A Washington State University assistant professor is studying kangaroo rats and how they build elaborate and highly durable burrows from sand that last for generations.
Idil Akin suspects the rats may be mixing bacteria into the sand to make it sturdier. If that’s the case, those techniques could be used by humans in building structures for a harsher climate in the future.
In her studies, she also learned that the burrow homes are microbial hotspots. That is, as the rats collect and eat food, they grow bacterial communities in their cheek pouches and on their feet.
As they move through their burrows, they build up a slimy microbial community throughout their home.
For the new grant, Akin is studying these microbial communities to determine if they might contribute to the stability and longevity of the burrow structures in extreme conditions.
The rodents are commonplace in the southwestern deserts of the U.S.
A three-year, $640,000 National Science Foundation grant is enabling Akin to explore that hypothesis.
