LANDSCAPE DIVERSITY, HABITAT DIVERSITY, & RODENT RICHNESS: CASCADING EFFECTS

If we are to begin to understand the complex interactions between rodents, landscapes, and climate as these elements have evolved through time, it is critical that we begin by looking in our own back yard. Conservation biologists have recently been keenly interested in modern interactions between landscape diversity and biodiversity. Thus far studies have largely focused on examining landscape diversity in terms of including soil or geological substrates, slope, or elevation. Biodiversity has often been restricted to ecological system diversity or some other type of plant diversity, largely due to data accessibility.

These types of studies can are informative for understanding rodent coevolution with landscapes. Rodents are sensitive to substrate characteristics due to the need to burrow and consume food that is often coated in sediment. But most rodent interactions with the landscape are mediated through the plants that are required for their survival. In exploring how to best conserve future biodiversity, I have been exploring the correlation between modern landscape diversity and species richness. I have thus far found inconsistent relationships between these two metrics. In some ecoregions I see relatively high correlations between landscape diversity and ecological system diversity; whereas in others, I find very low correlations. Preliminary results from random forest models indicate that extracting individual variables to create explanatory models will prove a more effective method for predicting biodiversity rather than examining correlations alone. Integrating extant species-level rodent distribution data from the GBIF database, will allo me to examine the cascading trophic effect that occur in the broader system.

This type of study can be mutually beneficial for both paleontology and conservation biology. From a paleoecological perspective, we are exploring the basic biology that underlies the interactions between landscape, habitats, and rodent richness patterns. From a conservation perspective, we are validating and improving upon land parcel prioritization methods that are critical for purchase justifications.