Prairie dogs can have a significant effect—either negative or positive—on community structure or ecosystem function. That is to say, they can in some instances degrade an ecosystem, and in others be responsible for making it more complete, even to the point of supporting it. For this reason prairie dogs have been labeled a “keystone species.”

Testing of the keystone species theory would involve introduction of black-tailed prairie dogs to an area from which they had been absent for many years, and observing the change in community structure—a sort of “If you build it, will they come?” effort. Prior to 2005, however, very little such testing had been conducted. Establishment of a black-tailed prairie dog colony, it was thought, would permit the investigation of the keystone-species theory in an eastern Colorado shortgrass prairie setting.

During the summer of 2005, RES reintroduced a black-tailed prairie dog population on a private ranch in Eastern CO. The goal of the project was to establish a viable population of black-tailed prairie dogs that would eventually facilitate the nesting of Western Burrowing Owls and Mountain Plovers, and the wintering and nesting of Ferruginous Hawks in the area.

The established colony is the only one within an approximately 25 mile radius. Since reestablishment we have already seen burrowing owls, long-billed curlews, swift fox, badgers, pronghorn, etc... utilizing the colony.  In other words, the reestablishment has been an ecological success and has filled a niche in an area that was without the prairie dog ecosystem for a very long time.