Pack rats (Neotoma spp.): Keystone ecological engineers?

Whitford, Walter G.; Steinberger, Yosef

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2010.05.025

Cited by 39 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The latter are perhaps the most well-known; usually they are small herbivores and insectivores inhabiting mainly arid and semi-arid environments (e.g., gophers, rabbits, porcupines, pack rats, marsupials, moles). Many of them have been recognized as ecosystem engineers (sensu Jones et al 1994), as they occur in great densities and dramatically alter the physical habitat and ecological communities (Eldridge and Myers 2001;Garkaklis et al 2004;Kerley et al 2004;Eldridge and Whitford 2009;Whitford and Steinberger 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Burrowing by badgers (Meles meles) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) changes soil conditions and vegetation in a European temperate forest

Kurek

Kapusta

Holeksa

2013

Ecological Research

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This study examined the effects of burrow digging and habitation by the European badger (Meles meles) and the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) on soil properties and the plant community. The vegetation of control plots located in a similar but undisturbed habitat was compared with that of 18 burrow plots established at badger setts (N = 9) and fox dens (N = 9) in a lowland forest area in Poland. Soil physicochemical properties at different disturbance levels (mounds, intermounds and reference areas) were also investigated. The animals altered nutrient availability in the burrow plots considerably by excavating material from deep soil horizons that were less acidic and higher in K, Ca, Mg and available P but poorer in C and N. The effect was stronger for the badger, probably because it displaced larger amounts of material and disturbed wider areas. The activity of the two carnivores induced similar changes in plant communities. They increased herbaceous species richness and caused a shift in the herbaceous species composition: versus the control plots, the burrow plots contained more fugitive species (short-living plants typical for disturbed environments), among which ruderal forbs, including nutrient-demanding species, dominated. The carnivores also increased the species richness of fleshyfruited shrubs and trees. The primary reason for this was probably not burrowing but endozoochorous seed dispersal. Overall, the results indicate that the badger setts and fox dens differ significantly from the forest matrix in terms of soil and vegetation parameters, and that they contribute to habitat heterogeneity and biological diversity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Burrowing by badgers (Meles meles) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) changes soil conditions and vegetation in a European temperate forest

Kurek

Kapusta

Holeksa

2013

Ecological Research

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“…La importancia de las madrigueras para las ratas es clara; ofrece protección contra los depredadores, contra el clima extremo (Brown et al 1972) y proporciona un lugar para almacenar alimento (Wells y Jorgensen 1964). Las condiciones que las madrigueras de las ratas del género Neotoma generan en los ambientes donde se distribuyen, incluye un incremento de materia orgánica y nitrógeno en el suelo en las áreas contiguas a las madrigueras, proporciona refugio a otras especies lo que hace que se considere a las poblaciones del género Neotoma spp., como especies clave en los ambientes que habitan (Whitford y Steinberger 2010).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Distribución potencial de la rata magueyera (Neotoma leucodon Merriam 1984) y densidad de madrigueras en el sur del desierto chihuahuense

Martínez-Calderas

Palacio-Núñez

Clemente-Sánchez

et al. 2015

Therya

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“…Davidson et al (2008) observed a 2 to 4 fold increase in lizard abundance on the mounds and burrow systems of the prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) and banner-tailed kangaroo rat (Dipodomys spectabilis) when compared to areas without mounds and burrow systems. Whitford and Steinberger (2010) observed more than 40 arthropod taxa in the stick houses created by two species of packrats, Neotoma albigula and Neotoma…”

Section: Sabrinus) and Two Species Of Deer Mice (Peromyscus Maniculatmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rodents are a key prey species and can greatly impact the food chain and affect many carnivores (Preston, 1990;Filippi et al 2005;Fitch and Twining, 1946;Lanszki et al, 2002;Neale and Sacks, 2001). Rodents create shelters and burrows that are used by California tiger salamanders (Loredo et al, 1996), lizards (Davidson et al, 2008), and arthropods (Whitford and Steinberger, 2010). If the presence of rotational livestock grazing or absence of grazing does affect rodents, the management system has potential to affect other ecosystem conditions as well.…”

Section: Micropusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Rodent Species Counts and Diversity in the Not-Grazed Montana De Oro State Park and the Rotationally Grazed Pecho Ranch

Lemos

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The available data examining the influence of rotational grazing on rodent responses are limited. This study investigated how rotational livestock grazing practices influence small mammal rodent abundances and species diversity. We looked for evidence of variation in the occurrence and/or numbers of certain rodent species among three plant community types (grassland, shrubland, grass-shrub mix), managed with or without grazing. We used Sherman live traps over a total of eight trapping sessions. We totaled 486 trapnights for each of the six plant community and grazing management combinations. The three plant community types were identified by visual cover.Out of the eight different species we captured, only Peromyscus maniculatus (North American deermouse) and Reithrodontomys megalotis (western harvest mouse) had sufficient captures to be analyzed for differences in abundance. Using all eight species to calculate the Shannon's diversity index for each plot, we found evidence that rodent species diversity is less in grassland habitats than in shrubland habitats or grassland/shrubland mixed habitats (p<0.001). We observed that the North American deermouse was most common in the not-grazed shrub habitat (p<0.05). The North American deermouse preferred the not-grazed grassland habitat to the grazed grassland habitat, and the not-grazed shrub habitat to the grazed shrub habitat. The North American deermouse was more prevalent in the grazed grassland/shrubland mixed habitats than the not-grazed mixed habitat. The western harvest mouse preferred the not-grazed grassland habitat to the grazed grassland habitat. Based on our results, the current rotational livestock grazing practices do not influence biological diversity, so no management adjustments are needed. The North American deermouse abundance would benefit from not-grazing management in a grassland community or in a shrubland community, but would benefit from rotationally grazing management in a mixed grassland/shrubland habitat. From a management perspective, the western harvest mouse would benefit from not-grazing in a grassland community, but appears unaffected by grazing in the shrubland and mixed communities.

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Pack rats (Neotoma spp.): Keystone ecological engineers?

Cited by 39 publications

References 26 publications

Burrowing by badgers (Meles meles) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) changes soil conditions and vegetation in a European temperate forest

Burrowing by badgers (Meles meles) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) changes soil conditions and vegetation in a European temperate forest

Distribución potencial de la rata magueyera (Neotoma leucodon Merriam 1984) y densidad de madrigueras en el sur del desierto chihuahuense

Assessing Rodent Species Counts and Diversity in the Not-Grazed Montana De Oro State Park and the Rotationally Grazed Pecho Ranch

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