Validation of Winter Concentration Area Guidelines and Winter Habitat Ecology for Greater Sage-grouse in the Red Desert, Wyoming

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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.

Partial Migration, Habitat Selection, and the Conservation of Greater Sage-grouse in the Bighorn Basin of Montana and Wyoming

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ISBN 13 : 9780355856637
Total Pages : 175 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (566 download)

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Book Synopsis Partial Migration, Habitat Selection, and the Conservation of Greater Sage-grouse in the Bighorn Basin of Montana and Wyoming by : Aaron C. Pratt

Download or read book Partial Migration, Habitat Selection, and the Conservation of Greater Sage-grouse in the Bighorn Basin of Montana and Wyoming written by Aaron C. Pratt and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) has undergone range contractions and population declines largely due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. These declines have resulted in unprecedented conservation actions designed to reduce these threats. We investigated partial migration and maladaptive habitat selection, two phenomena that could complicate sage-grouse habitat conservation and hinder the effectiveness of these actions. Our first objective was to investigate what influenced sage-grouse when deciding to migrate between seasonal ranges and if there was variation in environmental conditions that explained why only some individuals migrated. Sage-grouse interpreted direct indicators of resource quality, especially temperature, when timing movements between seasonal ranges. For summer and fall transitions migratory grouse experienced more migration cues and were likely avoiding more rapid plant desiccation in warmer breeding ranges and avoiding higher snow accumulation in colder summer ranges with more precipitation. Conservationists must prioritize seasonal habitats when delineating reserves designed to protect partially-migratory species. Our second objective was to evaluate whether a more migratory sage-grouse population required a different habitat conservation strategy relative to seasonal requirements than a less migratory population. For both populations, prioritization of breeding habitat was justified because breeding habitat was most like other seasonal requirements and it had the greatest estimated contribution to population change. However, information specific to each population was necessary to identify the importance of prioritizing additional seasonal habitat with a greater need to include summer and winter habitat for the more migratory population. Sage-grouse conservation could be hindered by maladaptive habitat selection, where individuals select habitat where their fitness is lower or avoid habitat where they would perform better. Our third objective was to evaluate whether sage-grouse selected habitat relative to habitat quality (survival), and identify any characteristics where they were not matching selection with apparent survival and reproductive costs or benefits. We only measured a positive relationship between habitat selection and survival during winter and we found evidence for a negative selection relationship relative to several habitat characteristics. Our research has identified areas that warrant further investigation relative to potential mechanisms of maladaptive habitat selection in sage-grouse or possible secondary benefits of risky habitats.

A Large-scale Multi-seasonal Habitat Prioritization and an Analysis of Structural Connectivity for the Conservation of Greater Sage-grouse in Wyoming

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 122 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (946 download)

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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.

Identifying Habitat Quality and Population Response of Greater Sage-grouse to Treated Wyoming Big Sagebrush Habitats

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ISBN 13 : 9781369720563
Total Pages : 169 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (25 download)

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Book Synopsis Identifying Habitat Quality and Population Response of Greater Sage-grouse to Treated Wyoming Big Sagebrush Habitats by : Kurt T. Smith

Download or read book Identifying Habitat Quality and Population Response of Greater Sage-grouse to Treated Wyoming Big Sagebrush Habitats written by Kurt T. Smith and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Prioritizing and conserving habitat quality is crucial for maintaining viable wildlife populations, particularly for species of conservation concern such as the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Sage-grouse have experienced widespread population declines across much of their historic range, necessitating an understanding of how to maintain or improve the quality of remaining habitats that support their populations. Habitat loss and fragmentation is a major factor contributing to sage-grouse population declines and maintaining or improving remaining habitats has been thought to increase the value of important habitats for sage-grouse. The aim of my dissertation was to evaluate the influence of habitat management practices on sage-grouse at the population level and then explore potential mechanisms that may explain how populations are influenced by management to develop an understanding of the overall demographic response of sage-grouse to habitat treatments in big sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) communities in Wyoming. My dissertation is presented in four journal-formatted chapters. The objectives of Chapter 2 were to identify how treatments influenced annual growth rates in sage-grouse populations using yearly male sage-grouse lek counts within Sage-Grouse Management Zone II in Wyoming’s Core Areas from 1994 to 2012. One of the major findings of Chapter 2 was that mechanical sagebrush restoration treatments within 10 km of leks were negatively associated with annual greater sage-grouse population growth rates. This chapter is formatted for Restoration Ecology with co-author Jeffrey L. Beck. The primary objective of Chapter 3 was to evaluate how microhabitat use differed between reproductive states (brood-rearing versus broodless females) and if there were differences in summer survival between these states. Findings suggested that broodless females were roosting and foraging in concealed habitats with greater visual obstruction but less food forb availability. In contrast, brood-rearing females likely selected riskier microhabitats with less shrub cover and greater herbaceous understory as a tradeoff to predictably maximize foraging opportunities and promote growth and survival of their chicks. Chapter 3 is in revision in Wildlife Research with co-authors Jeffrey L. Beck and Christopher P. Kirol. The objective of Chapter 4 was to identify how mowing and tebuthiuron (Spike® 20P, Dow Agrosciences, Indianapolis, IN) treatments intended to reduce sagebrush canopy cover influenced the dietary quality of Wyoming big sagebrush in central Wyoming. Results from this chapter suggested that mowing and tebuthiuron treatments may slightly increase crude protein concentrations directly after treatments without immediate changes in plant secondary metabolites. This chapter is formatted for submission to Rangeland Ecology and Management. Chapter 5 evaluated whether diet availability and dietary consumption were predictive of sage-grouse chick body condition and if mowing and tebuthiuron treatments influenced the availability of insect and forb dietary resources for juvenile sage-grouse. Findings from this chapter suggest that females with broods selected habitats with diet resources in proportion to their availability, and dietary consumption by chicks was unrelated to available foods at brood-rearing locations. Chicks that consumed proportionally more plants during their first week of life tended to weigh more and have longer wing chords 5 weeks after hatch. Treated big sagebrush habitats contained forb and insect abundances that did not differ from untreated habitats and were equal to or less than habitats used by brood-rearing females. Chapter 5 is formatted for Journal of Wildlife Management with co-authors Jeffrey L. Beck, Aaron C. Pratt, and Jason R. LeVan.

Wildlife Habitats in Managed Rangelands-- the Great Basin of Southeastern Oregon

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 36 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (319 download)

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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:

Habitat Selection and Short-term Demographic Response of Greater Sage-grouse to Habitat Treatments in Wyoming Big Sagebrush

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ISBN 13 : 9780438880306
Total Pages : 107 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (83 download)

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Book Synopsis Habitat Selection and Short-term Demographic Response of Greater Sage-grouse to Habitat Treatments in Wyoming Big Sagebrush by : Jason R. LeVan

Download or read book Habitat Selection and Short-term Demographic Response of Greater Sage-grouse to Habitat Treatments in Wyoming Big Sagebrush written by Jason R. LeVan and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 107 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Long-term declines in greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter ‘sage-grouse’) populations have captured the attention of land and wildlife managers. Fragmentation and loss of large, continuous sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats is considered the leading cause of decreased populations of sage-grouse throughout their entire range. In response, managers in many areas have implemented small sagebrush reduction treatments to improve habitat conditions for brood-rearing sage-grouse. As such, a large body of research has focused on vegetative responses, and, to a lesser degree, wildlife-population responses to sagebrush habitat manipulations. Some research has shown potential benefits of habitat treatments to sage-grouse in mountain big sagebrush (A. tridentata vaseyana). Although vegetation in Wyoming big sagebrush (A. t. wyomingensis) responds differently than in mountain big sagebrush following reduction treatments, the response of sage-grouse to treatments in mountain or Wyoming big sagebrush communities has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of my thesis was to evaluate habitat selection and short-term (4 years since treatment) demographic response by sage-grouse to treatments in Wyoming big sagebrush habitats. My study was the first to evaluate both short-term demographic responses and habitat selection of sage-grouse to mowing and tebuthiuron treatments in Wyoming big sagebrush habitats. I conducted my research by using pre- and post-treatment data from n = 512 radio-marked female sage-grouse over a 7-year period (2011–2017) within the 4,595 km2 Jeffrey City study area in central Wyoming, USA. My study employed a Before-After Control-Impact design with 3 years of pre-treatment (2011–2013) and 4 years of post-treatment (2014–2017) data to evaluate sage-grouse responses. Mowing and tebuthiuron treatments were implemented in mosaic patterns replicated across 2 study areas each nested within our larger study area during winter and spring 2014, respectively. Mowing reduced canopy cover to ∼25.4 cm and tebuthiuron treatments were applied at a rate of 0.22 kg/ha active ingredient to achieve 50% sagebrush kill. Two remaining nested study areas served as offsite untreated control areas. Our primary objective for Chapter 2 was to identify how treatments influenced habitat selection of female sage-grouse during nesting, brood-rearing, and broodless periods. We found nesting, brood-rearing, and broodless sage-grouse selected for mowing and tebuthiuron treatment areas before and after treatment; however, a before-after treatment interaction suggested selection did not differ or was less strong after treatments. The primary objective for Chapter 3 was to assess the short-term demographic response of sage-grouse to treatments in Wyoming big sagebrush. We did not detect a before-after impact of sagebrush treatments on sage-grouse nest success, brood success, or adult female survival. The results of my thesis research suggest that treating Wyoming big sagebrush may not increase the habitat quality of Wyoming big sagebrush for sage-grouse. This suggests managers should assess the need and predicted success of sagebrush reduction treatments in Wyoming big sagebrush that are intended to enhance habitat conditions for breeding sage-grouse.

Sage-Grouse Habitat Restoration Symposium Proceedings

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 140 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (319 download)

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Book Synopsis Sage-Grouse Habitat Restoration Symposium Proceedings by :

Download or read book Sage-Grouse Habitat Restoration Symposium Proceedings written by and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Effectiveness of Wyoming's Sage-grouse Core Areas in Conserving Greater Sage-grouse and Mule Deer and Influence of Energy Development on Big Game Harvest

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ISBN 13 : 9781339767734
Total Pages : 134 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (677 download)

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Book Synopsis Effectiveness of Wyoming's Sage-grouse Core Areas in Conserving Greater Sage-grouse and Mule Deer and Influence of Energy Development on Big Game Harvest by : R. Scott Gamo

Download or read book Effectiveness of Wyoming's Sage-grouse Core Areas in Conserving Greater Sage-grouse and Mule Deer and Influence of Energy Development on Big Game Harvest written by R. Scott Gamo and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Increasing demand for energy has led to expanded extraction of energy reserves, which, in turn, impact habitats and populations of iconic western species including greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and pronghorn ( Antilocapra americana) across the West. Policy makers and managers have implemented protections and regulations within designated landscapes to manage focal wildlife species under these conditions. My study evaluates the conservation effectiveness of these landscapes on these focal species in Wyoming within Core Areas established under the Wyoming Governor’s Sage-grouse Executive Order (SGEO), implemented in 2008 by then Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal. Greater sage-grouse populations have declined across their range due to human-assisted factors driving large-scale habitat change. In response, the state of Wyoming implemented the SGEO protection policy in 2008 as a voluntary regulatory mechanism to minimize anthropogenic disturbance withing defined sage-grouse core population areas. This dissertation consists of two empirical-based chapters that focus on evaluating the effectiveness of sage-grouse core areas in providing conservation of sage-grouse, and mule deer, which share habitat with sage-grouse across Wyoming. An additional focus of this dissertation was to investigate the impact of oil and gas development on harvest success for mule deer and pronghorn.

Scale Considerations in Monitoring Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Vegetation Structure and Habitat Suitability Within Nesting Habitat in Western Wyoming

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ISBN 13 : 9781339400686
Total Pages : 69 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (6 download)

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Book Synopsis Scale Considerations in Monitoring Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Vegetation Structure and Habitat Suitability Within Nesting Habitat in Western Wyoming by : Khodabakhsh Zabihi Afratakhti

Download or read book Scale Considerations in Monitoring Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Vegetation Structure and Habitat Suitability Within Nesting Habitat in Western Wyoming written by Khodabakhsh Zabihi Afratakhti and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 69 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Disturbance of nesting habitat associated with energy development has contributed to population declines of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in western Wyoming. Greater sage-grouse, rely on sagebrush ecosystems during all of their life stages. Specific criteria for suitable nesting habitat for the species includes both amount and distribution of sagebrush and herbaceous cover. Loss of suitable sagebrush habitat makes the identification of remaining suitable habitat critical for long-term management of the species. This research documents spatial patterns of vegetation structure within greater sage-grouse nesting habitat to compare shrub configuration (shrub patchiness) between nest and random non-nest locations at very fine scales. Additionally, we examine the applicability of gap intercept techniques to quantify shrub structural characteristics (shrub height and patchiness). Finally, the suitability of nesting habitats was mapped using biophysical features and anthropogenic disturbances at fine to broad scales. Spatial vegetation patterns vary with scale, and spatial homogeneity of sagebrush stands declines with increasing shrub height. Canopy gap intercept techniques reliably quantify composition, configuration, and height of shrub cover. The proportion of shrub cover and non-shrub gaps can be used as a compositional attribute that characterizes nesting habitat at the broad scale (across kilometers). In addition, variation in gap sizes within shrub cover, or shrub patchiness is a habitat characteristic that differentiates nesting and non-nest habitat at fine scales. Shrub cover-to-gap proportion, shrub spatial configuration, and mean shrub heights are important vegetative traits that characterize sage-grouse nesting habitat. At broad scales, habitat suitability for nesting is related to both anthropogenic disturbances and the suitability of biophysical features (e.g., slope, aspect, vegetation type and composition). Information about habitat characteristics at both fine and broad scales is needed to clarify suitability of nesting habitat for greater sage-grouse.

Response of Greater Sage-grouse to Sagebrush Reduction Treatments in Wyoming Big Sagebrush

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (138 download)

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Book Synopsis Response of Greater Sage-grouse to Sagebrush Reduction Treatments in Wyoming Big Sagebrush by : Kurt T. Smith

Download or read book Response of Greater Sage-grouse to Sagebrush Reduction Treatments in Wyoming Big Sagebrush written by Kurt T. Smith and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vegetation treatments have been widely implemented in efforts to enhance conditions for wildlife populations. Yet the effectiveness of such efforts often lack rigorous evaluations to determine whether these practices are effective for targeted species. This is particularly important when manipulating wildlife habitats in ecosystems that are faced with multiple stressors. The sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem has been altered extensively over the last century leading to declines of many associated species. Wyoming big sagebrush (A. tridentata wyomingensis) is the most widely distributed subspecies, providing important habitats for sagebrush-obligate and associated wildlife. Sagebrush often has been treated with chemicals, mechanical treatments, and prescribed burning to increase herbaceous forage species released from competition with sagebrush overstory. Despite many studies documenting negative effects of sagebrush control on greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) habitat, treatments are still proposed as a means of improving habitat for sage-grouse and other sagebrush-dependent species. Furthermore, most studies have focused on vegetation response and none have rigorously evaluated the direct influence of these treatments on sage-grouse. We initiated a 9-year (2011–2019) experimental study in central Wyoming, USA, to better understand how greater sage-grouse respond to sagebrush reduction treatments in Wyoming big sagebrush communities. We evaluated the influence of 2 common sagebrush treatments on greater sage-grouse demography and resource selection. We implemented mowing and tebuthiuron application in winter and spring 2014 and evaluated the pre- (2011–2013) and post-treatment (2014–2019) responses of sage-grouse relative to these management actions. We evaluated responses to treatments using demographic and behavioral data collected from 620 radio-marked female greater sage-grouse. Our specific objectives were to evaluate how treatments influenced 1) sage-grouse reproductive success and female survival; 2) sage-grouse nesting, brood-rearing, and female resource selection; 3) vegetation responses; and 4) forbs and invertebrates. Our results generally suggested neutral demographic responses and slight avoidance by greater sage-grouse in response to Wyoming big sagebrush treated by mowing and tebuthiuron. Neither mowing nor tebuthiuron treatments influenced nest survival, brood survival, or female survival. Selection for nest and brood-rearing sites did not differ before and after treatments. Females selected habitats near treatments before and after they were implemented; however, the strength of selection was lower after treatments compared with pre-treatment periods, which may be explained by a lack of response in vegetation and invertebrates following treatments. Perennial grass cover and height varied temporally yet did not vary systematically between treatment and control plots. Forb cover and species richness varied annually but not in relation to either treatment type. Perennial grass cover and height, forb cover, and forb species richness did not increase within mowed or tebuthiuron-treated areas that received 2 or 6 years of grazing rest compared with areas that received no grazing rest. Finally, forb and invertebrate dry mass did not differ between treated plots and control plots at mowing or tebuthiuron sites in any years following treatments. Results from our study add to a large body of evidence that sage-grouse using Wyoming big sagebrush vegetation communities do not respond positively to sagebrush manipulation treatments. Management practices that focus on the maintenance of large, undisturbed tracts of sagebrush will best facilitate the persistence of sage-grouse populations and other species reliant on the sagebrush steppe.

Bureau of Land Management National Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy

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Publisher : CreateSpace
ISBN 13 : 9781505410860
Total Pages : 34 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (18 download)

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Book Synopsis Bureau of Land Management National Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy by : U.S. Department of the Interior

Download or read book Bureau of Land Management National Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy written by U.S. Department of the Interior and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-01-01 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This document serves as guidance on managing, restoring and enhancing sagebrush habitat on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This guidance only applies until BLM State or local-level guidance is developed, or until specific sage-grouse conservation measures are incorporated into BLM land use plans. In July 2000, the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Forest Service (FS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and BLM. This MOU established state wildlife agencies as the lead for state and local conservation planning efforts for sage-grouse. In July 2002, WAFWA approved a proposal to develop a Conservation Assessment (CA) for sage-grouse and sage-grouse habitat to be completed in two distinct phases.

Greater Sage-grouse Seasonal Habitat Models, Response to Juniper Reduction and Effects of Capture Behavior on Vital Rates, in Northwest Utah

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Total Pages : pages
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Book Synopsis Greater Sage-grouse Seasonal Habitat Models, Response to Juniper Reduction and Effects of Capture Behavior on Vital Rates, in Northwest Utah by : Avery Cook

Download or read book Greater Sage-grouse Seasonal Habitat Models, Response to Juniper Reduction and Effects of Capture Behavior on Vital Rates, in Northwest Utah written by Avery Cook and published by . This book was released on 2015 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 in Utah and range-wide due to declines in populations and threats to sagebrush habitat on which they depend. To effectively conserve the species, detailed site-specific knowledge of ecology and distribution is needed. To expand knowledge of local populations within the West Box Elder Sage Grouse Management Area (SGMA) and gain insights into the effectiveness of vegetation treatments intended to benefit sagegrouse, I radio marked and tracked 123 (68 female, 55 male) sage-grouse and conducted sage-grouse pellet surveys on 19 conifer removal projects. Widespread habitat restoration measures designed to benefit sage-grouse have highlighted the need for prioritization tools to optimize placement of sage-grouse habitat projects. I generated seasonal habitat models to predict sage-grouse habitat use within the West Box Elder SGMA using a suite of vegetation and topographical predictors and known sage-grouse locations. Model fit was good with brood, early summer, late summer, lekking (early spring), and non-breeding models reporting an AUC of >0.90; nest and winter models reported an AUC of 0.87 and 0.85, respectively. A vegetation disturbance history was built for the study area from 1985 to 2013; however, the vegetation disturbances mapped were not a strong predictor of sage-grouse seasonal habitat-use. To evaluate effectiveness of conifer reduction treatments I used fecal pellet and in concert with radio-telemetry data. Increased sage-grouse use of conifer treatments was positively associated with sage-grouse presence in adjacent habitats (P = 0.018), percent shrub cover (P = 0.039), and mesic environments within 1000 m of treatments (P = 0.048). Sage-grouse use of conifer treatments was negatively associated with conifer canopy cover (P = 0.048) within 1000 m of treatments. To investigate sample bias related to individual bird behavior or capture trauma I monitored 204 radio-marked sage-grouse within the West Box Elder and Rich-Morgan- Summit SGMAs in Utah between January 2012 and March 2013. Sage-grouse that flushed one or more times prior to capture had higher brood (P = 0.014) and annual survival (P = 0.027) than those that did not. Sage-grouse that experienced more capture trauma had decreased annual survival probabilities (P = 0.04).

Ecology of Isolated Greater Sage-grouse Populations Inhabiting the Wildcat Knolls and Horn Mountain, South Central Utah

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 123 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (654 download)

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Book Synopsis Ecology of Isolated Greater Sage-grouse Populations Inhabiting the Wildcat Knolls and Horn Mountain, South Central Utah by : Christopher James Perkins

Download or read book Ecology of Isolated Greater Sage-grouse Populations Inhabiting the Wildcat Knolls and Horn Mountain, South Central Utah written by Christopher James Perkins and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 123 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) currently inhabit about 56% of pre-settlement distribution of potential habitat. In 2005, the Castle Country Adaptive Resources Management Local Working Group (CaCoARM) was formed to address concerns regarding local sage-grouse populations in Carbon and Emery counties. In 2006-2007, CaCoARM identified the Wildcat Knolls and Horn Mountain as areas of special concern for greater sage-grouse conservation. Both sites selected by the group were inhabited by what appeared to be small isolated sage-grouse populations. Factors limiting small isolated greater sage-grouse populations throughout its range are diverse and largely site-specific. During 2008-2009, I captured, radio-collared, and monitored 43 sage-grouse between the two populations to document their ecology and seasonal habitat use patterns. The sites are only 24 km apart, but the populations appear to be isolated from each other. Sage-grouse on Horn Mountain and Wildcat Knolls are one-stage migratory and non-migratory, respectively. Although nesting and brooding success varied between sites, my results were comparable to those published in studies throughout the species' range. Overall male survival was lower on the Wildcat Knolls than Horn Mountain (P = 0.003). Hens that selected brood sites exhibiting increased shrub cover and grass height were more successful than hens that selected sites with lower shrub cover and lower grass height. Potential nesting habitat on the Wildcat Knolls and Horn Mountain were estimated at 2,329 and 5,493 ha, respectively. Hens that selected nest sites farther from non-habitat edge were more successful than hens that selected nest sites that were closer to non-habitat edge on the Wildcat Knolls. Higher nest success observed on the Wildcat Knolls was attributed to less habitat fragmentation. Isolated populations of greater sage-grouse are more susceptible to lower amounts of genetic diversity that may lead to inbreeding depression and increased rates of disease and parasites. I collected mitochondrial DNA samples from both the Wildcat Knolls and Horn Mountain populations. Although the haplotype frequencies recorded in the Wildcat Knolls and Horn Mountain populations were low, one was shared with several Utah populations. The documented low genetic diversity (especially on Horn Mountain) confirmed the isolation suspected by the local working group. Microsatellite tests may provide insights to enhance understanding of genetic differences among sites, and assist managers in determining whether or not translocations are necessary to maintain population genetic diversity. Biologists should not only continue to take samples for genetic comparison, but also record morphometric and behavior data.

Handbook for Evaluating the Importance of Wyoming's Riparian Habitat to Terrestrial Wildlife

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 182 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (121 download)

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Book Synopsis Handbook for Evaluating the Importance of Wyoming's Riparian Habitat to Terrestrial Wildlife by : William A. Gerhart

Download or read book Handbook for Evaluating the Importance of Wyoming's Riparian Habitat to Terrestrial Wildlife written by William A. Gerhart and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Using Resilience and Resistance Concepts to Manage Threats to Sagebrush Ecosystems, Gunnison Sage-grouse, and Greater Sage-grouse in Their Eastern Range

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 143 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (972 download)

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Book Synopsis Using Resilience and Resistance Concepts to Manage Threats to Sagebrush Ecosystems, Gunnison Sage-grouse, and Greater Sage-grouse in Their Eastern Range by : Jeanne C. Chambers

Download or read book Using Resilience and Resistance Concepts to Manage Threats to Sagebrush Ecosystems, Gunnison Sage-grouse, and Greater Sage-grouse in Their Eastern Range written by Jeanne C. Chambers and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 143 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report provides a strategic approach developed by a Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies interagency working group for conservation of sagebrush ecosystems, Greater sage-grouse, and Gunnison sage-grouse. It uses information on (1) factors that influence sagebrush ecosystem resilience to disturbance and resistance to nonnative invasive annual grasses and (2) distribution and relative abundance of sage-grouse populations to address persistent ecosystem threats, such as invasive annual grasses and wildfire, and land use and development threats, such as oil and gas development and cropland conversion, to develop effective management strategies. A sage-grouse habitat matrix links relative resilience and resistance of sagebrush ecosystems with modeled sage-grouse breeding habitat probabilities to help decisionmakers assess risks and determine appropriate management strategies at both landscape and site scales. Areas for targeted management are assessed by overlaying matrix components with Greater sage-grouse Priority Areas for Conservation and Gunnison sage-grouse critical habitat and linkages, breeding bird concentration areas, and specific habitat threats. Decision tools are discussed for determining the suitability of target areas for management and the most appropriate management actions. A similar approach was developed for the Great Basin that was incorporated into the Federal land use plan amendments and served as the basis of a Bureau of Land Management Fire and Invasives Assessment Tool, which was used to prioritize sage-grouse habitat for targeted management activities.

Grouse

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Publisher : World Conservation Union
ISBN 13 : 9782831705194
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (51 download)

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Book Synopsis Grouse by : Ilse Storch

Download or read book Grouse written by Ilse Storch and published by World Conservation Union. This book was released on 2000 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Grouse have long attracted and fascinated people. Their display behavior, and their traditional communal mating grounds or "leks", have inspired poetry and folklore as well as scientific theories on sexual selection and mating systems. In many parts of their range, hunting plays a major role in the culture, economy, and subsistence of local communities. Although from a global perspective their status is not critical, grouse are far from being safe, and on a local scale, many local populations of grouse are declining and threatened with extinction. This plan provides a guide to the distribution, status, and threats to all grouse species; its major objective is to identify conservation priorities from a global perspective.

Ravens in Winter

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Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1476794561
Total Pages : 400 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (767 download)

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Book Synopsis Ravens in Winter by : Bernd Heinrich

Download or read book Ravens in Winter written by Bernd Heinrich and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2014-10-07 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published: New York: Summit Books, 1989.