Burrowing Richardson's ground squirrels affect plant seedling assemblages via environmental but not seed bank changes
作者机构：Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada R3T 2N2
出 版 物：《Current Zoology》 (动物学报（英文版）)
年 卷 期：2020年第66卷第3期
页 面：219-226页
核心收录：
学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 07[理学] 071002[理学-动物学]
主 题：burrowing disturbance ecosystem engineering Richardsons ground squirrel seed bank seedling species composition
摘 要：In grassland ecosystems,burrowing mammals create disturbances,providing habitat for animal species and increasing plant community *** investigated whether seedling assemblages on Richardson s ground squirrel Urocitellus richardsonii mounds result from seed rearrangement or environmental changes that favor germination of certain species over *** test whether ground squirrels rearrange the seed bank by burrowing,we compared seed compositions among mounds,burrows,and undisturbed *** test whether ground squirrels change environmental conditions,we compared soil nitrate and bare ground cover on and off *** also compared seedlings that germinated on mounds with seedlings that germinated on artificial disturbances from which we removed aboveground *** nitrate and bare ground cover were significantly higher on mounds than artificial *** seed richness and abundance did not differ among mounds,burrows,and undisturbed soil,seedling richness was reduced on mounds relative to artificial *** disturbance favors seedlings that can capitalize on bare ground availability but are less able to immobilize nitrate,as opposed to perennial species that immobilize more nitrate but take longer to *** results suggest that Richardson s ground squirrels act as ecosystem engineers,although future research following succession on ground squirrel mounds is necessary to understand how they influence plant communities past the seedling stage.
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