Biologists from the University of Florida (USA) have found that mammals are not the only ones capable of agriculture.
A study of pocket gopher burrows has shown that they do not just collect the roots of longleaf pines that grow in their homes — they trim, aerate, and fertilize them to increase yield. The results of the work were published in the journal Current Biology.
Pocket gophers (Lat. Geomys pinetis) are burrowing rodents found in Central and North America. They feed on plant roots and obtain most of their food underground, digging winding tunnels up to 160 meters long.
According to zoologists, the animals expend 360-3400 times more energy digging burrows than if they were simply moving on the surface. At the depth where their tunnels are located, there are initially few roots, but they begin to sprout in the prepared burrows.
The research team sought to determine how gophers cope with the lack of food underground. Observations showed that gophers do not simply eat what falls to them from above, but actively cultivate their food.
Scientists found that as soon as the roots enter the tunnels, gophers begin to fertilize them with their feces and urine, as well as protect the crop. According to biologists, the animals create ideal conditions for root growth.
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