2018/05/17 by Cosmero, Becca, Fieberling, Emily, Marlin, Katherine +3
#ecology #habitat #woodrats
paper · doi:10.21973/n3766t
Ecosystem engineers often have cascading impacts on the ecosystems in which they occur. Understanding the factors that contribute to their habitat selection can provide valuable information on how ecosystems function. Our study investigates the habitat distribution of desert woodrats (Neotoma lepida) in the Eastern Mojave Desert. We show that there is a difference in desert woodrat abundance among habitats, and found that specific aspects of these environments are associated with woodrats. These aspects include grass cover, shrub richness, and especially substrate architecture. Our findings indicate that woodrats may facilitate plant productivity within this arid environment.