Factors limiting the expansion of black-tailed prairie dog colonies at their northern extent
Singh, Tehlu (author) Ransome, Doug (thesis advisor) Cohen-Fernandez, Anayansi Ives, Kim British Columbia Institute of Technology School of Construction & Environment (Degree granting institution) Simon Fraser University Faculty of Environment (Degree granting institution)
Dissertation/thesis
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British Columbia Institute of Technology
2020-04-17
61 pages
Prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are considered a keystone species due to their ecological role in maintaining the prairies. In Canada, they are federally listed as a threatened species. This study was conducted to identify the limiting factors to the expansion of prairie dog colonies in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan. I tested different hypotheses to compare landforms, vegetation, and soil characteristics in three treatments: consistently occupied (Consistent), inconsistently occupied (Inconsistent), and never occupied (Buffer) by prairie dogs. I sampled four prairie dog colonies (blocks) from 17 July 2019 to 28 August 2019 using a randomized complete block design. I used ANOVA to test variables for significant differences among treatments. My results showed that hills, water channel, shrublands, grass cover, shrub cover and vegetation height classes (>30 cm) were significantly higher (p <0.05) in Buffer compared to Consistent and Inconsistent. Shrubs and tall vegetation should be mowed down to enhance the expansion of prairie dog colonies for restoring their population.
restoration prairie dogs Cynomys ludovicianus colony expansion barriers habitat use
Prairie dogs Cynomys ludovicianus Restoration ecology
electronic
Master of Science