As public and scientific interest in black-tailed prairie dogs has grown, views about their
ecological role have become polarized. We evaluated three claims frequently made …

In recent years, people have interpreted scientific information about the black‐tailed prairie
dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) in various, and sometimes conflicting, ways. Political …

Because prairie dogs consume and clip vegetation, they have long been regarded as
competitors with domestic livestock (cattle, horses, and sheep) and, consequently, as threats …

Recent articles in the scientific literature and popular press have argued for federal
protection for prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) based on their role as a keystone …

Biologists disagree about the magnitude of the area inhabited by the prairie dog in the
1800s, and also about the magnitude of the area inhabited today (Wuerthner 1997; …

The prairie dog is a colonial, keystone species of the grassland ecosystem of western North
America. Myriad animals regularly visit colony-sites to feed on the grass there, to use the …

Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) once occupied extensive areas throughout
the Great Plains. In recent years massive control programs have been initiated to reduce …

Prairie dog populations have declined by about 98% over the last 200 years because of
recreational shooting, poisoning, loss of habitat, and plague (Chapters 10, 11, 12, and 16) …

Cynomys spp.) have been labeled as keystone species because of their influence on
biological diversity and ecosystem function. However, the validity of several assumptions …

Recorded presettlement observations of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus)
are not adequate to fully determine their abundance and distribution. Early naturalists and …