By: John R. Platt
A bandicoot, which only weighs about 1.4 kilograms, has been impacting the Australian ecosystems, because of it's digging. Bandicoots dig about 3.9 metric tons of soil each year. The digging of the bandicoot is from digging for food and creating nests. Who knew that these small animals would be impacting and affecting the ecosystems so much. "This digging provides a critical role for Australian ecosystems by turning soil, increasing nutrient cycling, creating avenues for water absorption, and burying plant seeds" (Platt 1).
Overall, Australia's mammals are having some major problems. "In fact, of Australia's 29 species of digging marsupials and monotremes (egg-laying mammals), six have gone extinct, three are critically endangered and another nine are endangered or threatened" (Platt 1). Their habitats are being destroyed, which then results in more digging of soil from these animals. These are major effects and will stay with them in the future. There has been a report of no bandicoots, which then brings down other forests's ecosystems in Australia. This also results in higher tree mortality rates and a decrease of plant species variety in these ecosystems. (Platt 1) Many research also looks at how climate change has been affecting these mammals and has turned into a major study at the Center of Excellence for Climate Change, Woodland and Forest Health. This diagram shows five ecosystem functions:
In this case, these species burrow. These species end up digging extremely deep. The soil in Australia does not contain many nutrients and is lacking because its it not absorbing new components of nature, like leaves, plants, fungi, and animal feces. (Platt 1) Overall, bandicoots can really have a long-term effect on these ecosystems and the soil in Australia.
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/2013/09/25/australian-digging-mammals/
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