Effects of rodents on plant cover, soil hardness, and soil nutrient content: a case study on tuco-tucos (Ctenomys minutus)

Galiano, Daniel; Kubiak, Bruno Busnello; Overbeck, Gerhard E.; Freitas, Thales Renato Ochotorena de

doi:10.1007/s13364-014-0193-x

Cited by 35 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…observation), which likely causes an increase in nutrient concentrations. A similar increase in soil phosphorus and potassium at a depth of 10-20 cm was detected by Galiano et al (2014) at sites inhabited by Ctenomys minutus. The loosening of soil can also enhance nitrification and mineralization simply by increasing the surface area of soil aggregates (Litaor et al 1996;Sherrod & Seastedt 2001).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

“…2b,c). Fossorial rodents usually backfill some unused tunnels with soil (Andersen 1987), which reduces soil hardness and bulk density (Huntly & Reichman 1994;Galiano et al 2014). Interestingly, less compacted soil contained higher concentrations of nutrients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Burrowing and the subsequent backfilling of unused tunnels by fossorial rodents reduces soil hardness and bulk density (Wang et al 1993;Huntly & Reichman 1994;Galiano et al 2014). Because it involves mixing soil from different horizons, it can also affect soil nutrient concentrations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological role of the giant root‐rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus) in the Afroalpine ecosystem

Šklíba

Vlasatá

Lövy

et al. 2017

Integrative Zoology

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Rodents with prevailing subterranean activity usually play an important role in the ecosystems of which they are a part due to the combined effect of herbivory and soil perturbation. This is the case for the giant root-rat Tachyoryctes macrocephalus endemic to the Afroalpine ecosystem of the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia. We studied the impact of root-rats on various ecosystem features within a 3.5-ha study locality dominated by Alchemilla pasture, which represents an optimal habitat for this species, in 2 periods of a year. The root-rats altered plant species composition, reducing the dominant forb, Alchemilla abyssinica, while enhancing Salvia merjame and a few other species, and reduced vegetation cover, but not the fresh plant biomass. Where burrows were abandoned by root-rats, other rodents took them over and A. abyssinica increased again. Root-rat burrowing created small-scale heterogeneity in soil compactness due to the backfilling of some unused burrow segments. Less compacted soil tended to be rich in nutrients, including carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, which likely affected the plant growth on sites where the vegetation has been reduced as a result of root-rat foraging and burrowing.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological role of the giant root‐rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus) in the Afroalpine ecosystem

Šklíba

Vlasatá

Lövy

et al. 2017

Integrative Zoology

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“…Thus, we highlight that C. laticeps burrow systems are nutrient hotspots and increase habitat and soil heterogeneity even at the small scale (within the same patch). Several fossorial rodents, that excavate and occupy extensive subterranean systems, have already been reported as drivers of changes in soil nutrient content (Reichman & Seabloom, 2002;Hagenah & Bennett, 2013;Galiano et al, 2014). Nutrient increase in mounds are usually caused by the movement of fine-grained soil particles from higher depths, which may be richer in organic matter and nutrients due to animal activity inside burrows, to the surface (Whitford & Kay, 1999).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Broad‐headed spiny rats (Clyomys laticeps) as ecosystem engineers in the Brazilian savannah

Lamberto

Leiner

2019

Journal of Zoology

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Soil disturbances promoted by the construction of subterranean systems are a classic example of ecosystem engineering. The broad‐headed spiny rat Clyomys laticeps caches seeds in subterranean systems excavated and occupied by its individuals, thus acting as potential ecosystem engineers in the Brazilian savannah. However, the effects of their activities on soil nutrient content and animal communities are still unknown. Here, we assessed the role of C. laticeps as an allogenic ecosystem engineer in a shrub savannah site. Our results demonstrated that C. laticeps subterranean systems, which contain three to seven burrow openings, provide a stable microclimate with lower temperatures and higher humidity than the outside environment, thus providing suitable habitat for several species. However, we found few animals associated with burrow systems, although previous studies recorded snakes, frogs, lizards and rodents using burrows as shelter. Both burrow architecture and methodological issues might explain the lack of a richer fauna using C. laticeps burrows. Arthropod abundance and diversity were similar between sites close to and away from C. laticeps burrow openings. Finally, mounds of soil accumulated surrounding burrow openings presented higher nutrient content (K, Ca, Mg) than soils collected inside burrow openings and control sites. Overall, our results support the hypothesis that C. laticeps acts as an ecosystem engineer, especially by modulating soil nutrient availability. Soil enrichment provided by C. laticeps burrowing activity may be particularly important in the Cerrado, due to low nutrient availability of soils and the contribution of edaphic factors on plant population dynamics in this biome, although future studies should focus on this issue. Given the accelerated habitat loss in the Cerrado and its effect on population decline of mammals, future studies should uncover the magnitude of engineering effects played by C. laticeps and pinpoint conservation actions to maintain their populations and their functional roles on ecosystems.

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“…Published findings illustrate that mole rat and tuco‐tuco disturbances lower the plant biomass in Cape Fynbos of South Africa (Hagenah and Bennett ) and in coastal plains of southern Brazil (Galiano et al . ), and plains pocket gopher disturbances have no significant effects on plant biomass in a mixed prairie in northwestern Minnesota (Adams et al . ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of plateau pika disturbance levels on the plant diversity and biomass of an alpine meadow

Pang

Zheng

2018

Grassland Science

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The plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) is known to influence the plant diversity and biomass of the alpine meadow, and it is regarded as a pest. The species has been subject to extensive controls without a clear target density in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We investigated the effects of different plateau pika disturbance levels on plant composition, species diversity and biomass. The density of active burrow entrances was used as an index of disturbance levels I, II, III and IV (corresponding to 8, 19, 27 and 39 active burrow entrances per 625 m 2 ). We found that the plant community composition differed with different disturbance levels. The plant replacements were mainly related to associate plants rather than dominant plants. With the increase in the plateau pika disturbance levels, the plant cover decreased, and the plant height first increased and then decreased. The plant evenness index was higher in the levels II and III disturbance conditions, while the plant diversity index and plant richness index were highest in the level IV disturbance condition. The disturbance levels had no effect on the total plant biomass; however, the intermediate disturbance levels (II and III) increased the palatable plant biomass. The total plant biomass was mainly dependent on the unpalatable plant biomass. The total plant biomass showed a positive correlation with the richness index and a negative correlation with the evenness index. The palatable plant biomass showed a positive correlation with the evenness index and a negative correlation with the richness index. These results imply that the intermediate disturbance levels are beneficial to livestock production as they increase the alpine meadow quality, and the higher disturbance level is better for plant diversity conservation in the alpine meadows of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

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Effects of rodents on plant cover, soil hardness, and soil nutrient content: a case study on tuco-tucos (Ctenomys minutus)

Cited by 35 publications

References 25 publications

Ecological role of the giant root‐rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus) in the Afroalpine ecosystem

Ecological role of the giant root‐rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus) in the Afroalpine ecosystem

Broad‐headed spiny rats (Clyomys laticeps) as ecosystem engineers in the Brazilian savannah

Effects of plateau pika disturbance levels on the plant diversity and biomass of an alpine meadow

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