Kangaroo rat burrows structure the spatial organization of ground-dwelling animals in a semiarid grassland

Burrow systems constructed by banner-tailed kangaroo rats provide important refuges for ground-dwelling animals to escape from harsh surface conditions. Animal abundance was quantified by pitfall trapping. Two species of lizards and several groups of invertebrates were significantly more abundant at...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of arid environments 1992-08, Vol.23 (2), p.199-208
Main Authors: Hawkins, Lauraine K., Nicoletto, Paul F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Synecology
Terrestrial ecosystems
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Summary:Burrow systems constructed by banner-tailed kangaroo rats provide important refuges for ground-dwelling animals to escape from harsh surface conditions. Animal abundance was quantified by pitfall trapping. Two species of lizards and several groups of invertebrates were significantly more abundant at burrow systems than in the intervening grassland. Many other animals used the burrow systems, but did not exhibit differential abundance. The kangaroo rat creates habitat patches that are abiotically moderate and contain high concentrations of food resources. These patches become focal points of animal activity and may be important in maintaining species diversity in this habitat.
ISSN:0140-1963
1095-922X
DOI:10.1016/S0140-1963(18)30531-7