Mammal Review

Decline of the Diggers: Extinction of Australia’s Ecosystem Engineers Threatens Biodiversity

From wombats to the bettong ‘rat-kangaroos’, mammals which dig and burrow were once considered common across Australia, but new research reveals that the decline of these ‘ecosystem engineers’ is threatening the country’s ecology.

In arid and semi-arid zones, digging mammals contribute to the soil through a process known as bioturbation. Digging provides habitats for microscopic organisms and improves water infiltration, while burrowing animals can also increase the sediment’s nutrient content.

“Around half of digging mammal species are now extinct or under conservation threat,” said author Dr. Patricia Fleming from Murdoch University. “We highlight how the actions of digging mammals are vital for maintaining ecosystem functioning and how their extirpation has led to loss of ecosystem functions.”