4 research outputs found
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Grazing Preferences and Vegetation Feedbacks of the Fire-Grazing Interaction in the Northern Great Plains
The fire-grazing interaction is well studied in mesic grasslands worldwide, but research is limited in semiarid systems. We examined the principal drivers and feedbacks of the fire-grazing interaction on the strength of cattle grazing selection, herbaceous biomass, crude protein, and vegetation structure and composition in two pastures in the Northern Great Plains. Cattle showed significant preference, use, and grazing utilization in recently burned patches that declined as time since fire increased. Cattle selection was driven by significantly increased crude protein in recent burns. Grazing utilization of 70% in patches with < 1 yr after fire established low herbaceous biomass, but the extent to which it was maintained varied with precipitation. Herbaceous biomass increased to nonburned levels 2 yr after fire, and crude protein decreased to nonburned levels 120 d after fire. Species composition was influenced primarily by site and year, though bare ground and litter were influenced by the fire-grazing interaction. Our data indicate that mixed-grass prairies of the Northern Great Plains are resilient to the fire-grazing interaction and that rest from grazing following fire is likely ecologically unnecessary. The use of the fire-grazing interaction is an alternative management strategy suitable for the Northern Great Plains, effectively increasing heterogeneity of grassland habitat.The Rangeland Ecology & Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information
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Extending conifer removal and landscape protection strategies from sage-grouse to songbirds, a range-wide assessment
Recent and unprecedented scale of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) conservation in the American West enables assessment of community-level benefits afforded to other sagebrush-obligate species. We use North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) count data and machine-learning to assess predictors influencing spatial distribution and abundance of three sagebrush-obligate songbirds (Brewer's sparrow [Spizella breweri], sagebrush sparrow [Artemisiospiza nevadensis], and sage thrasher [Oreoscoptes montanus]). We quantified co-occurrence of songbird abundance with sage-grouse lek distributions using point pattern analyses and evaluated the concurrence of songbird abundance within sage-grouse habitat restoration and landscape protection. Sagebrush land-cover predictors were positively associated with the abundance of each songbird species in models that explained 16-37% of variation in BBS route level counts. Individual songbird models identified an apparent 40% threshold in sagebrush land-cover, over which songbird abundances nearly doubled. Songbird abundances were positively associated with sage-grouse distributions (P b 0.01); range-wide, landscapes supporting N 50% of males on leks also harbored 13-19% higher densities of songbirds compared with range-wide mean densities. Eighty-five percent of the conifer removal conducted through the Sage Grouse Initiative coincided with high to moderate Brewer's sparrow abundance. Wyoming's landscape protection (i.e., "core area") strategy for sage-grouse encompasses half the high to moderate abundance sagebrush sparrow and sage thrasher populations. In the Great Basin half the high to moderate abundance sagebrush sparrow and sage thrasher populations coincide with sage-grouse Fire and Invasive Assessment Tool priorities, where conservation actions are being focused in an attempt to reduce the threat of wildfire and invasive plants. Our work illustrates spatially targeted actions being implemented ostensibly for sage-grouse largely overlap high abundance centers for three sagebrush obligate passerines and are likely providing significant conservation benefits for less well-known sagebrush songbirds and other sagebrush-associated wildlife.The Rangeland Ecology & Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information