Biotic ecosystem engineers are increasingly recognized as important drivers of biodiversity, structure, and function in many ecosystems. By regulating physical processes and creating local disturbances, ecosystem engineers can serve as important elements of passive habitat restoration, as they continuously alter and shape their environments. Native to North American temperate wetlands, the common muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) is an ecosystem engineer that alters its environment through herbivory, house and structure building, and creation of activity networks. While the physical consequences of muskrat disturbances are well‐known, few studies have quantified their impact on the wetland biotic community. We conducted a field study to investigate the effects of muskrat herbivory and structure building on plant biodiversity in wetlands along the upper St. Lawrence River (New York, USA) that have been extensively modified by long‐term water regulation and non‐native cattail invasion. Plant species richness and diversity were greater in muskrat‐disturbed areas compared to at‐large reference plots within the same wetlands. Soil saturation mediated the biodiversity impacts of muskrats, with intermediate moisture levels resulting in the highest species richness. These interacting drivers, muskrat activity and hydrology, had a compensatory effect on plant biodiversity loss associated with non‐native cattail invasion. Multivariate analysis indicated a distinct plant community associated with muskrat disturbances. Analysis of spatiotemporal patterns of house locations suggests that some muskrats reuse house locations in sequential years, likely amplifying the intensity and duration of their impacts. This study demonstrates that muskrat disturbance influences wetland plant diversity at scales relevant to regional drivers of plant diversity.

中文翻译：

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生态系统工程师麝香鼠对当地的干扰增加了区域改变的湿地植物的多样性

生物生态系统工程师越来越被认为是许多生态系统中生物多样性，结构和功能的重要驱动力。通过调节物理过程并制造局部干扰，生态系统工程师可以不断改变和塑造环境，从而成为被动栖息地恢复的重要元素。原产于北美温带湿地的普通麝香鼠（Ondatra zibethicus）是一位生态系统工程师，可以通过食草，房屋和结构搭建以及活动网络的创建来改变环境。尽管麝香鼠扰动的物理后果众所周知，但很少有研究量化它们对湿地生物群落的影响。我们进行了一项野外研究，研究了麝香草食性和结构构造对圣劳伦斯河上游（美国纽约）沿湿地的植物生物多样性的影响，这些湿地已通过长期的水调节和非本地香蒲入侵而得到了广泛的修改。与同一湿地中的大型参考地相比，麝香鼠受干扰地区的植物物种丰富度和多样性更大。土壤饱和度介导了麝香对生物多样性的影响，中间水平的水分导致最高的物种丰富度。这些相互作用的驱动因素，麝香鼠的活动和水文学对与非本地香蒲入侵有关的植物生物多样性丧失具有补偿作用。多变量分析表明与麝香鼠干扰有关的独特植物群落。对房屋位置的时空模式的分析表明，一些麝香鼠在连续的几年中重复使用房屋位置，这可能会放大其影响的强度和持续时间。这项研究表明，麝香鼠扰动以与区域植物多样性驱动因素有关的尺度影响湿地植物多样性。对房屋位置的时空模式的分析表明，一些麝香鼠在连续的几年中重复使用房屋位置，这可能会放大其影响的强度和持续时间。这项研究表明，麝香鼠扰动以与区域植物多样性驱动因素有关的尺度影响湿地植物多样性。对房屋位置的时空模式的分析表明，一些麝香鼠在连续的几年中重复使用房屋位置，这可能会放大其影响的强度和持续时间。这项研究表明，麝香鼠扰动以与区域植物多样性驱动因素有关的尺度影响湿地植物多样性。