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Blah blah blah introduction here blah blah Big Brain Ecology or something! Today's lecture will be on the Muskrat.
They are native to North America and are an introduced species in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands over a wide range of climates and habitats. It has important effects on the ecology of wetlands, (we'll get to a wetlands lecture and how they're important later) and is a resource of food and fur for humans.
The Muskrat is the only know species that is in the genus Ondatra and the tribe Ondatrini, is it also a medium-sized semi aquatic rodent. The muskrat is the largest species in the subfamily Arvicolinae, which includes 142 other species of rodents.
Muskrats spend most of their time in the water and are well suited for their semiaquatic life. They can swim under water for 12 to 17 minutes. Muskrats are found over most of Canada and the United States and a small part of northern Mexico.
They were introduced to Europe in the beginning of the 20th century and have become an invasive species in northwestern Europe. They mostly inhabit wetlands, areas in or near saline and freshwater wetlands, rivers, lakes, or ponds. They are not found in Florida, where the round-tailed muskrat, or Florida water rat, fills their ecological niche. they are capable of removing much of the vegetation in wetlands.
They are thought to play a major role in determining the vegetation of prairie wetlands in particular. They also selectively remove preferred plant species, thereby changing the abundance of plant species in many kinds of wetlands. Species commonly eaten include cattail and yellow water lilly. Alligators are thought to be an important natural predator, and the absence of muskrats from Florida may in part be the result of alligator predation.
Muskrats normally live in groups consisting of a male and female pair and their young. During the spring, they often fight with other muskrats over territory and potential mates. Many are injured or killed in these fights. Yes, they kill each other for land like a true A m e r i c a n.
Today's lecture is brought to you by Yuki and how he'll hopefully not delete this thread like the last one. So let's all take a moment of our time to thank Yuki.
Anyway, does anyone have any questions related to today's lecture?
They are native to North America and are an introduced species in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands over a wide range of climates and habitats. It has important effects on the ecology of wetlands, (we'll get to a wetlands lecture and how they're important later) and is a resource of food and fur for humans.
The Muskrat is the only know species that is in the genus Ondatra and the tribe Ondatrini, is it also a medium-sized semi aquatic rodent. The muskrat is the largest species in the subfamily Arvicolinae, which includes 142 other species of rodents.
Muskrats spend most of their time in the water and are well suited for their semiaquatic life. They can swim under water for 12 to 17 minutes. Muskrats are found over most of Canada and the United States and a small part of northern Mexico.
They were introduced to Europe in the beginning of the 20th century and have become an invasive species in northwestern Europe. They mostly inhabit wetlands, areas in or near saline and freshwater wetlands, rivers, lakes, or ponds. They are not found in Florida, where the round-tailed muskrat, or Florida water rat, fills their ecological niche. they are capable of removing much of the vegetation in wetlands.
They are thought to play a major role in determining the vegetation of prairie wetlands in particular. They also selectively remove preferred plant species, thereby changing the abundance of plant species in many kinds of wetlands. Species commonly eaten include cattail and yellow water lilly. Alligators are thought to be an important natural predator, and the absence of muskrats from Florida may in part be the result of alligator predation.
Muskrats normally live in groups consisting of a male and female pair and their young. During the spring, they often fight with other muskrats over territory and potential mates. Many are injured or killed in these fights. Yes, they kill each other for land like a true A m e r i c a n.
Today's lecture is brought to you by Yuki and how he'll hopefully not delete this thread like the last one. So let's all take a moment of our time to thank Yuki.
Anyway, does anyone have any questions related to today's lecture?
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