Distribution and Habitat Attributes of an Endemic Subspecies of Pocket Gopher

Connior, Matthew B.; Kershen, Audrey Allbach; Medlin, Rex E.; Elrod, Douglas A.; Sasse, D.; Risch, Thomas S.

doi:10.1674/0003-0031-164.2.217

Cited by 14 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Although habitat loss and fragmentation are of conservation concern due to isolating populations and decreasing genetic diversity, how those habitat changes occur can impact species‐specific adaptive potential and conservation outcomes. Gophers have strong associations with soil classes (Connior, 2011 ; Connior et al, 2010 ; Hoffman & Choate, 2008 ; Warren et al, 2017 ) including creating boundaries between gopher species and subspecies (Connior, 2011 ; Genoways et al, 2008 ; Henke et al, 2014 ). Given that gophers in Illinois are becoming increasingly restricted to certain soil properties, genetic‐soil associations may be lost if populations within unique soils are extirpated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing the niche reduction hypothesis for a fossorial rodent (Geomys bursarius) experiencing agricultural intensification

Alexander

Cosentino

Schooley

2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Habitat loss and fragmentation from conversion to agriculture are known threats to grassland species. However, continued agricultural intensification may further reduce a species distribution and realized niche. Here, we create species distribution models (SDMs) for the plains pocket gopher ( Geomys bursarius ), an ecosystem engineer in grasslands, for historic and contemporary eras in a dynamic agroecosystem and test the “niche reduction hypothesis.” We compare SDMs created from gopher occurrences from the historic era (~1950s, pre‐agricultural intensification) and the contemporary era (post‐agricultural intensification) and assess model transferability. We evaluate shifts in environmental relationships, changes in limiting factors, and an overall decline in niche hypervolume. SDMs were nontransferable between the historic and contemporary eras. Environmental drivers of gopher distribution shifted from elevation, precipitation, and land cover in the 1950s to land cover, soil texture, and soil drainage presently. There also were shifts in environmental associations with gophers now occurring at lower elevations, in sandier soils, and less often in agriculture. Dominant limiting factors of gophers shifted from precipitation to land cover. Gophers were not detected at historic locations during recent resurveys. Contemporary niche hypervolume was reduced compared with the historic niche hypervolume. We found support for the niche reduction hypothesis for a fossorial, grassland species. Further application of the niche reduction hypothesis in landscapes experiencing agricultural intensification is warranted. Understanding niche reduction allows for conservation efforts that promote continued persistence in the contemporary niche while also identifying areas to restore within the historic niche.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing the niche reduction hypothesis for a fossorial rodent (Geomys bursarius) experiencing agricultural intensification

Alexander

Cosentino

Schooley

2022

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Michael and Beckwith () found that bobwhites do not prefer common bermudagrass and Lituma et al () found that dickcissels ( Spiza americana ) were less abundant in bermudagrass when compared with restored native grasses in East‐central Texas. Connior et al () found that bermudagrass did provide habitat for an endemic subspecies of pocket gopher ( Geomys bursarius ozarkensis ); however, Gust and Schmidly () observed that small mammal diversity was lower on lands reclaimed with bermudagrass in Texas.…”

Section: Primary Exotic Grass Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of 3 exotic, invasive grasses in the Southeastern United States on wildlife

Barnes

Bahm

2013

Wildl. Soc. Bull.

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Little is known about the impacts and effects of exotic, invasive grasses on wildlife in the Southeast United States. We selected 3 species of exotic grasses common to the Southeast and review the literature on their regional distribution, ecosystem impacts, wildlife impacts, and management. These grasses have the potential to harm indigenous wildlife species, such as northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), that need grasslands with a shrub component for nesting, brood-rearing, and loafing. These exotic, invasive grasses are sod-forming in nature, typically forming dense monotypic stands that provide little bare ground and have low plant species and insect diversity. Furthermore, it appears that wildlife do not prefer to consume these plant species. Control is often difficult and usually requires the use of herbicides in combination with mechanical treatment, such as disking, to provide adequate habitat. Attempts should be encouraged to convert these idle grasslands to a mixture of native grasses and forbs to make stands more suitable for wildlife species. We provide suggestions for future research and management needs regarding exotic, invasive grasses and wildlife in the Southeast United States. Ó

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“…Previous investigations on soil and Geomyid distributions limit spatial scale, compare across genera, or use only one species, e.g., [24]–[26]. Often, only one aspect of soil is considered, e.g., texture but not bulk density nor linear extensibility.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological Adaptations for Digging and Climate-Impacted Soil Properties Define Pocket Gopher (Thomomys spp.) Distributions

et al. 2013

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Species ranges are mediated by physiology, environmental factors, and competition with other organisms. The allopatric distribution of five species of northern Californian pocket gophers (Thomomys spp.) is hypothesized to result from competitive exclusion. The five species in this environmentally heterogeneous region separate into two subgenera, Thomomys or Megascapheus, which have divergent digging styles. While all pocket gophers dig with their claws, the tooth-digging adaptations of subgenus Megascapheus allow access to harder soils and climate-protected depths. In a Northern Californian locality, replacement of subgenus Thomomys with subgenus Megascapheus occurred gradually during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. Concurrent climate change over this transition suggests that environmental factors – in addition to soil – define pocket gopher distributional limits. Here we show 1) that all pocket gophers occupy the subset of less energetically costly soils and 2) that subgenera sort by percent soil clay, bulk density, and shrink-swell capacity (a mineralogical attribute). While clay and bulk density (without major perturbations) stay constant over decades to millennia, low precipitation and high temperatures can cause shrink-swell clays to crack and harden within days. The strong yet underappreciated interaction between soil and moisture on the distribution of vertebrates is rarely considered when projecting species responses to climatic change. Furthermore, increased precipitation alters the weathering processes that create shrink-swell minerals. Two projected outcomes of ongoing climate change—higher temperatures and precipitation—will dramatically impact hardness of soil with shrink-swell minerals. Current climate models do not include factors controlling soil hardness, despite its impact on all organisms that depend on a stable soil structure.

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Distribution and Habitat Attributes of an Endemic Subspecies of Pocket Gopher

Cited by 14 publications

References 20 publications

Testing the niche reduction hypothesis for a fossorial rodent (Geomys bursarius) experiencing agricultural intensification

Testing the niche reduction hypothesis for a fossorial rodent (Geomys bursarius) experiencing agricultural intensification

The Impact of 3 exotic, invasive grasses in the Southeastern United States on wildlife

Morphological Adaptations for Digging and Climate-Impacted Soil Properties Define Pocket Gopher (Thomomys spp.) Distributions

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