Plant-Mediated Interactions Between the Northern Pocket Gopher, Thomomys Talpoides, and Aboveground Herbivorous Insects

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Journal of Mammalogy

Volume

83

Publication Date

2002

First Page

991

Last Page

998

Abstract

We used reciprocal exclusions to test for indirect interactions between pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides) and aboveground insects. Sucking insects occurred at higher densities on plants that were protected from grazing by gophers (P < 0.05), whereas chewing insects damaged plants that were browsed by gophers more than plants that were protected from gopher herbivory (P < 0.05). Pocket gophers foraged more in areas treated with insecticide (P < 0.05). These results indicate that aboveground insects and the northern pocket gopher interacted through their shared plant hosts.

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