A comparison of the rodent faunas in sandhill habitats from the northern Chihuahuan Desert in Texas

Twenty-nine species of mammals were recorded from Monahans Sandhills State Park (MSSP) with Dipodomys ordii being the most abundant species. The sand dunes at Guadalupe Mountains National Park (GMNP) yielded 23 mammalian species with the most abundant species being Dipodomys merriami. Rodent diversity was significantly higher in sand dune areas than in the surrounding cover sands at both parks. Active dunes from both parks had significantly more species and were more diverse than the cover sands habitats. The habitat heterogeneity hypothesis is the most likely mechanism that accounts for these results and the maintenance of this level of biodiversity in sand dune environments