Plague causes fragmentation of prairie dog colonies in Conata Basin, South Dakota from 1993 - 2015
This data was used to investigate the invasion of a non-native disease, plague, to a keystone species, prairie dogs, in Conata Basin, South Dakota, United States. We documented the resulting extent of fragmentation and habitat loss in western grasslands using colony boundaries mapped by the USFS every one to three years from 1993 - 2015. Specifically, we assessed how the arrival of plague in 2008, affected the size, shape, and aggregation of prairie dog colonies, an animal species known to be highly susceptible to plague. As expected the colony complex and the patches in colonies became smaller and more fragmented after the arrival of plague; the total area of each colony and the average area per patch within a colony decreased, the number of patches per colony increased, and average contiguity of each patch decreased, leading to habitat fragmentation.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Title | Plague causes fragmentation of prairie dog colonies in Conata Basin, South Dakota from 1993 - 2015 |
| DOI | 10.5066/P9XON1P4 |
| Authors | Krystal M. Kueler, Gebbiana M. Bron, Randall Griebel, Katherine L Richgels |
| Product Type | Data Release |
| Record Source | USGS Digital Object Identifier Catalog |
| USGS Organization | National Wildlife Health Center |
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An invasive disease, sylvatic plague, increases fragmentation of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies
ContextA disease can be a source of disturbance, causing population declines or extirpations, altering species interactions, and affecting habitat structure. This is particularly relevant for diseases that affect keystone species or ecosystem engineers, leading to potentially cascading effects on ecosystems.ObjectiveWe investigated the invasion of a non-native disease, plague, to a keystone specieAuthorsKrystal M. Keuler, Gebbiana M. Bron, Randall Griebel, Katherine Richgels - Connect