Throughout spring, meadows with the presence of ground squirrels bloom in abundance. Ground squirrel habitats are usually pastures, so this suitable combination of inter-species cooperation bears its fruit.
Ground squirrels change the landscape with their presence, not only by digging burrows underground, but also by piling up the so-called “mounds” near the burrows – i.e. heaps of exposed dirt suitable for various xerothermic plant species that are happy to avoid being shaded by the grasses in the vegetation – e.g. ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), the germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys).
In addition, species that are not to the liking of grazing animals or may be poisonous to them and not eaten – like the creeping buttercup in the picture, which now dots the entire ground squirrel meadow on the Muránská plain – become established in the vegetation.
In addition, daisies, wild strawberries and other species that do not readily establish themselves in grassland bloom there.
And this is matched by the intense buzzing and presence of pollinators, which are abundant in the ground squirrel meadows, such as solitary insects and bees, which use the edges of ground squirrels burrows, mounds and also abandoned burrows. Ground squirrels bring biodiversity to the landscape and create conditions for many other species. We will address this in more posts.
So protecting ground squirrels also means protecting other life.