A Comparison of Vertebrate Usage of Gopher Tortoise and Nine-Banded Armadillo Burrows in a Mixed Hardwood Pine Stand
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Authors
McGlynn, Corey J.
Westbrook, Emaya A.
Issue Date
2020
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Throughout the coastal plain of the southeastern United States the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) and nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) are sympatric burrowing vertebrates whose burrows are used by other vertebrates and invertebrates. The gopher tortoise is considered a keystone species in the long leaf pine ecosystem due to the high diversity of organisms that use its burrows. The nine-banded armadillo is not native to the United States; they have expanded their range within the last century from the Rio Grande Valley to their present-day distribution across the southern United States. Many studies have focused on documenting burrow associates of gopher tortoise. In contrast, few studies have documented burrow associates of nine-banded armadillo. In the mixed pine hardwood stand at the Lake Louise Field Station the gopher tortoise, a protected species, and the nine-banded armadillo coexist. In this study we observed vertebrate activity via motion activated trail cameras to compare burrow associate usage between armadillo and tortoise burrows. This comparison could determine if one burrow type is preferred by a particular associate species and if the recent range expansion of the nine-banded armadillo has a potential ecological benefit.