Equids engineer desert water availability

Megafauna play important roles in the biosphere, yet little is known about how they shape dryland ecosystems. We report on an overlooked form of ecosystem engineering by donkeys and horses. In the deserts of North America, digging of ≤2-meter wells to groundwater by feral equids increased the densit...

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Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2021-04, Vol.372 (6541), p.491-495
Main Authors: Lundgren, Erick J, Ramp, Daniel, Stromberg, Juliet C, Wu, Jianguo, Nieto, Nathan C, Sluk, Martin, Moeller, Karla T, Wallach, Arian D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abandoned wells
Arid zones
Aridification
Biosphere
Deserts
Dug wells
Ecosystems
Germination
Groundwater
Horses
Megafauna
Mimicry
Plant species
Species
Vertebrates
Water
Water availability
Water wells
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container_issue 6541
container_start_page 491
container_title Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science)
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creator Lundgren, Erick J
Ramp, Daniel
Stromberg, Juliet C
Wu, Jianguo
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Moeller, Karla T
Wallach, Arian D
description Megafauna play important roles in the biosphere, yet little is known about how they shape dryland ecosystems. We report on an overlooked form of ecosystem engineering by donkeys and horses. In the deserts of North America, digging of ≤2-meter wells to groundwater by feral equids increased the density of water features, reduced distances between waters, and, at times, provided the only water present. Vertebrate richness and activity were higher at equid wells than at adjacent dry sites, and, by mimicking flood disturbance, equid wells became nurseries for riparian trees. Our results suggest that equids, even those that are introduced or feral, are able to buffer water availability, which may increase resilience to ongoing human-caused aridification.
doi_str_mv 10.1126/science.abd6775
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source Science Magazine; Alma/SFX Local Collection
subjects Abandoned wells
Arid zones
Aridification
Biosphere
Deserts
Dug wells
Ecosystems
Germination
Groundwater
Horses
Megafauna
Mimicry
Plant species
Species
Vertebrates
Water
Water availability
Water wells
title Equids engineer desert water availability
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