The Influence of Muskrats on the Biodiversity of Wetlands

Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and are home to various plant and animal species. The relationships between the species living in the wetlands keep the ecosystem functional as well as increasing biodiversity. Increased biodiversity of wetlands creates more resilient plant communities. Muskrats are ecosystem engineers, meaning that they alter their surroundings to change the quality and quantity of the available resources through behaviors related to their eating habits and their burrow construction. Muskrats are herbivores and consume large amounts of vegetation, which creates opportunities for more plant species by creating new ecological niches. In wetlands invasive cattails are taking resources away from native plants decreasing biodiversity. However, there is little research connecting muskrat presence to increased plant diversity of wetland ecosystems. This study investigates the effect of muskrat disturbances on the biodiversity of plant species in the St. Lawrence River region of New York during the peak growing season. I predict that more evidence of muskrat presence will increase the area's species richness. BIO 340 final project