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The Long Term Effect Of Fire On Sage Grouse Nesting And Brood Rearing Habitats On The Upper Snake River Plain
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Book Synopsis The Long-term Effect of Fire on Sage Grouse Nesting Brood-rearing Habitats on the Upper Snake River Plain by : Pamela J. Nelle
Download or read book The Long-term Effect of Fire on Sage Grouse Nesting Brood-rearing Habitats on the Upper Snake River Plain written by Pamela J. Nelle and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Book Synopsis The Long-term Effect of Fire on Sage Grouse Nesting and Brood-rearing Habitats on the Upper Snake River Plain by : Pamela J. Nelle
Download or read book The Long-term Effect of Fire on Sage Grouse Nesting and Brood-rearing Habitats on the Upper Snake River Plain written by Pamela J. Nelle and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Book Synopsis Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Field Development Project by :
Download or read book Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Field Development Project written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 620 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Book Synopsis Monitoring of Greater Sage-grouse Habitats and Populations by : John William Connelly
Download or read book Monitoring of Greater Sage-grouse Habitats and Populations written by John William Connelly and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Book Synopsis Habitat Threats in the Sagebrush Ecosystem by : David S. Dobkin
Download or read book Habitat Threats in the Sagebrush Ecosystem written by David S. Dobkin and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is about the status and future of the sagebrush ecosystem and its dependent species. The ecosystem is not healthy and is diminishing due to the many and various human land uses. Maintaining the ecosystem will require monumental changes in management and those changes must address all land uses in an integrated, holistic manner to be effective. The two major obstacles are a lack of needed resources, both funds and land use direction, and the attempt to stop the loss and degradation of sagebrush habitats while lacking essential research information on which to base effective strategies.
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 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 Breeding Season Habitat Use and Response to Management Activities by Greater Sage-grouse on Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada by : Dawn M. Davis
Download or read book Breeding Season Habitat Use and Response to Management Activities by Greater Sage-grouse on Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada written by Dawn M. Davis and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) have experienced declines throughout their range over the last 50 years. Long-term declines in sage-grouse abundance in Nevada and Oregon have been attributed to reduced productivity. From 1995-1997, sage-grouse production on Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR), Nevada was greater compared to Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge (HMNAR), Oregon. Specific causes for the difference were unknown. Thus, the objectives were to: 1) Determine sage-grouse breeding season habitat use (especially with regard to wildfire) on SNWR; 2) Evaluate reproductive parameters to discern differences between SNWR and HMNAR; 3) Compare habitat components which may relate to differences in sage-grouse reproductive success on SNWR and HMNAR; and 4) Establish hematological and serum chemistry reference ranges for sage-grouse hens to assess physiological condition. Cover type was important in selection of nest sites at SNWR; however, nest cover did not affect nesting success and nest-site selection was not related to experience. Vegetative characteristics at successful nest sites were similar to unsuccessful nests but nest sites had greater amounts of tall residual grass (≥18 cm) and medium height shrub cover (40-80 cm) than at random sites. Broods used areas with greater forb cover than random sites, indicating use was influenced by availability of forbs. Plant communities in wildfire and associated control sites did not differ appreciably in species composition. Although burning had little stimulatory effect on total forb cover 10-12 years post-burn, alteration of the sagebrush community did not limit sage-grouse use for successful nesting and brood-rearing. Fire did not negatively impact arthropod abundance. Differences in habitat use and sage-grouse productivity between SNWR and HMNAR may be related to differences in forb availability. Forb cover was greater at HMNAR than at SNWR for all cover types. Correspondingly, home range size for sage-grouse broods was greater on SNWR than at HMNAR. Nutrient analysis of forbs indicated higher crude protein, potassium, and magnesium levels at HMNAR than at SNWR; however, these nutrients are not likely to be deficient in most sage-grouse diets. Thus sagebrush-steppe communities supporting these forbs likely meet the dietary nutritional requirements of sage-grouse. Although blood calcium and uric acid levels were greater in sage-grouse hens on HMNAR than at SNWR, differences were attributed to capture date. Furthermore, physiological condition did not affect a hen's ability to nest successfully, nor was condition related to a hen's ability to recruit chicks to 1 August. Causes of sage-grouse decline are varied, but ultimately they are habitat based. Comparisons of reproductive parameters and habitat evaluations, combined with sage-grouse physiology data, may provide insight into habitat differences between study areas not previously recognized. Land management practices (e.g., prescribed fire) which recast the balance of native herbaceous species in degraded big sagebrush communities, may be necessary in the restoration of sagebrush-steppe ecosystems, and ultimately, the recovery of sage-grouse populations.
Book Synopsis Wildlife Habitats in Managed Rangelands-- the Great Basin of Southeastern Oregon by : Mayo W. Call
Download or read book Wildlife Habitats in Managed Rangelands-- the Great Basin of Southeastern Oregon written by Mayo W. Call and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Book Synopsis Resource Selection, and Demographic Rates of Female Greater Sage-Grouse Following Large-Scale Wildfire by : Lee Jacob Foster
Download or read book Resource Selection, and Demographic Rates of Female Greater Sage-Grouse Following Large-Scale Wildfire written by Lee Jacob Foster and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding the effects of habitat disturbance on a species' habitat selection patterns, and demographic rates, is essential to projecting the trajectories of populations affected by disturbance, as well as for determining the appropriate conservation actions needed to maintain those populations. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a species of conservation concern in western North America. The distribution of the species has been reduced by approximately half since European settlement, with concurrent and continuing population declines across its occupied range. The primary threats to the species are habitat alteration and loss, caused by multiple factors. In the western portion of its distribution, increasing wildfire activity is a primary cause of habitat loss and degradation. Single wildfires in this area may now reach extremely large sizes (>100,000 ha), and wildfires have been linked to local population declines. However, no published studies, to date, have examined the immediate effects of large-scale wildfire on sage-grouse habitat selection and demographic rates, using modern telemetry methods. I studied the habitat selection patterns, nest success, and survival of adult, and yearling female sage-grouse, captured within or near the Holloway fire, using state-of-the-art GPS-PTT telemetry methods. The Holloway fire burned ~187,000 ha of highly productive sage-grouse habitat in August, 2012. My study began during the first spring post-fire (March, 2013), and continued through February, 2015. I monitored seasonal habitat use patterns, and site-fidelity of sage-grouse, and modeled third-order seasonal resource selection, using mixed effects resource selection functions, in relation to characteristics of the post-fire habitat mosaic, terrain, mesic habitat availability, and herbaceous vegetation regeneration. I described sage-grouse nesting habitat use, nesting effort, and modeled daily nest survival in relation to temporal patterns, patch scale vegetation, biological factors, and landscape-scale habitat composition. I modeled adult and yearling female sage-grouse survival in relation to temporal patterns, biological factors, and landscape-scale habitat composition. Female sage-grouse primarily exhibited a three range seasonal movement pattern, with differentiation between breeding-nesting-early brood-rearing habitat (mean use dates: 8 Mar - 12 Jun), late brood-rearing-summer habitat (13 Jun - 20 Oct), and winter habitat (21 Oct - 7 Mar). However there was variation in seasonal range behavior among individuals. Sage-grouse exhibited considerable fidelity to all seasonal ranges, for individuals which survived >1 yr, mean distance between seasonal range centroids of the same type were 1.80 km, 1.65 km, and 3.96 km, for breeding ranges, summer ranges, and winter ranges, respectively. Within seasonal ranges, sage-grouse exhibited third-order resource selection patterns similar to those observed for populations in undisturbed habitats. Sage-grouse, at the population level, selected for level terrain throughout the year. During the breeding season sage-grouse selected for areas with increased amounts of intact sagebrush land-cover within a 1-km2 area around used locations, areas of increased NDVI values within a 6.25-km2 area, an amount of mesic habitat within a 6.25-km2 area roughly equal to that available on the landscape, and mid-level elevations. During summer, sage-grouse, at the population level, selected for an areas with an intermediate density of burned-intact habitat edge within a 1 km2 area, areas of increased NDVI values within a 6.25-km2 area, intermediate distances to mesic habitat, and high elevations. During winter, sage-grouse, at the population level, selected for increased amounts of intact sagebrush land-cover within a 0.089-km2 area, areas with decreased variation in NDVI within a 0.089-km2 area, an amount of mesic habitat within a 6.25-km2 area roughly equal to that available on the landscape, and intermediate elevations. There was considerable variation in third-order resource selection patterns among individuals during all seasons. Sage-grouse nest success was consistently low during the study (2013: 19.3%, 2014: 30.1%), and nest initiation rates were average to high (2013: 1st nest initiation = 90.5%, 2nd nest initiation = 23.1%; 2014: 1st nest initiation = 100%, 2nd nest initiation = 57.1%). Daily nest survival rates were influenced by an interaction between year and nesting attempt, and by forb cover within 5 m of the nest. Nest survival over the incubation period was consistently low for 1st and 2nd nests during 2013, and for 1st nests during 2014 (range: 0.131 - 0.212), but increased to 0.744 for 2nd nests during 2014. Forb cover within 5 m of the nest had a positive effect on daily nest survival rates, with a 1% increase in forb cover increasing the probability of a nest surviving a given day by 1.02 times. We did not detect strong direct effects of habitat or biological characteristics on survival of adult and yearling female sage-grouse. Rather, survival varied by month with lowest survival occurring in April and August of each year, and highest survival occurring during the winter. While patterns of monthly survival were similar between years, there was a strong, negative additive effect on survival which extended from the beginning of the study (March, 2013), through the end of the first post fire growing season (July, 2013). Although monthly survival increased following the end of the 1st post-fire growing season, yearly survival over both the 1st and 2nd biological years post-fire was low (March 2013 - February 2014: 24.0%; March 2014 - February 2015: 37.9%). These results indicate that female greater-sage grouse do not respond to wildfire related habitat disturbance through emigration, and rather continue to attempt to exist and reproduce in habitats disturbed by wildfire during the immediate years following a fire. While, due to site-fidelity, sage-grouse are not able to leave wildfire affected seasonal ranges, within those seasonal ranges they still attempt to utilize habitat components which most closely match their life-history requirements. However, this behavior appears to have an acute fitness cost to individuals, with reduced nesting success and survival of individuals utilizing fire-affected habitats during the first two years post-fire. This reduction in demographic rates likely explains observed sage-grouse population declines following wildfire, and indicates that these population declines are not the result of sage-grouse emigration away from fire-affected leks, but rather a true decline in the number of individual sage-grouse on the landscape following large-scale wildfire.
Book Synopsis Wildfire Effects on Greater Sage-grouse Nest and Adult Survival by : Emily A. Tyrrell
Download or read book Wildfire Effects on Greater Sage-grouse Nest and Adult Survival written by Emily A. Tyrrell and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sagebrush ecosystems are increasingly threatened by self-perpetuating, invasive annual grass-wildfire cycles. Wildfire size, rate, and severity are increasing as a function of this positive feedback mechanism, threatening low to moderate resilience and resistance areas of sagebrush ecosystems and increasing the likelihood of permanent state transition. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) are a species of conservation concern that rely upon large tracts of structurally and functionally diverse sagebrush communities to complete a suite of cyclical life stages. Sage-grouse are also considered bioindicators because of their large geographic distribution and complex habitat requirements, which make them an ideal focal species for quantifying effects of large perturbations. Recent studies have described long-term negative effects of wildfire on population growth rates of sage-grouse within the Great Basin using lek count data. However, studies relating demographic responses of sage-grouse to wildfire have been shorter in duration and often lack controls, which take into account pre-wildfire spatial heterogeneity, an inherent property in most ecological systems. We used a long-term sage-grouse telemetry location dataset (2008-2019) combined with two large wildfire events in 2016 (Virginia Mountains Fire Complex) and 2017 (Long Valley Fire) located in the Virginia Mountains of northwestern Nevada and northeastern California to construct a before-after-control-impact-paired-series (BACIPS) study design and estimate the relative effects of wildfire on nest and adult survival. We found that adult survival decreased by approximately 38% within burned areas relative to unburned areas following wildfire, with strong evidence for a negative relationship between adult survival and wildfire based on 87.8% of the posterior distribution of the BACIPS ratio falling below one. We found that nest survival decreased by approximately 81% within burned areas relative to unburned areas following wildfire, with strong evidence for a negative relationship between nest survival and wildfire based on 87.1% of the posterior distribution of the BACIPS ratio falling below one. Following the BACIPS result we conducted a post hoc analysis investigating the relationship of microhabitat covariates on nest survival. We found varying degrees of evidence among the competing models. Specifically, we found that nest survival increased with an increase of vertical cover within control groups before and after the wildfire. Our results indicate that wildfire has both strong and immediate impacts to a key life stages of a sagebrush indicator species. Management action in the form of wildfire suppression or rapid post-wildfire habitat restoration may lessen recovery time for sage-grouse populations affected by wildfire.
Book Synopsis Conservation of Greater Sage-grouse on Public Lands in the Western U.S. by : Carl L. Wambold
Download or read book Conservation of Greater Sage-grouse on Public Lands in the Western U.S. written by Carl L. Wambold and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Our general objective is to identify a set of short-run (three to five years) policy alternatives that are based on a synthesis of empirical research into the needs of the greater sage-grouse(Centrocercus urophasianus) and its relationship to the sagebrush system. In other words, based on what we know from research, we try to identify the best set of policy alternatives for maintaining and increasing sage-grouse populations on public lands that policy makers could implement and expect some results within a three- to five-year time frame"--Page 1
Book Synopsis Modeling Sage-grouse Habitat Using a State-and-transition Model by : Louisa Evers
Download or read book Modeling Sage-grouse Habitat Using a State-and-transition Model written by Louisa Evers and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Habitat for wildlife species that depend on sagebrush ecosystems is of great management concern. Evaluating how management activities and climate change may affect the abundance of moderate and high-quality habitat necessitates the development of models that examine vegetation dynamics, but modeling tools for rangeland systems are limited. I developed state-and-transition models using a combination of scientific literature and data for climate, soils, and wildfire to examine how different types of natural events, management activities, changing climate, and potential future vegetation dynamics may interact and affect the abundance of habitat for the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Specific periods examined include the era prior to 1850, the current era, and late in the 21st century in southeastern Oregon. A primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of climate data to define most event probabilities and, subsequently, the relative mix of ecological states, community phases, and sage-grouse habitat with an eye towards a modeling approach that was objective, repeatable, and transferrable to other locations. Contrary to expectations, model results of the conditions prior to 1850 indicated fire may not have been the most important disturbance factor influencing sage-grouse habitat abundance, merely the most visible. Other, more subtle disturbances that thinned sagebrush density, such as drought, herbivory, and weather-related mortality, may have been equally or more important in shaping sage-grouse habitat. Sage-grouse breeding habitat may have been slightly more abundant than levels currently recommended by sage-grouse biologists, brood-rearing habitat may have been as or more abundant, but wintering habitat may have been less abundant. Under the current conditions, livestock grazing during severe drought, postfire seeding success, juniper expansion probabilities, and the frequency of vegetation treatments were the most important determinants of sage-grouse habitat abundance. The current vegetation trajectory would lead to considerably less nesting, brood-rearing, and wintering habitat than sage-grouse biologists recommend. Model results suggested reducing or eliminating livestock grazing during severe drought, increasing postfire seeding success, and treating at least 10% of the so-called expansion juniper each year was necessary to maintain higher levels of sage-grouse habitat, although nesting and brood-rearing habitat remained in short supply. I examined three potential future climates based on long-term climate trends in southeastern Oregon and modeled climate and ecosystem projections for the Pacific Northwest generally. The first scenario produced warmer and drier conditions than present, the second scenario warmer and wetter conditions in winter, and the third scenario warmer and wetter conditions in summer. The implications for sage-grouse habitat abundance were very different between these three scenarios, but all would likely result in the loss or near complete loss of cooler, moister sagebrush communities important for nesting and brood-rearing. Salt desert shrub and warmer, drier sagebrush communities could expand under the first scenario but would have a high risk of displacement by cheatgrass. Juniper woodlands could increase in density and salt desert shrub may expand slightly under the second scenario. The remaining sagebrush communities would remain at high risk of displacement by cheatgrass. Pinyon-juniper woodland could largely displace sagebrush in the third scenario. Sage-grouse habitat quality likely would decline in all three scenarios and the abundance decrease significantly in the second and third scenario.
Book Synopsis Distribution, Movements, and Habitats of Sage Grouse on the Upper Snake River Plain by : Kara M. Leonard
Download or read book Distribution, Movements, and Habitats of Sage Grouse on the Upper Snake River Plain written by Kara M. Leonard and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Book Synopsis California Bird Species of Special Concern by :
Download or read book California Bird Species of Special Concern written by and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 468 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Book Synopsis Evaluation of Greater Sage-grouse Reproductive Habitat and Response to Wind Energy Development in South-central, Wyoming by : Chad W. LeBeau
Download or read book Evaluation of Greater Sage-grouse Reproductive Habitat and Response to Wind Energy Development in South-central, Wyoming written by Chad W. LeBeau and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The demand for clean renewable energies and tax incentives has prompted a nationwide increase in wind energy development. Renewable energy development is occurring in a wide variety of habitats potentially impacting many species including greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Greater sage-grouse require contiguous intact sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats. The addition of wind energy infrastructure to these landscapes may negatively impact population viability. Greater sage-grouse are experiencing range-wide population declines and are currently listed as a candidate species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The purpose of my study was to investigate the response of greater sage-grouse to wind energy development. Mine is the first study to document the short-term effects of wind energy infrastructure on greater sage-grouse habitat selection, nest, brood, and female survival, and male lek attendance. I hypothesized that greater sage-grouse would select for habitats farther from wind energy infrastructure, particularly wind turbines, during the nesting, brood-rearing, and summer periods. In addition, I hypothesized that greater sage-grouse nest, brood, and female survival would decline in habitats with close proximity to wind turbines. Lastly, I hypothesized that greater sage-grouse male lek attendance would experience greater declines from pre wind energy development to 4 years post development at leks with close proximity to wind turbines compared to leks farther from turbines. My study area was located in south-central Wyoming between the towns of Medicine Bow and Hanna and consisted of one study area influenced by wind energy development (Seven Mile Hill) and a second study area that was not impacted by wind energy development (Simpson Ridge). I identified 14 leks within both study areas and conducted lek counts at each of these leks from 2008 to 2012. I captured 116 female greater sage-grouse from both study areas from 2009 to 2010. I equipped each female grouse with a VHF necklace-mounted transmitter and monitored them via telemetry during the nesting, brood-rearing, and summer periods within both study areas from 2009 to 2010. I documented greater sage-grouse habitat selection as well as nest and brood-rearing success and female survival. I used binary logistic regression in a use versus availability study design to estimate the odds of habitat selection within both study areas during the nesting, brood-rearing, and summer periods. I used Cox proportional hazards and Andersen-Gill survival models to estimate nest, brood, and female survival relative to wind energy infrastructure. Lastly, I used ratio of means tests and linear mixed effects models to estimate the degree of decline in male lek attendance at leks influenced by wind energy development versus leks with no influence 1 year prior to development to 4 years post development. Greater sage-grouse did not avoid wind turbines during the nesting and brood-rearing periods, but did select for habitats closer to turbines during the summer season. Greater sage-grouse nest and brood survival decreased in habitats in close proximity to wind turbines, whereas female survival appeared not to be affected by wind turbines. Peak male lek attendance within both study areas experienced significant declines from 1 year pre development to 4 years post development; however, this decline was not attributed to the presence of the wind energy facility. The results from my study are the first examining the short-term impacts to greater sage-grouse populations from wind energy development. Greater sage-grouse were not avoiding the wind energy development two years following construction and operation of the wind energy facility. This is likely related to high site fidelity inherent in sage-grouse. In addition, more suitable habitat may exist closer to turbines at Seven Mile Hill, which may also be driving selection. Fitness parameters including nest and brood survival were reduced in habitats of close proximity to wind turbines and may be the result of increased predation and edge effects associated with the wind energy facility. Lastly, wind energy infrastructure appears not to be affecting male lek attendance 4 years post development; however, time lags are characteristic in greater sage-grouse populations, which may result in impacts not being quantified until 2-10 years following development. Future wind energy developments should identify greater sage-grouse nest and brood-rearing habitats prior to project development to account for the decreased survival in habitats of close proximity to wind turbines. More than 2 years of occurrence data and more than 4 years of male lek attendance data may be necessary to account for the strong site fidelity and time lags present in greater sage-grouse populations.
Book Synopsis Spatial and Temporal Changes of Sage Grouse Habitat in the Sagebrush Biome by : Richard Miller
Download or read book Spatial and Temporal Changes of Sage Grouse Habitat in the Sagebrush Biome written by Richard Miller and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) occur in regions that are spatially diverse and temporally dynamic in western North America. During the past 130 years, significant changes in disturbance regimes have affected their habitat. Plant communities in existence today are unique from any other time period because of altered disturbance regimes, confounded by a continual change in climate. In some portions of their range, sage grouse populations have been reduced or eliminated from loss of habitat through land conversion to agriculture or shifts from perennial shrub grasslands to introduced exotic annual grasslands or pinyon-juniper woodlands. However, in other sections of their range, changes in plant community composition and structure have been minimal. Causes for decline in sage grouse populations in these areas are less and often debated. Spatial and temporal diversity significantly affect the quality of sage grouse habitat. Because of the diversity of biotic and abiotic factors and land use history across the range of sage grouse, plant community structure and composition have responded differently throughout this region. When considering a sagebrush steppe restoration plan or sage grouse habitat management plant, one must take into account landscape heterogeneity, site potential, site condition, and habitat needs of sage grouse during different segments of their life cycle: breeding, nesting, brood rearing, wintering, etc. This paper describes the spatial diversity of sage grouse range, short- and long-term dynamics and disturbance regimes across this ecosystem, and potential management implications related to sage grouse habitat --
