Plague bacterium as a transformer species in prairie dogs and the grasslands of western North America
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Abstract
Invasive transformer species change the character, condition, form, or nature of ecosystems and deserve considerable attention from conservation scientists. We applied the transformer species concept to the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis in western North America, where the pathogen was introduced around 1900. Y. pestis transforms grassland ecosystems by severely depleting the abundance of prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) and thereby causing declines in native species abundance and diversity, including threatened and endangered species; altering food web connections; altering the import and export of nutrients; causing a loss of ecosystem resilience to encroaching invasive plants; and modifying prairie dog burrows. Y. pestis poses an important challenge to conservation biologists because it causes trophic-level perturbations that affect the stability of ecosystems. Unfortunately, understanding of the effects of Y. pestis on ecosystems is rudimentary, highlighting an acute need for continued research.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Plague bacterium as a transformer species in prairie dogs and the grasslands of western North America |
| Series title | Conservation Biology |
| DOI | 10.1111/cobi.12498 |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Year Published | 2015 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Contributing office(s) | Fort Collins Science Center |
| Description | 8 p. |
| First page | 1086 |
| Last page | 1093 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |