Small Mammal Exclosure Study Vegetation Data from the Chihuahuan Desert Grassland and Shrubland at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico from Fall 2006
Nicole Dmitruk
BIOL 297
April 17, 2014
Abstract:
Animal consumers have important roles in ecosystems. These roles include determining plant species composition and structure, regulating rates of plant production and nutrient, and altering soil structure and chemistry. This study was conducted to determine whether the activities of small mammals regulate plant maximum height and foliage cover area in Chihuahuan Desert shrublands and grasslands. When rabbits and rodents were given access to the plants, there was not a significant difference in plant height compared
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Each study site is 1 km by 0.5 km in area. Three rodent trapping webs and four replicate experimental blocks of plots are randomly located at each study site to measure vegetation responses to the exclusion of small mammals. Each block of plots is 96 meters on each side. Each block of plots consists of 4 experimental study plots, each occupying 1/4 of each block. The blocks of study plots are all oriented on a site in an X/Y coordinate system, with the top to the north. Treatments within each block include one unfenced control plot (Treatment C), one plot fenced with hardware cloth and poultry wire to exclude rodents and rabbits (Treatment R). The two treatments were randomly assigned to each of the four possible plots in each block independently, and their arrangements differ from block to block. Each of the plots in a replicate block are separated by 20 meters. Each experimental measurement plot measures 36 meters by 36 meters. A grid of 36 sampling points is positioned at 5.8-meter intervals on a systematically located 6 by 6 point grid within each plot. A permanent one-meter by one-meter vegetation measurement quadrat is located at each of the 36 points. A 3-meter wide buffer area is situated between the grid of 36 points and the perimeter of each plot. The foliage canopy area and maximum height of each plant species is measured from each quadrat. All cover values are measured from the vegetation measurement frame, which is 1 meter by 1 meter, and partitioned into a grid of 100, 10 cm by 10 cm squares. Cover is measured by counting the number of
This experiment was a success. The experimental procedure from the lab manual was followed. The right materials needed for this experiment was also used. Each group recorded the data of the name of species and percent cover for species in the three transects. After, the class data was assembled, pie-charts and bar graph were drawn from the data using excel.
Near the small town of San Antonio, NM is a spectacular display of one of nature's finest balanced beauty and wilderness paradise, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, situated on the northern edge of the Chihuahuan desert and straddling the Rio Grande. Fitting is the name Bosque del Apache, meaning "woods of the Apache," a reminder of the Apache peoples of long ago who lived along the Rio Grande. The 57,331-acre refuge was established in 1939 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, an effort aimed to preserve the area as a wildlife habitat. The nucleus of the refuge is 7,000 acres of flood-plain, an extensive area of wetlands and farmlands. Arid foothills and towering mesas ascend to the Chupadera Mountains
The Desert Southwest is a very interesting place for non natives. It is a very hot place it can get up to 140 degrees which is normal for the deseret but an night it's a different story it can lower to about 30 degrees that is 2 degrees lower than freezing point. That is like a huge freezer and the sand can get cold under the about 4-5 inches it is also traditional to to speak their language apachean it was mostley spoken by the natives.
The soil commonly found is alkaline which allows the desert plants to grow and gain nutrients through the roots in the ground. the temperature allows for Predators to be able to hunt for longer stretches of time in cooler temperatures and often rest in the shade in preparation of hunting in the warmer temperatures. the sand dunes help to Prevent soil erosion by storing sand that replaces the eroded sand below with more sand so the total amount of sand in an area does not decrease.
This report discusses an experiment to study the relationship between the ecological niche and competition. The hypothesis formulated states that if competition traits are identical and resources are abundant than multiple species will be able to coexist, and if one species has an advantage over the others than this species will be more likely to out compete another species for resources. The objective of this experiment is to use a simulation model of a rabbit pen containing four different “species” of rabbits. The model establishes rules for each species that are based on a number of important characteristics reflecting their ecological niches and their competitive abilities. These
The availability of food, water, shelter, and space varies among the different habitats in both survey areas. Young forests, mature forests, open areas, and wetlands all had different factors that affected the total population, total number of species, and species diversity of birds. To begin with, young forests in both Idlewood and Tyler State Park were most populous and had the highest number of different species in comparison to the other habitats. Since young forests have an open canopy, sunlight is available and allows of growth of fast growing trees and shrubs and the availability of the vegetation provides more birds with food and shelter. Mature forests have a closed canopy which provides birds with a shelter from environmental factors such as rain and from
For example, their concept indicates that prey species will alter their foraging habits to the features of the terrain in order to avoid areas with a high risk of predation. Predation risk in a changing environment is also focused on by the authors. There are many environmental variables that may influence the degree of predation risk such as weather, wildfires, and other conditions that influence ungulates’ access to vegetation. Finally, the authors focus on ecosystem responses to trophic cascades—primarily on riparian functions and on beaver and bird populations. They also inform us that wolves may represent an indirect control on beaver populations as well as cause ungulates to avoid some riparian areas—therefore reducing herbivory on wooden browse species.
Our ecosystem is described depending on the location we are located in. There is different plants, animals, and environments in different environmental regions. For this paper we are focusing on the six different biomes structures we have in the state of Texas.
The cultural group that I am researching is the Yaqui (Sonoran Desert, U.S. and Mexico). The topic I have chosen to research is the different rituals the Yaqui perform. The reason I chose to research the Yaqui is because they’re indigenous to the same region as I am. The Yaqui, “people of Sonora [Mexico] settled along the Yaqui river… many Yaqui emigrated to Arizona to escape subjugation” (“Yaqui.” Columbia 2016). Growing up I never realized how much history took place in Southern Arizona, so it’s interesting to be able to learn about the people who made Arizona the state it is today. It’s very important for me to learn about the Yaqui, since the Pascua Yaqui tribe is based right here in Tucson, Arizona. Knowing the history of your state, country, culture, etc. is important so that you understand the present times and how the future could be formed. As for choosing to research the rituals of the Yaqui, I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn about the different rituals that take place in their everyday lives and how these ceremonies differ from events that take place in my own life.
We have noticed a change in the population of brown and gray deer mice due to a drought. The environmental changes(the drought) had benefited the brown mice, but not the gray mice. The gray mice's population has dropped because camouflage is not suitable in their environment. Here are the recorded results prior to the drought:
Whitetail deer have come to be known as a keystone species, species known for affecting other organisms in an ecosystem. Deer are known as a keystone species in forest habitats such as in the Eastern United States because they are capable of destroying potential forest habitat of other organisms (McShea and Rappole, 1992). For example, deer have a negative impact on forest ecosystems by trampling and over browsing over vegetation, without creating any habitat for other native species. Throughout the eastern United States, the abundance of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has increased dramatically over the last century (Taggart and Long, 2015). Population increases could be due to increased habitat fragmentation from land development, reduced predators and/or hunting pressure. Individual deer ranges varied during seasonal times, deer movements are usually greatest during the peak breeding months from late fall through winter (Williams et. al, 2012). Regardless of the cause, high deer densities can have significant effects on plant communities such as plant decay and/or even death. Deer consume a large amounts of plant biomass (leaves, buds, flowers and fruits) and directly reduce the growth, reproduction, and survival of herbaceous and woody plant species (Shen et. al, 2016). The impacts of white-tailed deer on forests along the Eastern United
“Many plant species have been affected by this, due to deer only eating specific species of plants, some have become overpopulated due to the fact that they are not being controlled by the wildlife in the woods.”
Big bluestem grass (Turkey food) adapted to growing into growing in dense stands allows for less competition of sunlight generally, the key to survival are thick deep roots. Anchor into the soil to prevent being blown away in the wind. Animals in short grasses. The prairie dogs essentially are the squirrel of the prairies normally, squirrels inhabit trees, but in the prairies there aren't any trees. Therefore they burrow underground. Adapted to creating guard systems some stay outside the burrow to watch for predators while others mate and connect burrows . Adapted to semi-arid, windy environment with few trees or shrubs. Many Of the animals are thankful for the rodent populations and steal their burrows to survive the freezing to the sweltering hot temperatures. They can also withstand a great range in temperature from well below freezing in the winter to sweltering heat in the
The term desert is strongly connected to the image of an extremely harsh environment void of any life. The sand dunes at the Gulf of California would fit this description of a desert biome, but for large parts the Sonoran Desert has a stunning array of different organisms.
On the first day after the planting commenced, some of the project team noticed that few small plants seemed to be missing or broken off. They were quickly replaced. Within the first 3 days after the last planting, however, it was noted that around 35% of the plantings had been destroyed by rabbits and hares (as it was later determined. Remember, this is in Australia). The Project