Community- and landscape-level responses of reptiles and small mammals to feral-horse grazing in the Great Basin
We investigated species- and community-level responses of squamate reptiles and granivorous small mammals to feral-horse grazing in two elevational strata across nine mountain ranges of the western Great Basin, USA. Although mammal species richness did not differ between horse-occupied and horse-removed sites, occupied sites possessed less community completeness (biotic integrity) and 1.1–7.4 times greater deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) than removed sites. In opposite fashion, horse-removed sites possessed greater reptile species richness and tended towards greater abundance for seven of nine species, yet unequal species pools across sites dictated that community completeness did not differ statistically between horse-removed and -occupied sites.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2004 |
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Title | Community- and landscape-level responses of reptiles and small mammals to feral-horse grazing in the Great Basin |
DOI | 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2003.12.008 |
Authors | Erik A. Beever, P. F. Brussard |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Journal of Arid Environments |
Index ID | 1016294 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center; Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center |