Kangaroo rat burrows structure the spatial organisation of ground- dwelling animals in a semiarid grassland

Burrow systems constructed by banner-tailed kangaroo rats Dipodomys spectabilis provide important refuges for ground-dwelling animals to escape from harsh surface conditions. Two species of lizards and several groups of invertebrates were significantly more abundant at burrow systems than in the intervening grassland. Many other animals used the burrow systems, but did not exhibit differential abundance. The kangaroo rat creates habitat patches that are abiotically moderate and contain high concentrations of food resources. -from Authors