TY - JOUR
T1 - Burrows of kangaroo rats are hotspots for desert soil fungi
AU - Hawkins, Lauraine K.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the National Science Foundation (Dissertation improvement BSR-9814432 and a graduate fellowship), Sigma Xi and GRAC and SRAC at the University of New Mexico. I thank my dissertation committee, J. Brown, C. Crawford, C. Dahm and C. Wisdom, and T. Best, T. Stans and the staff at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge for their advice and assistance. P. Nicoletto and D. Wicklow commented on the manuscript. J. Frisvad kindly identified cultures of Aspergillus and Penicillium.
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - Organic matter in contact with soil is quickly colonised by fungi. This study compared communities of moulds found in the soil of burrows of the banner-tailed kangaroo rat, Dipodomys spectabilis Merriam, to those found in surrounding grassland. Soil samples (n = 138) were collected between 1989 and 1991. Fungal colonies were five times more abundant in burrow soils than away from burrows. Community composition also differed substantially, with many fungi more abundant in burrows than away from burrows. A diverse, but relatively predictable, community of moulds inhabits the burrow soils and is available to colonise seeds hidden within burrows. The results suggest that mutualistic interactions between the moulds and the rodent are possible, but there are as yet no data evaluating this. Burrows and dens of many animals, especially in arid environments, are likely to be important sites of microbial activity and decomposition.
AB - Organic matter in contact with soil is quickly colonised by fungi. This study compared communities of moulds found in the soil of burrows of the banner-tailed kangaroo rat, Dipodomys spectabilis Merriam, to those found in surrounding grassland. Soil samples (n = 138) were collected between 1989 and 1991. Fungal colonies were five times more abundant in burrow soils than away from burrows. Community composition also differed substantially, with many fungi more abundant in burrows than away from burrows. A diverse, but relatively predictable, community of moulds inhabits the burrow soils and is available to colonise seeds hidden within burrows. The results suggest that mutualistic interactions between the moulds and the rodent are possible, but there are as yet no data evaluating this. Burrows and dens of many animals, especially in arid environments, are likely to be important sites of microbial activity and decomposition.
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U2 - 10.1006/jare.1996.0020
DO - 10.1006/jare.1996.0020
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0030443134
VL - 32
SP - 239
EP - 249
JO - Journal of Arid Environments
JF - Journal of Arid Environments
SN - 0140-1963
IS - 3
ER -