The Vertebrate Fauna of the Cayler Prairie Preserve, Dickinson County, Iowa

Authors

William J. Platt, University of Illinois at Chicago CircleFollow

Document Type

Research

Keywords

Cayler Prairie Preserve, Vertebrates, Badgers, Tall-Grass Prairie

Abstract

The vertebrate fauna of the Cayler Prairie Preserve, Dickinson County, Iowa, has been compiled from field observations and study between 1971 and 1974. Seventy-two species, including four amphibians, seven reptiles, 35 birds, and 26 mammals, were recorded. The diverse fauna results from the variety of habitats contained in the preserve, as well as the size of the preserve. One key member of the fauna is the badger (Taxidea taxus), which creates microhabitats favorable for small vertebrates while digging for ground squirrels. Few adventive vertebrates have successfully invaded the prairie, and the fauna represents a sizable fragment (larger vertebrates are absent) of the fauna typically associated with tall-grass prairies.

Publication Date

July 1975

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

82

Issue

2

First Page

106

Last Page

108

Copyright

©1975 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Platt, William J. (1975) "The Vertebrate Fauna of the Cayler Prairie Preserve, Dickinson County, Iowa," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 82(2), 106-108.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol82/iss2/8