Browsing by Subject "Geomys"
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Item Effect of the Plains Pocket Gopher, Geomys bursarius, on the Vegetation of a Northern Minnesota Meadow(2010-03-10) Shaughnessy, Lorraine; Spohr, Bill; Puschinsky, EricThe fossorial plains pocket gopher, Geomys bursarius, creates mounds of dirt when digging its tunnels. Mounds tend to be associated with patches of vegetation distinct from surrounding areas. Data were collected and analyzed to determine the effects of gopher mounds on vegetation in a northern Minnesota meadow. Results indicate that distinct patches of vegetation are associated with gopher mounds, and there is a difference between the number of plant species growing on abandoned gopher mounds and control areas. Distinct patches could be a result of either nutrient cycling caused by the displacement of soil or invasion of plants not preferred by the herbivorous plains pocket gopher.Item Effects of Plains Pocket Gopher (Geomys bursarius) Disturbances in a Mixed Prairie in Northwestern Minnesota(2010-03-11) Adams, Nicole; Fillmore, Megan; Frost, Mark; Sinton, ChristopherOur objective was to determine what effect plains pocket gophers (Geomys bursarius) and their mounds have on plant diversity within Frenchman’s Bluff Scientific and Natural Area (SNA), located in northwestern Minnesota. Our predictions were threefold. First, we predicted increased plant diversity in areas on and immediately surrounding gopher mounds in accordance with the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis. Second, we predicted that biomass in the areas on and around gopher mounds would decrease when compared to control areas where there were no gopher mounds. Lastly, we predicted that yellow sweet clover (Melitotus officinalis) will be more abundant on and around the disturbed mounds than in areas where there is no gopher disturbance. The experiment was performed in one afternoon at Frenchman’s Bluff by creating a 100x100 meter grid and assessing plant diversity and coverage in twenty 2x2 meter randomly selected control plots and comparing with twenty 2x2 meter plots that contained gopher mounds created by G. bursarius. Analysis of percent coverage of yellow sweet clover, biomass and species diversity between the gopher mound and control plots all proved to be statistically insignificant, but are all nearing significance. Given the number of experimental difficulties experienced and the limited scope of this study, it is likely that future research into the effects of the plains pocket gopher activity on plant diversity at the Frenchman’s Bluff SNA will realize conclusive and significant results that correlate with the predictions of this study.Item Geomys bursarius: Vegetation Variation on Gopher Mounds within a Northern Minnesota Vole Field(2010-03-10) Ihnken, Matthew; Korbmacher, Michelle; Sinton, ChristopherThe plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) lives throughout the southern 2/3rds of Minnesota. The pocket gopher is known for turning up soil and digging extensive tunnels that can aerate soils. Our study site is located near the north entrance of Itasca State Park in Northern Minnesota. The goal of our study was to determine if there were distinct vegetation patches associated with the gopher mounds and if plant diversity increased around and on mounds. We used transects to sample the field for vegetation patches and the locations of old, new, and abandoned gopher mounds. We then ran a series of test to determine whether or not there was any correlation between gopher mounds and plant diversity, and then distinct vegetation patches. We determined that patches of vegetation were most likely associated with gopher mounds, and that species diversity increased on and around mounds.Item Gopher disturbance and plant diversity in prairie communities(2010-04-12) Akhter, Zoha; Gilliksen, Lorene; Swisher, Nick; Sosa, TimThe diversity of plant species associated with pocket gopher mound disturbance was examined at Frenchman’s Bluff, a prairie on a hill in northwestern Minnesota. Species richness and evenness between disturbed and undisturbed portions of a study area were investigated. An application of the Shannon diversity index to the collected data reveals greater diversity in areas with evidence of pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) activity.Item Impacts of Geomys Bursarius on vegetation patterns found in an old field in Clearwater County, MN(2010-03-10) Blake, Amy; Strelow, Desiree; Kraft, TannerThe effects of the plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) mound building on plant species diversity were investigated in an old field in June 2008. Past studies have shown conflicting results that mound building negatively impacts plant species diversity or that mound building positively impacts plant species diversity. To conduct our study we compared vegetation on new mounds, abandoned mounds, old mounds, and control areas with no mounds. Our results support our hypothesis that G.bursarius activity in an old field increases plant species richness. It also agrees with historical studies that gopher mound building can generate a prairie ecosystem in disturbed areas and increase plant heterogeneity present.Item Plains Pocket Gophers (Geomys bursarius) Increase Plant Diversity on Gopher Mounds(2010-03-10) Kurpiewski, Andrew; Marklevits, Katrina; Treiber, ErinThe plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) is a fossorial rodent that digs an extensive burrow which creates mounds of dirt on the surface. This study examines the effects of these mounds on the plant diversity of an abandoned agricultural field by a series of different measurements. These include the percentage of distinct vegetation patches associated with mounds, percent of 20 meter transects crossing mounds, and number of plant species on mounds compared to a nearby control area. We found that 14.64 % of the field was covered by gopher mounds. By comparing our mean plant diversity data with the Itasca Biological Station’s similar previous studies, we found a significant difference in the short term plant diversity of gopher mounds.