Whole community resilience - from the prairie dog community

The water from mountain snows would simply run into the river and float away from our local aquifers if not for some often undervalued neighbors in our community, the prairie dog (genus Cynomys). Prairie dog tunnel systems channel rainwater into the water table which prevents runoff and erosion, and can also change the composition of the soil in a region by reversing soil compaction that can be a result of cattle grazing. Their burrows aerate the ground, helping to cool it, which improves root health and encourages plant growth. These little locals are icons of resilience.

 

By Christopher Heron, March 2015

Data and image references:
Hoogland, J.L. (1995) The Black- tailed Prairie Dog: Social Life of a Burrowing Mammal, Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

Image - Jackson, L. D. "Sunday Hunt for Links – Prairie Dog Edition." Political Realities. N.p., 14 Nov. 2010. Web. 1 Mar. 2015.