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Baird's pocket gopher or the Louisiana pocket gopher (Geomys breviceps)
These small mammals are native to southern United States, where they feed primarily on roots and tubers in lawns and other areas with loose, sandy soil.
soil megafauna
soil science
soil megafauna, in soil science, animals such as earthworms and small vertebrates (including moles, prairie dogs, mice, hares, rabbits, gophers, snakes, and lizards) that live and feed underground. The food habits of soil megafauna vary; earthworms ingest both soil and organic matter, but most of the vertebrates feed on plant material, invertebrates, and other small vertebrate animals. These animals are the principal agents of soil turnover and distribution; this movement loosens soil structure, improves aeration and drainage, and distributes soil microorganisms.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.
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