Abstract
Soil seed populations of three common grass species did not decline detectably over 16 months of drought at Fowlers Gap, N.S.W., despite continued harvester ant activity. These data contrast with evidence from North America showing that desert soil seed reserves are substantially depleted both by ants and by rodents.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brown, J. H., Davidson, D. W. & Reichman, O. J., 1979. An experimental study of competition between seed-eating desert rodents and ants. Am. Zool. 19: 1129–1144.
Brown, J. H., Reichman, O. J. & Davidson, D. W., 1979. Granivory in desert ecosystems. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 10: 20–227.
Chew, R. M. & Chew, A. E., 1970. Energy relationships of the mammals of a desert shrub (Larrea tridentata) community. Ecol. Monogr. 40: 1–21.
French, N. R., Maza, B. G., Hill, H. O., Aschwanden, A. P. & Kaaz, H. W., 1974. A population study of irradiated desert rodents. Ecol. Monogr. 44: 45–72.
Low, B. S., 1978. Environmental uncertainty and the parental strategies of marsupials and placentals. Am. Nat. 112: 197–213.
Mabbutt, J. A. (ed.), 1973. Lands of Fowlers Gap Station, N.S. W. University of N.S.W. Research Series, 3.
Morton, S. R., 1979. Diversity of desert-dwelling mammals: a comparison of Australia and North America. J. Mammal. 60: 253–264.
Nelson, J. F. & Chew, R. M., 1977. Factors affecting the seed reserves in the soil of a Mojave Desert ecosystem, Rock Valley, Nye County, Nevada. Am. Midi. Nat. 97: 300–320.
Pulliam, H. R. & Brand, M. R., 1975. The production and utilization of seeds in plains grasslands of southeastern Arizona. Ecology 56: 1158–1166.
Soholt, L. F., 1973. Consumption of primary production by a population of kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami) in the Mojave desert. Ecol. Monogr. 43: 357–376.
Tevis, L., 1958. Interrelations between the harvester ant Veromes- sor pergandei ( Mayr.) and some desert ephemerals. Ecology 39: 695-704.
Whitford, W. G., 1978. Foraging in seed-harvester ants Pogonomyrmex spp. Ecology 59: 185–189.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1982 Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Westoby, M., Cousins, J.M., Grice, A.C. (1982). Rate of decline of some soil seed populations during drought in western New South Wales. In: Buckley, R.C. (eds) Ant-plant interactions in Australia. Geobotany, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7994-9_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7994-9_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-009-7996-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-7994-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive