Equids engineer desert water availability

Lundgren, Erick J.; Ramp, Daniel; Stromberg, Juliet C.; Wu, Jianguo; Nieto, Nathan C.; Sluk, Martin; Moeller, Karla T.; Wallach, Arian D.

doi:10.1126/science.abd6775

Cited by 51 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…5a). Examples include the top–down effects of predators on primary producers via regulation of key consumers (Ripple et al 2016), such as sea otters reducing populations of sea urchins and thus ensuring maintenance of kelp forests as a primary habitat for many organisms (Rasher et al 2020), or ecosystem engineers increasing resource availability for other species by direct physical modification of the environment (Hastings et al 2007), such as equids providing water in drylands species by digging wells (Lundgren et al 2021). As keystone species are often predators, the rampant human‐caused trophic downgrading of Earth's biota (Estes et al 2011) may have considerable influence on species richness carrying capacity via effects on extinction rates and community abundance.…”

Section: How Can People Affect Biodiversity Equilibriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity dynamics in the Anthropocene: how human activities change equilibria of species richness

et al. 2021

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We are living in a time of rapid environmental changes caused by anthropogenic pressures. Besides direct human exploitation of plant and animal populations and habitat transformation, biodiversity changes in the Anthropocene are affected by less trivial processes including rapid spreading of non‐native species, emergence of novel communities and modifications of ecosystem functioning due to changing nutrient cycles and climate changes. These processes are so complex that confident predictions and effective biodiversity conservation cannot be obtained without a suitable theory of biodiversity dynamics. We argue that such dynamics have particular attractors, i.e. stable equilibria, that are determined by environmental conditions. These stable equilibria set biodiversity limits, i.e. carrying capacities for biodiversity, from local to global scales. We point out the evidence of such limits at various spatiotemporal scales and show, using the new equilibrium theory of biodiversity dynamics (ETBD), how dynamics of diversity depend on non‐linear relationships between number of species, community abundance and population size‐dependent processes of species extinction and origination (speciation or colonization). We show that non‐linear effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning can lead to multiple biodiversity equilibria and tipping points. Various human activities, including species introductions, human appropriation of primary production and trophic downgrading, can change local, regional and global diversity equilibria by affecting processes that set equilibrium diversity levels. The existence of equilibrium and out‐of‐equilibrium states has important implications for conservation, restoration and reconciliation ecology. It highlights the need to more effectively and intentionally balance the historical focus on the preservation of natural habitats with management specifically directed towards the processes responsible for long‐term maintenance of biodiversity equilibria. The Anthropocene represents a unique situation in which people make decisions concerning the dynamics of the natural world, and we argue that ecological restoration requires wisely deciding which of the alternative equilibria are worth maintaining.

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Section: How Can People Affect Biodiversity Equilibriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity dynamics in the Anthropocene: how human activities change equilibria of species richness

et al. 2021

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“…This form of bioturbation may influence nutrient cycling through soil and litter mixing and could influence geomorphic responses to floods (Gabet et al, 2003 ; Lacki & Lancia, 1986 ; Naiman & Rogers, 1997 ). In fact, the germination of many foundational riparian tree species of this region, notably Fremont cottonwood and Goodding's willow, require bare moist substrate, generally provided by scouring floods (Shafroth et al, 2017 ) or at times by animal disturbance (Lundgren et al, 2021 ). By exposing bare substrate, bear bioturbation could potentially facilitate the germination of these ecologically important trees following more moderate flood events, which may otherwise be insufficient to remove leaf litter and competing vegetation (González et al, 2018 ; Shafroth et al, 2017 ; Stromberg et al, 1991 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cicada nymphs dominate American black bear diet in a desert riparian area

Lundgren

Moeller

Clyne

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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American black bears are considered dependent on high‐elevation forests or other montane habitats in the drylands of western North America. Black bear sign, including that of cubs, was observed throughout the summers of 2015, 2016, and 2018 along a perennial desert river in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. We analyzed the contents of 21 black bear scats, collected from May to October of 2016 and 2018. Apache cicada nymphs ( Diceroprocta apache ) were the dominant food item, occurring in 90% of scats and comprising an average of 59% of scat contents. In the process of excavating these nymphs, bears created large areas of turned‐over soil, a form of ecosystem engineering with potential implications for soils, vegetation, and fluvial geomorphology. Given that species distributions are shaped by physiological and ecological contexts, as well as anthropogenic legacies, it is possible that black bears once occurred more commonly in desert riparian systems prior to widespread agricultural development, hunting, and dewatering. Although more research is necessary, we suggest that desert riparian systems may be an alternative habitat for black bears. Better understanding the diet and habitat breadth of American black bears is important in the context of increasing landscape fragmentation and militarization in the U.S.‐Mexican borderlands.

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“…While most anthropogenic structures exert pressure on wildlife, artificial water points (AWPs) may offer much-needed water [23,24]. Similar effects have been observed for water points dug by wildlife themselves [25]. Large herbivores, such as kangaroos, have been observed to utilize AWPs, particularly during hot periods when the vegetation is drier [26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

The Impacts of Drought on the Health and Demography of Eastern Grey Kangaroos

Juillard

Ramp

2022

Animals

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Extreme climatic events such as droughts and floods are expected to become more intense and severe under climate change, especially in the southern and eastern parts of Australia. We aimed to quantify the relationship between body condition scores (BCS), demography, activity rate, and parasitic infections of eastern grey kangaroos on a large conservation property under different climate extremes by employing camera traps established at artificial water points (AWPs). The survey period included a severe drought, broken by a significant flooding event. Climatic and environmental conditions were documented using remotely sensed indices of moisture availability and vegetation productivity. These conditions were found to affect all health and population parameters measured. BCS, juvenile proportions, and sex ratios were most correlated with 6-month lags in climatic conditions, while the activity rate of kangaroos at AWPs was most correlated with vegetation productivity. Ticks were mostly found on individuals with a poorer BCS, while the concentration of parasitic eggs in feces was higher in autumn than in spring. Our study offers a glimpse into some of the environmental drivers of eastern grey kangaroo populations and their health, information that may become increasingly important in today’s climate. It further emphasizes the importance of this knowledge for wildlife conservation efforts appropriate to managing the impact of climate change alongside other threats.

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Equids engineer desert water availability

Cited by 51 publications

References 56 publications

Biodiversity dynamics in the Anthropocene: how human activities change equilibria of species richness

Biodiversity dynamics in the Anthropocene: how human activities change equilibria of species richness

Cicada nymphs dominate American black bear diet in a desert riparian area

The Impacts of Drought on the Health and Demography of Eastern Grey Kangaroos

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