rapid decline of a grassland system and its ecological and conservation implications快速下降的草原系统及其生态和保护的影响.pdfVIP

Rapid Decline of a Grassland System and Its Ecological and Conservation Implications 1 1 1 ´ 1 1 Gerardo Ceballos *, Ana Davidson , Rurik List , Jesus Pacheco , Patricia Manzano-Fischer , Georgina Santos-Barrera2, Juan Cruzado1 ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ 1 Instituto de Ecologıa, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico D.F., Mexico, 2 Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico D.F. ´ Mexico Abstract One of the most important conservation issues in ecology is the imperiled state of grassland ecosystems worldwide due to land conversion, desertification, and the loss of native populations and species. The Janos region of northwestern Mexico maintains one of the largest remaining black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colony complexes in North America and supports a high diversity of threatened and endangered species. Yet, cattle grazing, agriculture, and drought have greatly impacted the region. We evaluated the impact of human activities on the Janos grasslands, comparing changes in the vertebrate community over the last two decades. Our results reveal profound, rapid changes in the Janos grassland community, demonstrating large declines in vertebrate abundance across all taxonomic groups. We also found that the 55,000 ha prairie dog colony complex has declined by 73% since 1988. The prairie dog complex has become increasingly fragmented, and their densities have shown a precipitous decline over the years, from an average density of 25 per ha in 1988 to 2 per ha in 2004. We demonstrated that prairie dogs strongly suppressed woody plant encro