How Woodrats Survive on Toxic Desert Plants
Woodrats can consume highly toxic desert plants like creosote bush, mesquite and juniper, and DNA metabarcoding of their feces shows individual rats often specialize on a consistent subset of these plants (PNAS). getnews.me/how-woodrats-survive-on-... #woodrats #desert
DNA metabarcoding reveals woodrats' selective diet of toxic plants
DNA metabarcoding of woodrat feces across habitats shows the rodents preferentially consume plants with milder toxins, while high‑toxin species appear only sparingly in the diet. getnews.me/dna-metabarcoding-reveal... #woodrats #metabarcoding
Dusky-footed Woodrats (Neotoma fuscipes) build large, conical nests up to 8 feet tall in trees, on the ground, or on bluffs. Made of sticks, bark, and plant material, the nests can house multiple generations and include rooms for specific purposes.
#woodrats #nests #nature #wildlife #california
Cold Weather Weakens Woodrats’ Snake Venom Defense #Science #Biology #Ecology #Woodrats #ColdWeather #SnakeVenom
And read this great post on the ecology of #woodrats and the #Californiabay tree by Matt @indfnsofplnts x.com/theodorepayne/status/105... https://x.com/TheodorePayne/status/1057674362835296257
