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Modeling Habitat Use Of A Fringe Greater Sage Grouse Population At Multiple Spatial Scales
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Book Synopsis Modeling Habitat Use of a Fringe Greater Sage-grouse Population at Multiple Spatial Scales by : Anya Cheyenne Burnett
Download or read book Modeling Habitat Use of a Fringe Greater Sage-grouse Population at Multiple Spatial Scales written by Anya Cheyenne Burnett and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Book Synopsis Greater Sage-Grouse by : Steve Knick
Download or read book Greater Sage-Grouse written by Steve Knick and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2011-05-19 with total page 665 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Admired for its elaborate breeding displays and treasured as a game bird, the Greater Sage-Grouse is a charismatic symbol of the broad open spaces in western North America. Unfortunately these birds have declined across much of their range—which stretches across 11 western states and reaches into Canada—mostly due to loss of critical sagebrush habitat. Today the Greater Sage-Grouse is at the center of a complex conservation challenge. This multifaceted volume, an important foundation for developing conservation strategies and actions, provides a comprehensive synthesis of scientific information on the biology and ecology of the Greater Sage-Grouse. Bringing together the experience of thirty-eight researchers, it describes the bird’s population trends, its sagebrush habitat, and potential limitations to conservation, including the effects of rangeland fire, climate change, invasive plants, disease, and land uses such as energy development, grazing, and agriculture.
Book Synopsis A Large-scale Multi-seasonal Habitat Prioritization and an Analysis of Structural Connectivity for the Conservation of Greater Sage-grouse in Wyoming by : Anushika De Silva
Download or read book A Large-scale Multi-seasonal Habitat Prioritization and an Analysis of Structural Connectivity for the Conservation of Greater Sage-grouse in Wyoming written by Anushika De Silva and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Habitat loss is widely recognized as the primary cause of global declines in biodiversity and is linked to human disturbances through widespread land-use changes (Menon et al., 2001). As a consequence, wildlife species must persist on landscapes that are greatly modified and fragmented (Moilanen et al., 2005). Disruptions affecting the structural connectivity can hinder ecological flows of energy, nutrients and the natural dispersal of species across the landscape. Therefore, in order to conserve wildlife populations, we are challenged with securing areas where species are most likely to survive in the long run while maintaining habitat connectivity to facilitate natural ecological processes and meta-population dynamics (Gardner et al., 1993; Early and Thomas, 2007). Identifying conservation priority areas is an essential step in wildlife conservation planning. In order to achieve long term conservation success amid increasing developments and environmental degradation, we must aim for biologically and ecologically comprehensive and justifiable approaches that take multiple factors into consideration when defining conservation priority areas. In addition, when prioritizing the landscape, we must also account for the variations in habitat use caused by seasonal changes throughout the annual cycle in order to protect indispensable habitat across all seasons and life-stages. Thus, my first objective was to develop an annual habitat prioritization for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) in Wyoming, USA by combining nesting, summer and winter habitat selection models in an ecologically meaningful way using a quantitative spatial prioritization tool. I assessed the capacity of Wyoming's current sage-grouse protected areas for capturing priority areas across the full annual cycle in order to quantify the importance of a multi-seasonal (i.e., annual) habitat prioritization. While, the annual habitat prioritized substantial as well as very similar fractions of the best habitat from each individual season, results indicated that the protected areas did not account for 52% of the top 25% of best annual habitat. As expected, the individual seasonal analysis confirmed that the protected areas contained more nesting priority habitat and failed to capture substantial fractions of summer and winter priority habitat. My second objective was to model connectivity between sage-grouse lek sites by applying circuit theory across the annual habitat model. I calculated the correlation between connectivity and habitat use across the annual and nesting habitat selection models to test if greater connectivity resulted in larger and more stable populations independent of habitat. I examined these trends across years of high population as well as years of low population. The structural connectivity of the landscape was not strongly correlated with the relative probability of habitat use across both nesting and annual habitat models (r = 0.3). Increasing connectivity was associated with increasing population sizes at leks and decreasing variability in lek counts; thus signifying that structural connectivity has a positive influence on population abundance and supports greater stability at lek sites. These trends also extended across years of high population as well as years of population declines, therefore indicating the importance of structural connectivity across the full cycle. Overall, my research explicitly integrates across all seasonal habitats supporting a multi-seasonal approach over a single-season approach for identifying priority areas in order to shield sage-grouse from human induced disturbances across the full annual cycle. Furthermore, I found that the structural connectivity of the landscape is beyond a simple summarization of habitat availability; therefore, when prioritizing the landscape and identifying core areas for protection, considering areas of high structural connectivity in addition to good quality habitat would enhance overall conservation outcomes across the full annual cycle.
Book Synopsis Quantifying Habitat Importance for Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Population Persistence in an Energy Development Landscape by : Christopher P. Kirol
Download or read book Quantifying Habitat Importance for Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Population Persistence in an Energy Development Landscape written by Christopher P. Kirol and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Landscapes undergoing intensive energy extraction activities present challenges to the persistence of wildlife populations. Much of the oil and gas resources in western North America, underlie sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems. The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a sagebrush obligate that is dependent on this ecosystem for its entire life-cycle. I developed research objectives to: 1) spatially quantify habitat quality for female greater sage-grouse during the reproductive period in the Atlantic Rim Project Area (ARPA) of south-central, Wyoming, which was being developed for coalbed natural gas (CBNG) resources, 2) utilize a non-impacted offsite reference area (Stewart Creek [SC]) to assess factors potentially contributing to changes in habitat quality resulting from energy development during the nesting period, and 3) explore microhabitat conditions that were crucial to female greater sage-grouse reproduction. In a geographic information system (GIS) framework, I quantified habitat quality for greater sage-grouse in the ARPA by generating a suite of habitat-specific environmental and anthropogenic variables at three landscape scales. My results showed that environmental and anthropogenic variables at multiple spatial scales were predictive of female greater sage-grouse occurrence and fitness. Anthropogenic variables related to CBNG development were predictive in all of the final occurrence models, suggesting that anthropogenic features were resulting in habitat avoidance through all summer life-stages. My fitness modeling illustrated habitat-specific and scale dependent variation in survival across the ARPA landscape. When mapped, the final ecological model identified habitat patches that were contributing the most to population persistence and that source-sink dynamics within the ARPA landscape may be shifting as a result of CBNG development. Documenting an anthropogenic impact that has already occurred yields limited inference unless a means of comparison is incorporated. I evaluated habitat and demographic responses of greater sage-grouse during nesting by comparing an energy development landscape (ARPA) to a non-impacted landscape (SC). I accomplished this by spatially shifting my nest occurrence and survival models from the ARPA to SC. In addition, I compared nest survival rates between the areas. My nest occurrence and survival models were predictive in SC without the CBNG predictor variable. Specific environmental variables that were robust predictors of nest occurrence in both areas included big sagebrush canopy cover and litter that represented dead standing woody vegetation and detached organic matter both at a 0.25-km2 scale. Further, the variability in shrub heights at a 1.0-km2 scale at was highly predictive of nest survival in both areas. The evidence of the predictive ability of my nest occurrence models in SC and the habitat likeness between areas allowed me to assess what greater sage-grouse nest selection in the ARPA might have looked like prior to the introduction of CBNG development by replacing time (pre-development data) with space (using SC as a spatial control). I modeled the ARPA RSF against the SC nest occurrence data (i.e., nest selection in the absence of CBNG development) and then spatially shifted the adjusted model back to the ARPA. However, the range of variability in habitat conditions between the ARPA and SC caused the spatial shifting of the models to function poorly in practice. This elucidates an important consideration in choosing spatial control related habitat variability and the predictive errors associated with extrapolation out of the range of the data used to train the RSF. Thus for a spatial control to function well, not only do habitat conditions need to be similar to the impacted area but the range of variability in habitat conditions need to also be comparable. Understanding habitat selection at macrohabitat and microhabitat scales is critical to conserving and restoring greater sage-grouse habitat. Because of the similar ecological conditions, my microhabitat selection analysis for the greater sage-grouse during the nesting, early and late brood-rearing periods incorporated both the ARPA and SC. Nest microhabitat selection was positively correlated with mountain big sagebrush (A. tridentata vaseyana) and litter cover. I found that female greater sage-grouse preferred areas with greater sagebrush cover and greater perennial grass cover during early and late brood-rearing. However, I did not find forb cover to be predictive of early or late brood-rearing occurrence. My findings suggest that sage-grouse inhabiting xeric sagebrush habitats (less than 25 cm annual precipitation) rely on sagebrush cover and grass structure for nesting as well as brood-rearing and that these structural characteristics may be more important than forb availability at the microhabitat scale. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Book Synopsis Validation of Winter Concentration Area Guidelines and Winter Habitat Ecology for Greater Sage-grouse in the Red Desert, Wyoming by : Caitlyn Powell Wanner
Download or read book Validation of Winter Concentration Area Guidelines and Winter Habitat Ecology for Greater Sage-grouse in the Red Desert, Wyoming written by Caitlyn Powell Wanner and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winter in temperate zones often represents a period of greatest energetic demand for vertebrate species. Animals respond to seasonal scarcity through behavioral strategies such as migration and selecting specific habitats characteristics to maximize resource acquisition and/or minimize energy expenditures. Migration or differential habitat use in winter can complicate goals of defining and conserving core habitat for species across increasingly fragmented landscapes. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter “sage-grouse”) is a species of conservation concern endemic to sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe whose populations are most threatened by anthropogenic disturbance and concomitant degradation to sagebrush communities. Conservation of sage-grouse habitat is complicated by a partially-migratory annual cycle in most populations. Seasonal ranges (spring, summer/fall, and winter) may be integrated to any degree or non-overlapping. Efforts to conserve core habitat for sage-grouse have focused primarily on breeding ranges, which may not capture the needs of sage-grouse during other seasons, with winter habitat being least protected. Greater understanding of winter habitat requirements is needed to improve conservation for sage-grouse throughout their annual cycle. My thesis focused on multi-scale winter habitat ecology of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Red Desert of southcentral Wyoming, using GPS location data from winters 2018/2019, 2019/2020, and 2020/2021. My research encompassed a 1) landscape-scale validation of management guidelines for winter concentration areas as the second phase to a state-wide analysis, 2) habitat selection and behavior within home- and population-range scales as influenced by winter weather conditions, and 3) a fine-scale evaluation of microhabitat within home- and population-range scales during winter 2020/2021. My results support consideration of winter habitats in conservation plans for sage-grouse populations in rapidly changing landscapes. In Chapter 1, I conducted a systematic review of literature published in the last 46 years (1977–2022) on sage-grouse winter habitat selection and survival. Out of 32 compiled publications, I found that 59.4% of sage-grouse winter habitat literature was published in the last 10 years (2013–2022) and 53.1% of articles over the last 46 years reported avoidance of anthropogenic disturbance by sage-grouse during winter. The most recent recommendations for defining year-round priority habitat for sage-grouse recommend implementation of resource selection modeling for all seasonal periods. In Chapter 2, my research fulfilled the second phase of a larger effort to answer questions posed by the Wyoming Sage-Grouse Implementation Team, through the Winter Concentration Area Subcommittee, regarding sage-grouse winter habitat selection and response to anthropogenic disturbance. Phase 1 used existing datasets of sage-grouse GPS locations from 6 regions across Wyoming to model winter habitat selection and avoidance patterns of disturbance statewide. Results from Phase I formed the basis for developing recommendations for management of sage-grouse winter concentration areas in Wyoming. The purpose of my research in Chapter 2 was to validate results of Phase I modeling and evaluate if the statewide model accurately described sage-grouse winter habitat selection and anthropogenic avoidance in regions not considered in that modeling effort. I used 44,968 locations from 90 individual adult female grouse identified within winter habitat from winters 2018/2019, 2019/2020, and 2020/2021 in the Southern Red Desert region (my study area) for out-of-sample validation. The intent of my validations was to assess if models generated statewide or from a nearby region (Northern Red Desert) would be more effective in predicting sage-grouse habitat selection patterns in areas with little information. The statewide model better predicted sage-grouse habitat use at within-population scales and the near-region model was more predictive at within-home-range scales. I found some variation between regions and the statewide model but similar trends in environmental characteristics and avoidance of anthropogenic features even at low densities. My results from the Southern Red Desert support the recommendation from Phase 1 that anthropogenic surface disturbance should be limited to low levels (≤ 2.5%) within winter concentration areas to conserve sage-grouse winter habitat. In Chapter 3, my research focused on shifting environmental conditions that influence patterns of sage-grouse winter habitat selection. Sage-grouse are physically well adapted to winter conditions; it’s a common assumption that winter weather has little effect on sage-grouse. However, research results have varied in support of this assumption, with significant die-offs correlated to periods of extreme winter weather. My research used daily winter weather conditions to explain sage-grouse winter behavior and habitat selection. I used sage-grouse GPS locations from the Southern Red Desert over winters 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 and obtained local weather conditions for each winter from SnowModel. SnowModel used available meteorological data, landscape characteristics, and snow physics to predict weather conditions at a 30-m resolution and daily scale. By comparing habitat selection and behavior across fine temporal scales, I found that sage-grouse responded to daily weather conditions by selecting refugia habitat more than altering daily activity levels. My results suggest that, in addition to landscape features, sage-grouse selected home ranges at the population scale for warmer wind chill temperatures and greater windspeed. Within home ranges, sage-grouse appeared to respond to harsher weather (lower wind chill temperature and high wind speeds) by selecting greater sagebrush cover and leeward sides of ridges. Our research underlines the importance of examining winter habitat at narrower temporal scales than the entire winter season to identify important refugia features that may only be used periodically. Additional research into quantifying weather refugia for wintering sage-grouse populations may provide greater insight to the future sustainability of winter ranges. In Appendix A, I compared winter microhabitat characteristics at 90 sage-grouse use sites from the 2019/2020 winter with 90 available sites within the population range and 90 available sites within home ranges. I predicted habitat characteristics at grouse use locations would be more similar to paired random locations within the home range than to random locations within the population range. I also predicted that, because sage-grouse select specific habitat characteristics, there would be fewer differences when comparing random available locations between the home and population range than comparisons of used and available habitat. I found no support for my first prediction and strong support for my second prediction. Sage-grouse dung piles were 7.0- and 9.9-times higher at used locations than random locations within home and population ranges, respectively. Our results suggested that sage-grouse are highly selective for microhabitat. Sage-grouse selected areas with higher big sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) and overall canopy cover, big sagebrush height, and visual obstruction compared to random locations within home and population ranges. Our results indicate concealment cover is important to sage-grouse throughout their annual cycle.
Book Synopsis Habitat Requirements and Management Recommendations for Sage Grouse by : Mayo W. Call
Download or read book Habitat Requirements and Management Recommendations for Sage Grouse written by Mayo W. Call and published by . This book was released on 1974 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This Technical Note is primarily a review of literature on the fundamental habitat requirements of sage grouse and habitat management methods that may be used to perpetuate the species. It does not reiterate the life history, past distribution, species characteristics, and population dynamics"--Page 1.
Book Synopsis Winter Habitat Selection and Nesting Ecology of Greater Sage Grouse in Strawberry Valley, Utah by : Riley D. Peck
Download or read book Winter Habitat Selection and Nesting Ecology of Greater Sage Grouse in Strawberry Valley, Utah written by Riley D. Peck and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study examined winter habitat use and nesting ecology of greater sage grouse (Centrocerus urophasianus) in Strawberry Valley (SV), Utah located in the north-central part of the state. We monitored sage grouse with the aid of radio telemetry throughout the year, but specifically used information from the winter and nesting periods for this study. Our study provided evidence that sage grouse show fidelity to nesting areas in subsequent years regardless of nest success. We found only 57% of our nests located within the 3 km distance from an active lek typically used to delineate critical nesting habitat. We suggest a more conservative distance of 10 km for our study area. Whenever possible, we urge consideration of nest-area fidelity in conservation planning across the range of greater sage grouse. We also evaluated winter-habitat selection at multiple spatial scales. Sage grouse in our study area selected gradual slopes with high amounts of sagebrush exposed above the snow. We produced a map that identified suitable winter habitat for sage grouse in our study area. This map highlighted core areas that should be conserved and will provide a basis for management decisions affecting Strawberry Valley, Utah.
Book Synopsis Ecology, Conservation, and Management of Grouse by : Brett K. Sandercock
Download or read book Ecology, Conservation, and Management of Grouse written by Brett K. Sandercock and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2011-09-04 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Summarizing current knowledge of grouse biology, this volume is organized in four sections--spatial ecology, habitat relationships, population biology, and conservation and management--and offers insights into spatial requirements, movements, and demography of grouse. Much of the research employs emerging tools in ecology that span biogeochemistry, molecular genetics, endocrinology, radio-telemetry, and remote sensing".--Adapted from publisher descrip tion on back cover
Book Synopsis @Habitat Prioritization Across Large Landscapes, Multiple Seasons, and Novel Areas by : Bradley C. Fedy
Download or read book @Habitat Prioritization Across Large Landscapes, Multiple Seasons, and Novel Areas written by Bradley C. Fedy and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Animal habitat selection is an important and expansive area of research in ecology. In particular, the study of habitat selection is critical in habitat prioritization efforts for species of conservation concern. Landscape planning for species is happening at ever-increasing extents because of the appreciation for the role of landscape-scale patterns in species persistence coupled to improved datasets for species and habitats, and the expanding and intensifying footprint of human land uses on the landscape. We present a large-scale collaborative effort to develop habitat selection models across large landscapes and multiple seasons for prioritizing habitat for a species of conservation concern. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter sage-grouse) occur in western semi-arid landscapes in North America. Range-wide population declines of this species have been documented, and it is currently considered as "warranted but precluded" from listing under the United States Endangered Species Act. Wyoming is predicted to remain a stronghold for sage-grouse populations and contains approximately 37% of remaining birds. We compiled location data from 14 unique radiotelemetry studies (data collected 1994-2010) and habitat data from high-quality, biologically relevant, geographic information system (GIS) layers across Wyoming. We developed habitat selection models for greater sage-grouse across Wyoming for 3 distinct life stages: 1) nesting, 2) summer, and 3) winter. We developed patch and landscape models across 4 extents, producing statewide and regional (southwest, central, northeast) models for Wyoming. Habitat selection varied among regions and seasons, yet preferred habitat attributes generally matched the extensive literature on sage-grouse seasonal habitat requirements. Across seasons and regions, birds preferred areas with greater percentage sagebrush cover and avoided paved roads, agriculture, and forested areas. Birds consistently preferred areas with higher precipitation in the summer and avoided rugged terrain in the winter. Selection for sagebrush cover varied regionally with stronger selection in the Northeast region, likely because of limited availability, whereas avoidance of paved roads was fairly consistent across regions. We chose resource selection function (RSF) thresholds for each model set (seasonal x regional combination) that delineated important seasonal habitats for sage-grouse. Each model set showed good validation and discriminatory capabilities within study-site boundaries. We applied the nesting-season models to a novel area not included in model development. The percentage of independent nest locations that fell directly within identified important habitat was not overly impressive in the novel area (49%); however, including a 500-m buffer around important habitat captured 98% of independent nest locations within the novel area. We also used leks and associated peak male counts as a proxy for nesting habitat outside of the study sites used to develop the models. A 1.5-km buffer around the important nesting habitat boundaries included 77% of males counted at leks in Wyoming outside of the study sites. Data were not available to quantitatively test the performance of the summer and winter models outside our study sites. The collection of models presented here represents large-scale resource-management planning tools that are a significant advancement to previous tools in terms of spatial and temporal resolution.
Book Synopsis Greater Sage-Grouse Vital Rate and Habitat Use Response to Landscape Scale Habitat Manipulations and Vegetation Micro-Sites in Northwestern Utah by : Charles P. Sandford
Download or read book Greater Sage-Grouse Vital Rate and Habitat Use Response to Landscape Scale Habitat Manipulations and Vegetation Micro-Sites in Northwestern Utah written by Charles P. Sandford and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) has been a species of conservation concern since the early 20th century due to range-wide population declines. To contribute to knowledge of the ecology of sage-grouse populations that inhabit the Box Elder Sage Grouse Management Area (SGMA) in northwestern Utah and quantify their responses to landscape scale habitat manipulations, I monitored vital rates and habitat selection of 45 female sage-grouse from 2014 to 2015. Using telemetry locations of female sage-grouse with known nest and brood fates, I created Generalized Linear Mixed Models to estimate the influence of proximity to pinyon (Pinus spp.) and juniper (Juniperus spp.; conifer) encroachment, and removal projects may have on sagegrouse reproductive fitness in the Box Elder SGMA. The best fit model suggested that for every 1 km a nest was located away from a conifer removal area, probability of nest success was reduced by 9.1% (Îø = -0.096, P
Book Synopsis Radio Tracking and Animal Populations by : Joshua Millspaugh
Download or read book Radio Tracking and Animal Populations written by Joshua Millspaugh and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2001-08-14 with total page 493 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Radio Tracking and Animal Populations is a succinct synthesis of emerging technologies and their applications to the empirical and theoretical problems of population assessment. The book is divided into sections designed to encompass the various aspects of animal ecology that may be evaluated using radiotelemetry technology - experimental design, equipment and technology, animal movement, resource selection, and demographics. Wildlife biologists at the leading edge of new developments in the technology and its application have joined forces.
Book Synopsis Ecology of Fragmented Landscapes by : Sharon K. Collinge
Download or read book Ecology of Fragmented Landscapes written by Sharon K. Collinge and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2009-06 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ask airline passengers what they see as they gaze out the window, and they will describe a fragmented landscape: a patchwork of desert, woodlands, farmlands, and developed neighborhoods. Once-contiguous forests are now subdivided; tallgrass prairies that extended for thousands of miles are now crisscrossed by highways and byways. Whether the result of naturally occurring environmental changes or the product of seemingly unchecked human development, fractured lands significantly impact the planet’s biological diversity. In Ecology of Fragmented Landscapes, Sharon K. Collinge defines fragmentation, explains its various causes, and suggests ways that we can put our lands back together. Researchers have been studying the ecological effects of dismantling nature for decades. In this book, Collinge evaluates this body of research, expertly synthesizing all that is known about the ecology of fragmented landscapes. Expanding on the traditional coverage of this topic, Collinge also discusses disease ecology, restoration, conservation, and planning. Not since Richard T. T. Forman's classic Land Mosaics has there been a more comprehensive examination of landscape fragmentation. Ecology of Fragmented Landscapes is critical reading for ecologists, conservation biologists, and students alike.
Book Synopsis Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Management on U.S. Forest Service Lands by :
Download or read book Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Management on U.S. Forest Service Lands written by and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 9 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) (GRSG) has become the keystone species for sagebrush communities in the western United States. GRSG depend on sagebrush during every stage of their life cycle and are highly sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance; their populations have dropped from an estimated 10 million to 100-500,000 range-wide. This population decline has recently fostered several federal and state regulatory actions, such as two decision documents specifying management changes on sagebrush habitats under USDA Forest Service ownership. These Records of Decision (ROD)" employ geographic information system (GIS) layers to depict and analyze GRSG habitat and to track disturbances to this habitat. Managing data for this multi-agency effort requires Forest Service personnel to collect and report on several measures at a variety of spatial scales. In this project we built web GIS applications using Esri ArcGIS Online (AGOL) to aid Forest Service managers in understanding the implications of the RODs to their projects and activities. Web GIS systems such as AGOL provide an optimal environment for collaboration and data sharing for multi-scale conservation efforts that involve several land management agencies across several states."
Book Synopsis The Effect of Sage-grouse Conservation on Wildlife Species of Concern by : Jason D. Carlisle
Download or read book The Effect of Sage-grouse Conservation on Wildlife Species of Concern written by Jason D. Carlisle and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The umbrella species concept is a conservation shortcut wherein multiple species are protected under the umbrella of areas protected for one species. While appealing in theory, empirical tests of the concept have been scarce. Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, “sage-grouse”) have high conservation priority across western North America, and many hope sage-grouse serve as an umbrella species, whereby conservation actions taken for sage-grouse benefit the many other at-risk wildlife species (“background species”) in sagebrush ecosystems. We used a multifaceted approach (i.e., broad-scale spatial models, local empirical studies, and a controlled field experiment) in Wyoming, USA to address the following questions: Chapter 1) How much protection does a reserve established for sage-grouse offer 52 background species? Chapters 2 and 3) Do finer-scale measures of sage-grouse abundance, habitat preference, and habitat quality align with those of sagebrush-associated songbirds of concern? Chapter 4) How do mowing treatments meant to enhance sage-grouse habitat affect non-target songbirds? The reserve contained 21% of the habitat of background species on average; however, coverage varied substantially across species, with species dissimilar to sage-grouse covered least. The size of the reserve was key to its umbrella function. We found little evidence that local abundances of songbirds aligned with those of sage-grouse. Moreover, there was little concordance between sage-grouse and songbirds on which nesting habitats were preferred or associated with higher survival. Habitat treatments implemented for sage-grouse had mixed effects on songbirds, and resulted in the loss of nesting habitat for shrub-nesting species. Our results suggest that broad-scale habitat protections implemented for Greater Sage-Grouse benefited many, but not all co-occurring species of concern. Moreover, the utility of sage-grouse as an umbrella species was limited at finer spatial scales. Our findings help identify background species missed by the sage-grouse umbrella and illustrate the need to consider spatial scale in surrogate-species conservation strategies.
Book Synopsis Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Use and Population Demographics at the Simpson Ridge Wind Resource Area, Carbon County, Wyoming by :
Download or read book Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Use and Population Demographics at the Simpson Ridge Wind Resource Area, Carbon County, Wyoming written by and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study was conducted to obtain baseline data on use of the proposed Simpson Ridge Wind Resource Area (SRWRA) in Carbon County, Wyoming by greater sage-grouse. The first two study years were designed to determine pre-construction seasonally selected habitats and population-level vital rates (productivity and survival). The presence of an existing wind energy facility in the project area, the PacifiCorp Seven Mile Hill (SMH) project, allowed us to obtain some information on initial sage-grouse response to wind turbines the first two years following construction. To our knowledge these are the first quantitative data on sage-grouse response to an existing wind energy development. This report presents results of the first two study years (April 1, 2009 through March 30, 2011). This study was selected for continued funding by the National Wind Coordinating Collaborative Sage-Grouse Collaborative (NWCC-SGC) and has been ongoing since March 30, 2011. Future reports summarizing results of this research will be distributed through the NWCC-SGC. To investigate population trends through time, we determined the distribution and numbers of males using leks throughout the study area, which included a 4-mile radius buffer around the SRWRA. Over the 2-year study, 116 female greater sage-grouse were captured by spotlighting and use of hoop nets on roosts surrounding leks during the breeding period. Radio marked birds were located anywhere from twice a week to once a month, depending on season. All radio-locations were classified to season. We developed predictor variables used to predict success of fitness parameters and relative probability of habitat selection within the SRWRA and SMH study areas. Anthropogenic features included paved highways, overhead transmission lines, wind turbines and turbine access roads. Environmental variables included vegetation and topography features. Home ranges were estimated using a kernel density estimator. We developed resource selection functions (RSF) to estimate probability of selection within the SRWRA and SMH. Fourteen active greater sage-grouse leks were documented during lek surveys Mean lek size decreased from 37 in 2008 to 22 in 2010. Four leks located 0.61, 1.3, 1.4 and 2.5 km from the nearest wind turbine remained active throughout the study, but the total number of males counted on these four leks decreased from 162 the first year prior to construction (2008), to 97 in 2010. Similar lek declines were noted in regional leks not associated with wind energy development throughout Carbon County. We obtained 2,659 sage-grouse locations from radio-equipped females, which were used to map use of each project area by season. The sage-grouse populations within both study areas are relatively non-migratory, as radio-marked sage-grouse used similar areas during all annual life cycles. Potential impacts to sage-grouse from wind energy infrastructure are not well understood. The data rom this study provide insight into the early interactions of wind energy infrastructure and sage-grouse. Nest success and brood-rearing success were not statistically different between areas with and without wind energy development in the short-term. Nest success also was not influenced by anthropogenic features such as turbines in the short-term. Additionally, female survival was similar among both study areas, suggesting wind energy infrastructure was not impacting female survival in the short-term; however, further analysis is needed to identify habitats with different levels of risk to better understand the impact of wind enregy development on survival. Nest and brood-rearing habitat selection were not influenced by turbines in the short-term; however, summer habitat selection occurred within habitats closer to wind turbines. Major roads were avoided in both study areas and during most of the seasons. The impact of transmission lines varied among study areas, suggesting other landscape features may be influencing selection. The data provided in this report are preliminary and are not meant to provide a basis for forming any conclusions regarding potential impacts of wind energy development on sage-grouse. Although the data collected during the initial phases of this study indicate that greater sage-grouse may continue to use habitats near wind-energy facilities, research conducted on greater sage-grouse response to oil and gas development has found population declines may not occur until 2-10 years after development. Therefore, long-term data from several geographic areas within the range of the sage-grouse will likely be required to adequately assess impacts of wind-energy development on greater sage-grouse.
Book Synopsis Factors Influencing the Ecology of Greater Sage-grouse Inhabiting the Bear Lake Plateau and Valley, Idaho and Utah by : Casey J. Cardinal
Download or read book Factors Influencing the Ecology of Greater Sage-grouse Inhabiting the Bear Lake Plateau and Valley, Idaho and Utah written by Casey J. Cardinal and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) are a sagebrush obligate species and as such an indicator of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitat quality and quantity. Sage-grouse populations have declined across western North America. This decline has been attributed to habitat loss and degradation of the sagebrush ecosystem. To determine factors that may cause localized declines in sage-grouse populations, managers may need site-specific information on the ecology and habitat use patterns of meta-populations. This information is currently lacking for sage-grouse populations that inhabit the Bear Lake Plateau and Valley (BLPV), encompassing parts of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. I captured, radio-marked and monitored 153 sage-grouse in the BLPV from 20100́32012 to assess nest success, brood survival, mortality factors, and habitat use. Reproductive success was lower than range-wide averages, with especially low success in 2011. Nesting and brood rearing both showed higher success rates in 2012. Survival was very similar to estimates found elsewhere. Females had higher survival rates than males, and yearlings had higher survival probability than adults. Sage-grouse mortality was highest in summer and spring, and lowest in fall. Individual sage-grouse completed large scale movements, often using habitats in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. Important factors in sage-grouse habitat selection included distance to major road, distance to habitat edge, distance to vertical structure (i.e., communication towers, wind turbines, and transmission lines), and vegetation cover types. Sage-grouse tended to avoid major road and vertical structures (i.e., communication towers, wind turbines, and transmission lines). They also selected habitat further away from habitat edge. Vegetation types preferred by sage-grouse included shrubland habitats, wet meadows, and grassland. MaxEnt models did not place highest importance on sagebrush habitats, which are critical for sage-grouse presence. This could have occurred because the vegetation layers used in the model did not assess habitat quality. Models produced using the ten landscape variables and BLPV sage-grouse locations ranked good to excellent fits. State-defined habitat covered a larger extent than MaxEnt predicted habitat. MaxEnt predicted habitat areas may be used to further refine state identified core areas to assist in prioritization of conservation efforts to protect the BLPV sage-grouse population.
Book Synopsis Influence of Disturbance on Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Selection in Southern Utah by : Erica P. Hansen
Download or read book Influence of Disturbance on Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Selection in Southern Utah written by Erica P. Hansen and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) is a species of conservation concern that occupies sagebrush-dominated (Artemisia spp.) landscapes across the western United States and southern Canada. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) reviewed the status of the sage-grouse in September 2015 and determined that it did not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act due to collaborative efforts between numerous public and private stakeholders. However, this decision hinged on federal and state commitments to continue science-based management of sagebrush habitats. As human development increases across the west, there is an increasing need for understanding the impacts of disturbance on sage-grouse. Filling this knowledge gap is important because it will allow us to predict how sage-grouse populations may respond to changes in the future. I assessed how two types of disturbance (wildfire and transmission line construction) influenced habitat use of a population of sage-grouse in southern Utah. I deployed Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitters on 26 (21 male and 5 female) sage-grouse in the Bald Hills Sage-Grouse Management Area in 2014 and 2015 to record what habitat sage-grouse were using during the summer and winter seasons. I compared these used locations to habitat that was seasonally available to the birds using resource selection functions. My models showed that in the summer, birds showed preference for areas burned and reclaimed within the last 10 years. I suggest that this may be occurring because the birds are seeking out vegetation that was seeded by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) during wildfire reclamation. In the winter, my models showed an overall 3% decrease in predicted probability of use for winter habitat in the vicinity of the transmission line corridor, but this change did not immediately result in increased avoidance by sage-grouse when comparing spatial distributions for sage-grouse locations within winter habitat near the transmission line. I suggest that this is because the new transmission line was paired with a preexisting line which was already avoided by sage-grouse. However, the construction of the new line could have long-term consequences outside the two year scope of my study. These impacts could be delayed because sage-grouse are strongly tied to historic habitats and may not change habitat use immediately in spite of landscape changes. Additionally, the presence of the new line could cause indirect landscape changes which may only manifest over longer time periods such as increasing human activity in the area or changing the distribution of avian predators of sage-grouse that use the transmission line for perching. I recommend continued monitoring of sage-grouse in the area to determine if any changes in habitat use manifest in future years.
