Browsing by Author "White, Aaron"

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    The Effects of the Plains Pocket Gopher (Geomys bursarius) on Surrounding Vegetation
    (2011-02-09) White, Aaron; Henderson, Corey; Anderson, Annika
    The plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) is a rodent that digs complex burrows and primarily feeds on plants. This study examines the impact that the plains pocket gopher has on vegetation patterns in an abandoned agricultural field near Itasca State Park, Minnesota. Pocket gopher mounds of varying ages were evaluated for their effects on plant species diversity. Through statistical analysis it was discovered that these mounding activities have a direct effect on species richness.
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    Small Mammal Diversity Comparison Between Different Biomes in North East Minnesota
    (2011-02-09) White, Aaron; Henderson, Corey; Sharrow, Matthew; Anderson, Annika
    This study was conducted to examine small mammal diversity between two separate biomes within Minnesota and see if there are significant differences between areas. Biomes are made up of microhabitats, which creates different types of proffered habitat for different animal species. For example, Peromyscus leucopus selects habitat based on the complexity of the vertical structure (Kaufman et al. 1983). Small mammal sampling grids were set in order to identify the species present and in what proportions. The data will determine which of the two biomes contains a higher diversity and if there are any similarities between the two areas.