Interacting Effects of Disease and Weather Variability on Rangeland Biodiversity Associated with Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (\u3ci\u3eCynomys ludovicianus\u3c/i\u3e) Colonies
Rangeland ecosystems worldwide are experiencing novel pressures during the Anthropocene, including land conversion, disease dynamics, non-native species, and climate change. These issues can be compounded in rangelands occupied by burrowing rodents. Often considered keystone species important for maintaining rangeland biodiversity, these species often experience widespread control efforts because of their potential to reduce forage for livestock. We examined the effects of climatic variation and disease on bird communities associated with a North American burrowing rodent, the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus). Following an outbreak of sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis) in the prairie dog population, we observed rapid shifts in taxa reliant on either prairie dog engineering or prairie dogs as a prey source. Responses in species sensitive to vegetation structure were amplified due to above average precipitation for 16 months following the plague event, leading to rapid accumulation of biomass. These results highlight not only the rapidity with which communities respond to the removal of prairie dogs, but also emphasize the tenuous status of these communities with increasing climatic variability and decreasing tolerance for prairie dogs on the predominantly agricultural lands within their range
