White, AaronHenderson, CoreyAnderson, Annika2011-02-092011-02-092011-02-09https://hdl.handle.net/11299/99959Student paper, EEB 4839, 2010The 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.en-USMinnesotaItascaPlains pocket gopherGeomys bursariusScholarly Text or Essay