
Mammalian species are typically closely tied to vegetative communities, especially those that provide food, shelter, cover, and water. The Mohave ground squirrel is no exception, and is closely associated with a variety of shrubs and forbs, including Creosote bush, saltbush, and blackbrush. The squirrel occurs in Creosote bush and shadescale plant communities where the vegetative cover ranges from 10 to 20 percent. The soils in these communities are usually sandy or sand mixed with gravel. The terrain is generally level with a few ravines. Mohave ground squirrel burrows are usually placed in association with desert washes especially near food source plant species, such as Erigonum, Malacothrix, Astragalus, and Grayia. These plant communities depend on intermittent rain events as their main sources of water. Annual wildflower fields, an important food source for the Mohave ground squirrel, also depend on rain events, and are significantly productive during wet years. Rainfall is not equally distributed to all areas of the desert floor during storms, and water moves through arid environments by means of washes. Disruption of desert washes due to development may potentially prevent water movement downstream, which may impact the vegetative communities historically dependent on these flows. As a result, a compromised downstream hydrology will impart additional stresses on these plant communities which in turn will reduce the food and shelter resources for a variety of mammalian species, such as kangaroo rats, pocket mice, antelope squirrels, and Mohave ground squirrels.