Competition between harvester ants and rodents in the cold desert

Journal Article · Sun Sep 30 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · Great Basin Nat.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5538925

Landeen, D S; Jorgensen, C D; Smith, H D

Local distribution patterns of three rodent species (Perognathus parvus, Peromyscus maniculatus, Reithrodontomys megalotis) were studied in areas of high and low densities of harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex owyheei) in Raft River Valley, Idaho. Numbers of rodents were greatest in areas of high ant-density during May, but partially reduced in August; whereas, the trend was reversed in areas of low ant-density. Seed abundance was probably not the factor limiting changes in rodent populations, because seed densities of annual plants were always greater in areas of high ant-density. Differences in seasonal population distributions of rodents between areas of high and low ant-densities were probably due to interactions of seed availability, rodent energetics, and predation.

• OSTI ID: 5538925
• Journal Information: Great Basin Nat.; (United States), Journal Name: Great Basin Nat.; (United States) Vol. 39:3; ISSN GRBNA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510500* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
ARID LANDS
ARTHROPODS
COMPETITION
DESERTS
ECOSYSTEMS
FOOD
IDAHO
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
MAMMALS
NORTH AMERICA
PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION
POPULATION DENSITY
RODENTS
SEEDS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
USA
VERTEBRATES