Evidence for and geomorphologic consequences of a reptilian ecosystem engineer: The burrowing cascade initiated by the Gopher Tortoise

Kinlaw, Al; Grasmueck, Mark

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2011.06.030

Cited by 77 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Burrowing reptiles are recognized in several dry environments (Kinlaw, 1999), and their burrows are used by a wide diversity of animals: over 300 species have been recorded using those of the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus, Kinlaw and Grasmueck, 2012), including burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia), eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus) and marsh rabbits (Sylvilagus palustris). While the gopher tortoise is the best-studied burrow-providing reptile, ecosystem engineering through burrows can potentially occur in several other species, including the burrowers bolson tortoises (Gopherus flavomarginatus), Mohave desert tortoises (G. agassizii) and Sonoran desert tortoises (G. morafkai) in North America and red-footed tortoises in South America.…”

Section: Reptiles As Ecosystem Engineersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the gopher tortoise is the best-studied burrow-providing reptile, ecosystem engineering through burrows can potentially occur in several other species, including the burrowers bolson tortoises (Gopherus flavomarginatus), Mohave desert tortoises (G. agassizii) and Sonoran desert tortoises (G. morafkai) in North America and red-footed tortoises in South America. Spurred tortoises in Africa can dig burrows that are both extensive and complex, but whose effects on other species are still unknown (Kinlaw and Grasmueck, 2012). Spurred tortoise burrows have great ecosystem engineering potential, as they are huge, up to 15 m long (Devaux, 2000) and occur in Sahel semidesert landscapes, where cover is otherwise scarce.…”

Section: Reptiles As Ecosystem Engineersmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Plight of Reptiles as Ecological Actors in the Tropics

Miranda

Everton²

2017

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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Earth's tropical ecosystems have witnessed several extinctions and a dramatic reduction of the range and abundance of large reptile species, which is directly related to the rise of early and modern humans. The occurrence of such extinctions, range reduction, species loss, and the consequences for several paramount ecosystem processes are poorly documented compared to other large vertebrate species. Here, I reviewed the literature on the ecological processes performed by large tropical reptile species and their human-induced widespread demise in order to determine knowledge gaps and encourage a paradigm shift in understanding on the interactiveness of such species. The interactions and species involved indicate that large abundant reptiles in the tropics are important in ecological processes, and can consequently have an important role in ecosystem function through gene dispersal, nutrient cycling, trophic action, and ecosystem engineering. These important interactions performed by reptiles are not solely performed by few species, or geographically restricted to islands, but instead present a pattern that repeatedly occurs in large reptiles distributed over tropical ecosystems. The observed tendency of reptiles to be tightly involved in these ecological interactions has important implications for the ecology of tropical ecosystems. Lost and current ecological processes performed by large reptiles may be orders of magnitude higher than what is currently perceived, and the misleading baseline of those processes must be addressed otherwise we risk losing species and services that are dependent of such interactions. To fix this bias I suggest: (a) Increase information spreading about Pleistocene-Holocene reptile extinctions using popular media; (b) Improved exchange between the research field of megafauna effects in ecosystems and herpetologists working with large reptiles; (c) Increase research effort on anthropogenic reptile extinctions and their potential to predict future losses; (d) Address the knowledge gaps, as human-reptile conflict, chelonian seed dispersal and nutrient movement; (e) Increase quantitative research on large reptile population ecology, density, and abundance. (f) address the potentially present or lost ecosystem effects of extant and extinct reptile species. Although the importance of reptiles in most tropical ecosystems has been perceived as negligible, this study shows that this may be a misleading paradigm.

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Section: Reptiles As Ecosystem Engineersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reptiles As Ecosystem Engineersmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Plight of Reptiles as Ecological Actors in the Tropics

Miranda

Everton²

2017

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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“…Other animals have tortuous burrows, such as the gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus Daudin, 1802, which may add twists to its burrow to decrease the chance of collapse relative to a straight tunnel (Kinlaw and Grasmueck 2012). Varanus panoptes (Storr, 1980), a burrowing varanid lizard, has a highly tortuous, helical segment leading to the nest in its nesting burrow (Doody et al 2015).…”

Section: Burrow Tortuositymentioning

confidence: 99%

Similar burrow architecture of three arid-zone scorpion species implies similar ecological function

Adams

Marais²,

Turner

et al. 2016

Sci Nat

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Many animals reside in burrows that may serve as refuges from predators and adverse environmental conditions. Burrow design varies widely among and within taxa, and these structures are adaptive, fulfilling physiological (and other) functions. We examined the burrow architecture of three scorpion species of the family Scorpionidae: Scorpio palmatus from the Negev desert, Israel; Opistophthalmus setifrons, from the Central Highlands, Namibia; and Opistophthalmus wahlbergii from the Kalahari desert, Namibia. We hypothesized that burrow structure maintains temperature and soil moisture conditions optimal for the behavior and physiology of the scorpion. Casts of burrows, poured in situ with molten aluminum, were scanned in 3D to quantify burrow structure. Three architectural features were common to the burrows of all species: (1) a horizontal platform near the ground surface, long enough to accommodate the scorpion, located just below the entrance, 2-5 cm under the surface, which may provide a safe place where the scorpion can monitor the presence of potential prey, predators, and mates and where the scorpion warms up before foraging; (2) at least two bends that might deter incursion by predators and may reduce convective ventilation, thereby maintaining relatively high humidity and low temperature; and (3) an enlarged terminal chamber to a depth at which temperatures are almost constant (±2-4 °C). These common features among the burrows of three different species suggest that they are important for regulating the physical environment of their inhabitants and that burrows are part of scorpions' "extended physiology" (sensu Turner, Physiol Biochem Zool 74:798-822, 2000).

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“…These interpretations require the knowledge of similar types of traces produced by modern organisms in similar environments. A growing body of research investigating the traces produced by modern soil animals has been presented in the literature (e.g., Williams, 1966;Ahlbrandt et al, 1978;Harrington, 1978;Koch, 1978;Shorthouse and Marples, 1980;Ratcliffe and Fagerstrom, 1980;Reynolds and Wakkinen, 1987;Polis et al, 1986;Doonan and Stout, 1994;Bond and Coyle, 1995;Jackson, 2000;O'Geen and Busacca, 2001;Tschinkel, 2003;Gobetz, 2005;Hasiotis, 2006, 2007b;Lawfield and Pickerill, 2006;M'rabet et al, 2007;Rodriguez-Tovar, 2007;Counts and Hasiotis, 2009;Hembree, 2009;Halfen and Hasiotis, 2010;Hembree et al, 2012;Kinlaw and Grasmueck, 2012;Melchor et al, 2012;Platt et al, 2012;Genise et al, 2013;Hembree, 2013Hembree, , 2014Mikus and Uchman, 2013;Bowen and Hembree, 2014;Catena and Hembree, 2014;Doody et al, 2014;Dzenowski and Hembree, 2014;Sarzetti et al, 2014;Cantil et al, 2014Cantil et al, , 2015Doody et al, 2015;Hils and Hembree, 2015;…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Experimental Neoichnology and Quantitative Analyses to Improve the Interpretation of Continental Trace Fossils

Hembree

2016

Ichnos

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The successful interpretation of continental ichnofossils is impeded by our limited knowledge of the burrows produced by modern continental animals. Actualistic studies of modern burrowing animals provide the data that make trace fossils invaluable to paleoecological and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. The goal of this project is to determine how well burrows produced by terrestrial arthropods, amphibians, and reptiles engaged in known behaviors under controlled environmental conditions can be differentiated on the basis of qualitative and quantitative morphology. The animals produced a diverse assemblage of shafts, tunnels, ramps, U-, J-, W-, Y-shaped and helical burrows, and mazeworks. The quantitative aspects of the burrow morphologies were compared using nonparametric similarity and distance indices as well as cluster analyses to determine if the burrow casts could be effectively differentiated based upon their tracemakers, behaviors, and environmental conditions. By using multiple properties of burrow morphology to compare the burrows statistically, many of the burrows were separated according to different behaviors and tracemakers, although overlaps did occur. Levels of similarity were highest amongst animals with similar morphologies, burrowing techniques, and behavioral patterns. Results from these analyses provide an assessment of our ability to reconstruct ancient soil ecosystems based on trace fossil morphology. By assembling a comprehensive analysis of the burrows of modern terrestrial animals, trace fossils may be described in a similar manner and compared directly to these modern analogs. This will be invaluable to improving the interpretation of tracemakers and behaviors.

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Evidence for and geomorphologic consequences of a reptilian ecosystem engineer: The burrowing cascade initiated by the Gopher Tortoise

Cited by 77 publications

References 24 publications

The Plight of Reptiles as Ecological Actors in the Tropics

The Plight of Reptiles as Ecological Actors in the Tropics

Similar burrow architecture of three arid-zone scorpion species implies similar ecological function

Using Experimental Neoichnology and Quantitative Analyses to Improve the Interpretation of Continental Trace Fossils

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