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Interspecific Aggressive Behavior of Pocket Gophers Thomomys Bottae and T. Talpoides (Geomyidae: Rodentia)
Author(s) -
Baker Ann Eileen Miller
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1935160
Subject(s) - interspecific competition , allopatric speciation , niche , competitive exclusion , ecology , biology , zoology , competition (biology) , demography , population , sociology
The distributions of pocket gopher species in Colorado are contiguously allopatric. The pattern has been attributed to competitive exclusion, perhaps due to aggression toward the broad—niche species by more narrow—niche species. This study tested for differences in aggressiveness between the narrow—niche Thomomys bottae and the broader niched T. talpoides. Twenty—seven individuals of T. bottae were paired with 27 T. talpoides. Each animal was used once. Contrary to expectations the broader niched species, T. talpoides, is more aggressive than T. bottae.