Ecological consequences of prairie dog disturbances
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Authors: A. D. Whicker
Date: 1988
Journal: Bioscience
Volume: 38
Number: 11
Pages: 778-785
Summary of Methods: From the time they initially colonize new areas, prairie dogs disturb grasslands by burrowing and grazing, thereby creating large patches of altered vegetation in the landscape. In this South Dakota study, Whicker traverses a number of temporal and spatial scales in discussing prairie dog disturbance in grasslands. Some processes, such as net primary production, occur during the growing season; others, such as ecotypic differentiation or species replacement occur over years. Different plant communities can occupy areas of less than a hectare. However, large ungulates, like bison, will range over thousands of hectares, and may move nutrients or plant propagules from one patch to another. Eventually linking scales of resolution will be critical to understanding how the entire system functions and responds to disturbance.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: black-tailed prairie dogs, cynomys ludovicianus, mixed-grass prairie, disturbance, species composition, above-ground net primary production, n concentration
Annotation: None
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