Black-tailed prairie dogs once played a vital role in the vast grasslands ecosystem of the Great Plains of North America. The burrows of these little digging rodents aerated and watered the deep soil and provided a home to many other animals as well. Prairie dog feeding habits controlled invasive vegetation and opened the prairie to the plants preferred by buffalo and pronghorn antelope. The prairie dogs themselves were a food source for many other animals, among them hawks, rattlesnakes, badgers, coyotes, and black-footed ferrets.In more than one hundred beautiful and charming color photographs, and with accompanying text, Russell Graves shows prairie dogs and their neighbors in their daily lives, eating, playing, and building -- and keeping a constant lookout over their land. He tells the story of these highly gregarious rodents and gives a fascinating glimpse into their active, vocal society.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
The Black-Tailed Prairie Dog and its Kin The Black-Tailed Prairie Dog The Mexican Prairie Dog The White-Tailed Prairie Dog The Gunnison's Prairie Dog The Utah Prairie Dog Habits and Biology of the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Life in the Burrow Food Habits The Voice of the Prairie Dog The Home Range The Social Order Inside the Coterie Reproduction Allies and Enemies: The Prairie Dog and Its Ecosystem Prairie Dogs and other Mammals Prairie Dogs and Avian Diversity Other Friends and Enemies The Prairie Dog Wars
