Effects of rodents on ecosystem structure and...
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Effects of rodents on ecosystem structure and function Leigh Moorhead Exit Seminar Friday April 7, 330pm SERF 307 What structures systems across the landscape and over time has long been a focus of ecosystem ecology. Together, abiotic and biotic components interact to shape the flow of nutrients and energy through a system. My dissertation explores how rodents directly and indirectly affect ecosystem structure and function using a manipulation experiment in an old-field system in East Tennessee. Despite previous research showing herbivores have large and sustained impacts on ecosystems, rodents, specifically, are oft overlooked despite their ubiquitous presence. Specifically, I will discuss how rodents contribute to above and belowground community structure, nutrient cycling and decomposition, and how they influence an ecosystem’s response to fire disturbance.
Transcript of Effects of rodents on ecosystem structure and...
Effects of rodents on ecosystem structure and function
Leigh MoorheadExit Seminar
Friday April 7, 330pmSERF 307
What structures systems across the landscape and over time has long been a focus of ecosystem ecology. Together, abiotic and biotic components interact to shape the flow of nutrients and energy through a system. My dissertation explores how rodents directly and indirectly affect ecosystem structure and function using a manipulation experiment in an old-field system in East Tennessee. Despite previous research showing herbivores have large and sustained impacts on ecosystems, rodents, specifically, are oft overlooked despite their ubiquitous presence. Specifically, I will discuss how rodents contribute to above and belowground community structure, nutrient cycling and decomposition, and how they influence an ecosystem’s response to fire disturbance.
