Pantheraman
Well-Known Member
"In a study published recently in Wildlife Monographs, Rubin and her colleagues looked at the ecosystem differences in parts of the Sonoran Desert of Arizona with and without donkeys.
“We have been observing growing numbers of burros in the state, and we could see impacts on the vegetation that had not been quantified,” Rubin said."
"The researchers found that the size or density of several plant species was lower in areas with burros. In addition, these areas had lower ground cover and plant foliage density."
"In areas with burros—and pruned paloverde trees—the researchers found a lower recruitment of saguaros. This is especially troubling due to the long time it takes these iconic cacti to grow, Rubin said. “It’ll be very slow to recover,” she said."
"The researchers also found other differences in the areas with burros. For example, close to water in areas with burros, there were lower densities of four small mammals: Bailey’s and desert pocket mice, Merriam’s kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami) and deer mice (Peromyscus spp.).
Arizona woodrat density was 68% lower in areas with burros, regardless of distance to water."
https://wildlife.org/wm-burros-are-changing-desert-ecosystems/? fbclid=IwY2xjawEqyGBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTmxqiRHwQew9mAkO2zgjW5DZmOFGzRICnTdL1Pv42FFysKEuK46CQ7xHQ_aem_nk3BglWEB0geGU4fPo6ogQ
So much for these donkeys being ecologically beneficial. And that's funny, I thought cougars were keeping them in line.
“We have been observing growing numbers of burros in the state, and we could see impacts on the vegetation that had not been quantified,” Rubin said."
"The researchers found that the size or density of several plant species was lower in areas with burros. In addition, these areas had lower ground cover and plant foliage density."
"In areas with burros—and pruned paloverde trees—the researchers found a lower recruitment of saguaros. This is especially troubling due to the long time it takes these iconic cacti to grow, Rubin said. “It’ll be very slow to recover,” she said."
"The researchers also found other differences in the areas with burros. For example, close to water in areas with burros, there were lower densities of four small mammals: Bailey’s and desert pocket mice, Merriam’s kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami) and deer mice (Peromyscus spp.).
Arizona woodrat density was 68% lower in areas with burros, regardless of distance to water."
https://wildlife.org/wm-burros-are-changing-desert-ecosystems/? fbclid=IwY2xjawEqyGBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTmxqiRHwQew9mAkO2zgjW5DZmOFGzRICnTdL1Pv42FFysKEuK46CQ7xHQ_aem_nk3BglWEB0geGU4fPo6ogQ
So much for these donkeys being ecologically beneficial. And that's funny, I thought cougars were keeping them in line.
