Kangaroo rats: Ecosystem engineers on western rangelands

Abstract

• Kangaroo rats occur exclusively in arid environments of western North America, where they often function as ecosystem engineers and keystone species. • These rodents can exist on a diet of seeds without drinking free water. • Kangaroo rats evade attacks from their primary predators, owls and snakes, using split-second gymnastic-like maneuvers. • Kangaroo rat activities, such as digging, altering soil seed banks, and storing seeds in surface caches, account for their keystone species status. • Although some kangaroo rat species are common over large geographic areas, others have limited ranges, and some are endangered. Climate change will only make their future conservation more challenging.