Relentless Predation on Gunnison's Prairie Dogs (Cynomys Gunnisoni) by a Single American Badger (Taxidea Taxus)

Kagel, Samantha M.; Ziejka, Rachel S.; Averilla, Lauren M.L.; Minnig, Brittany A.; Hoogland, John L.

doi:10.3398/064.080.0306

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…These results highlight the importance of prairie dogs for supporting the swift fox population in this landscape. Interestingly, we observed frequent diurnal behavior in both predator species, similar to Kagel et al (2020), which highlights that studies using nocturnally‐biased survey techniques may miss the importance of prairie dog resources, especially for swift foxes because this species is often surveyed using spotlighting. We found that coyote occurrence was influenced by prairie dog abundance, but to a lesser degree than badgers and swift fox, showing that both increased occurrence with increasing proximity to prairie dog colonies pre‐plague, and a modest decline following the plague epizootic.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…We also documented substantial declines in occupancy rates of mammalian predators after the plague epizootic, and species were affected in direct proportion to their dietary reliance on prairie dogs. In addition to the black‐footed ferret, American badgers have the greatest dietary reliance on prairie dogs (e.g., Kagel et al, 2020) and habitat specialization often manifests where the two species overlap (Grassel & Rachlow, 2018). On a landscape scale, badger occupancy in Thunder Basin was most strongly affected by proximity to prairie dog colonies prior to plague and declined to a near‐zero level after plague.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Trophic effects; Figure 1). We predicted that population responses would be most dramatic and swift for the carnivores in our study system that relied on prairie dogs for a large proportion of their diet (e.g., ferruginous hawks [ Buteo regalis ], American badger, and swift fox ([ Vulpes velox ]; Kagel et al, 2020; Nicholson et al, 2006; Seery & Matiatos, 2000), with the magnitude of their declines increasing with their dietary reliance on prairie dogs. We anticipated bird communities, which respond more to vegetation structure, would differ most at 2 years post‐plague.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Disease and weather induce rapid shifts in a rangeland ecosystem mediated by a keystone species (Cynomys ludovicianus)

Duchardt

Augustine

Porensky

et al. 2022

Ecological Applications

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Habitat loss and changing climate have direct impacts on native species but can also interact with disease pathogens to influence wildlife communities. In the North American Great Plains, black‐tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are a keystone species that create important grassland habitat for numerous species and serve as prey for predators, but lethal control driven by agricultural conflict has severely reduced their abundance. Novel disease dynamics caused by epizootic plague (Yersinia pestis) within prairie dog colonies have further reduced prairie dog abundances, in turn destabilizing associated wildlife communities. We capitalized on a natural experiment, collecting data on prairie dog distributions, vegetation structure, avian abundance, and mesocarnivore and ungulate occupancy before (2015–2017) and after (2018–2019) a plague event in northeastern Wyoming, USA. Plague decimated black‐tailed prairie dog populations in what was then the largest extant colony complex, reducing colony cover in the focal area from more than 10,000 ha to less than 50 ha. We documented dramatic declines in mesocarnivore occupancy and raptor abundance post‐plague, with probability of occupancy or abundance approaching zero in species that rely on prairie dogs for a high proportion of their diet (e.g., ferruginous hawk [Buteo regalis], American badger [Taxidea taxus], and swift fox [Vulpes velox]). Following the plague outbreak, abnormally high precipitation in 2018 hastened vegetation recovery from prairie dog disturbance on colonies in which constant herbivory had formerly maintained shortgrass structure necessary for certain colony‐associates. As a result, we observed large shifts in avian communities on former prairie dog colonies, including near‐disappearance of mountain plovers (Charadrius montanus) and increases in mid‐grass associated songbirds (e.g., lark bunting [Calamospiza melanocorys]). Our research highlights how precipitation can interact with disease‐induced loss of a keystone species to induce drastic and rapid shifts in wildlife communities. Although grassland taxa have co‐evolved with high spatiotemporal variation, fragmentation of the remaining North American rangelands paired with higher‐than‐historical variability in climate and disease dynamics are likely to destabilize these systems in the future.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Disease and weather induce rapid shifts in a rangeland ecosystem mediated by a keystone species (Cynomys ludovicianus)

Duchardt

Augustine

Porensky

et al. 2022

Ecological Applications

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“…Wolves are unlikely alone in this capacity. Cougars (Puma concolor) and American badgers (Taxidea taxus) exhibit substantial individual variation in predation on ecosystem engineers (beavers and prairie dogs [Cynomys spp], respectively) that is not explained by prey availability or other ecological factors, suggesting personality-driven differences (Lowrey et al 2016;Kagel et al 2020). Only five killer whales (Orcinus orca) need to specialize in preying on sea otters (Enhydra lutris) to suppress local otter numbers and initiate effects on marine kelp forests via otterurchin-kelp trophic cascades (Williams et al 2004).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%