How did agriculture create food and shelter for rodents that live near people?

The transition of humans from nomadic lifestyles to sedentary agricultural practices fundamentally altered the relationship between humans and rodents. As humans began to cultivate land and store harvests, they inadvertently created reliable, man-made habitats that provided consistent resources for specific rodent species capable of adapting to these environments.1

Agriculture provided rodents with two primary advantages:

• Food: Agricultural development created a steady supply of nutrition. Rodents exploit these areas by consuming crops before they are harvested and by accessing stored food supplies, which they may also contaminate with waste.1
• Shelter: The sedentary nature of agricultural settlements offered stable environments. Rodents that possess the necessary behavioral and genetic flexibility utilize these human-made structures for nesting and protection, often burrowing into or near human infrastructure.1

While many rodents remain in natural habitats, those that successfully adapted to human environments—most notably the house mouse and the rat—have become closely associated with human populations, often acting as significant pests or disease vectors.1