Mole Rats Promote Biodiversity
Summary:
Mole rats-known for their small eyes, grub like bodies, and sometimes naked skin-despite their life underground, they have
made a dramatic effect on the ecological processes above ground. Mole rats strongly influence the composition of plant
communities through excavating their borrows. Through this process, the mole rats are able to create soil known as a mound.
This mound is made up of vegetation, uneaten food, urine and feces, as well as rich of nutrient resource for plants. This type of
soil was also defined with particles, as if a farmer had aerated and primed it to retain water. Although mole rats have been found to
increase the biodiversity of plants on the mounds, they have actually been linked to the decrease in biomass of plants because of
their favor of enriched soil. Also, the rodents often bury living vegetation and eject them from their borrows, effectively removing
those plants biomass from the tally. Overall, the study of the mole rats are an indication of the unexpected results of the species living
in an ecosystem; and how extinctions can cause consequences that no one has predicted.
Mole rats-known for their small eyes, grub like bodies, and sometimes naked skin-despite their life underground, they have
made a dramatic effect on the ecological processes above ground. Mole rats strongly influence the composition of plant
communities through excavating their borrows. Through this process, the mole rats are able to create soil known as a mound.
This mound is made up of vegetation, uneaten food, urine and feces, as well as rich of nutrient resource for plants. This type of
soil was also defined with particles, as if a farmer had aerated and primed it to retain water. Although mole rats have been found to
increase the biodiversity of plants on the mounds, they have actually been linked to the decrease in biomass of plants because of
their favor of enriched soil. Also, the rodents often bury living vegetation and eject them from their borrows, effectively removing
those plants biomass from the tally. Overall, the study of the mole rats are an indication of the unexpected results of the species living
in an ecosystem; and how extinctions can cause consequences that no one has predicted.
Reflection:
Despite small animals that are usually borrowed underground, these animals have a very high demand to increase the biodiversity of
our plant life in the ecosystem. Mole rats, a type of rodent known for it's small eyes, large teeth, and sometimes naked skin, create a type of
soil that is beneficial for new plant life. I think this article was interesting to read because of the praise a small animal like the mole rat can
get. It's ecological niche provides it to have a high demand despite their bad reputations. Often rodents are given a reputation of pests, but this
article shows how important some of them can be. These underground dwellers have an important job to carry out, showing to scientists' that
unpredictable results can occur from rodents, otherwise believed to be useless. I think it was a nice change to read about; especially because it
shows a positive change to the environment, despite the decrease in biomass. I chose this article because I never here anything about mole rats
and how they effect the environment. To know that such a small animal is able to create such a positive change to the environment is nice to read.
Despite small animals that are usually borrowed underground, these animals have a very high demand to increase the biodiversity of
our plant life in the ecosystem. Mole rats, a type of rodent known for it's small eyes, large teeth, and sometimes naked skin, create a type of
soil that is beneficial for new plant life. I think this article was interesting to read because of the praise a small animal like the mole rat can
get. It's ecological niche provides it to have a high demand despite their bad reputations. Often rodents are given a reputation of pests, but this
article shows how important some of them can be. These underground dwellers have an important job to carry out, showing to scientists' that
unpredictable results can occur from rodents, otherwise believed to be useless. I think it was a nice change to read about; especially because it
shows a positive change to the environment, despite the decrease in biomass. I chose this article because I never here anything about mole rats
and how they effect the environment. To know that such a small animal is able to create such a positive change to the environment is nice to read.