Digging mammals contribute to rhizosphere fungal community composition and seedling growth

Dundas, Shannon J.; Hopkins, A.; Ruthrof, Katinka X.; Tay, Natasha E.; Burgess, Treena I.; Hardy, G.; Fleming, Patricia A.

doi:10.1007/s10531-018-1575-1

Cited by 30 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…the reintroduction of locally-extinct, native, soil-disturbing mammals. We do acknowledge, however, that one site, Karakamia in Western Australia, still supported quendas Isoodon obesulus fusciventer prior to its formal establishment (Dundas et al 2018), but the densities were substantially lower than currently supported by the reserve and much lower than pre-European densities (Driessen and Rose 2015). Plots were selected to represent the dominant vegetation types in each reserve (Table 1) with similar fire and grazing histories.…”

Section: Landscape-scale Study Of the Impact Of Soil-disturbing Mammalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restoration potential of threatened ecosystem engineers increases with aridity: broad scale effects on soil nutrients and function

2019

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Species extinctions alter ecosystem services, and the magnitude of this impact is likely to change across environmental gradients. In Australia, soil‐disturbing mammals that are now considered ecologically extinct are thought to be important ecosystem engineers. Previous studies have demonstrated microsite‐level impacts of reintroduced soil‐disturbing mammals on soil functions, but effects are yet to be tested across larger scales. Further, it is unclear how impacts vary across environmental gradients and if the restoration potential of reintroductions changes with climate. We examined the effects of soil‐disturbing mammal reintroductions across a large rainfall gradient in Australia to test the hypothesis that ecosystem engineering effects on soil function depend on climate. We compared soil labile carbon, available nitrogen and the activity of four enzymes associated with nutrient cycling in three microsite types with and without soil‐disturbing mammals in five sites along a large rainfall gradient (166–870 mm). Soil enzyme activity was greatest in the presence of soil‐disturbing mammals and increased with rainfall, but soil available carbon and nitrogen varied across the gradient and among microsites. Microsite effects were often stronger than any effects of soil‐disturbing mammals, with soil beneath vegetated patches (shrubs and trees) having greater enzyme activity, carbon and nitrogen than bare soils. However, soil‐disturbing mammals homogenised nutrient distributions across microsites. The impacts of soil‐disturbing mammals on soil function previously detected at micro‐scales was detected at a landscape‐scale. However, the overall effects of soil‐disturbing mammals on soil functions varied with productivity (rainfall). The context of soil‐disturbing mammal reintroductions is thus likely to be critical in determining their effectiveness in restoring soil function.

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Section: Landscape-scale Study Of the Impact Of Soil-disturbing Mammalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restoration potential of threatened ecosystem engineers increases with aridity: broad scale effects on soil nutrients and function

2019

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“…The presence of healthy microbial communities is vital to this resilience (14). Microscopic communities, it turns out, are also affected by digging mammals, and the diversity of microbes is higher in the mammal sanctuaries (15,16). Our preliminary research indicates that beneficial bacterial species, such as nitrogen-fixing and antipathogenic species, were associated with sanctuaries.…”

Section: Digging Mammals Are Crucial For Healthy Soilsmentioning

confidence: 74%

Losing Australia's native gardeners

Decker

2020

Science

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“…Nevertheless, we did not find any trace of scratching and digging on the nest tops - the vegetation was intact and the nests continue to be viable. It is possible that the ants have even some indirect benefits from the ground squirrel presence, related to general improvement of the ecosystem functioning and diversity (Dundas et al 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of ant nests in European ground squirrel’s (Spermophilus citellus) post-reintroduction adaptation in two Bulgarian mountains

Kachamakova

Antonova

Koshev

2019

BDJ

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The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is a vulnerable species, whose populations are declining throughout its entire range in Central and South-Eastern Europe. To a great extent, its conservation depends on habitat restoration, maintenance and protection. In order to improve the conservation status of the species, reintroductions are increasingly applied. Therefore, researchers focus their attention on factors that facilitate these activities and contribute to their success. In addition to the well-known factors like grass height and exposition, others, related to the underground characteristics, are more difficult to evaluate. The presence of other digging species could help this evaluation. Here, we present two reintroduced ground squirrel colonies, where the vast majority of the burrows are located in the base of anthills, mainly of yellow meadow ant (Lasius flavus). This interspecies relationship offers numerous advantages for the ground squirrel and is mostly neutral for the ants. The benefits for the ground squirrel, including reduced energy demand for digging, as well as additional surveillance and hiding places available, could greatly enhance the post-reintroduction adaptation process.

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Digging mammals contribute to rhizosphere fungal community composition and seedling growth

Cited by 30 publications

References 53 publications

Restoration potential of threatened ecosystem engineers increases with aridity: broad scale effects on soil nutrients and function

Restoration potential of threatened ecosystem engineers increases with aridity: broad scale effects on soil nutrients and function

Losing Australia's native gardeners

The role of ant nests in European ground squirrel’s (Spermophilus citellus) post-reintroduction adaptation in two Bulgarian mountains

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