Ecological Interactions of Terrestrial Mammals in the Chihuahuan Desert: A Systematic Map

Abstract

1. The Chihuahuan Desert (CD) spans 11 Mexican and three U.S. states, covering 629,000 km² of mountain systems and lowland basins. In this extreme environment, mammals have evolved physiological and behavioural adaptations to minimise water loss. However, their survival as individuals and species also depends on the interactions they establish over time and space. In this sense, while some ecological interactions between terrestrial mammals in the CD have been studied, our understanding of these complex networks remains unclear coupled with the lack of basic trophic relationship information for some species.
2. We conducted a systematic literature review in English and Spanish using the PRISMA protocol, searching major scientific databases for studies on ecological interactions among mammals in the CD. We used broad keyword combinations and performed several screenings.
3. We found a growing trend in studies conducted between 1946 and 2021 (n = 200), with at least one interaction recorded for 81% of the 101 terrestrial mammals in the CD. Predation and herbivory had the most records, and we observed a geographic bias in the spatial distribution of studies towards the northern CD. Rodentia and Carnivora had more information, while Eulipotyphla and Cingulata were understudied.
4. Many terrestrial mammals participate in multiple interactions in the desert, yet several species remain poorly studied, and many trophic relationships and indirect interactions are largely unknown.