This study is focused on the population of federally-endangered American burying beetles in south-central Nebraska. It is focused on changes in land cover over time and at several levels of spatial scale, and how management efforts are impacting both the beetle and a changing landscape. Our findings are applicable to a large portion of the Great Plains, which is undergoing the same shift from grassland to woodland, and to areas where the beetle is still found

Ludwig, Alison K

Twidwell, Dirac

Uden, Daniel R

English

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research in Agronomy and Horticulture Agronomy and Horticulture Department 4-13-2020 Extreme Fire as a Management Tool to Combat Regime Shifts in the Range of the Endangered American Burying Beetle Alison K. Ludwig University of Nebraska - Lincoln Daniel R. Uden University of Nebraska - Lincoln Dirac Twidwell University of Nebraska - Lincoln Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/agronhortdiss  Part of the Agricultural Science Commons, Agriculture Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Botany Commons, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Entomology Commons, Environmental Health Commons, Environmental Sciences Commons, Forest Management Commons, Horticulture Commons, Other Animal Sciences Commons, Other Plant Sciences Commons, and the Plant Biology Commons Ludwig, Alison K.; Uden, Daniel R.; and Twidwell, Dirac, "Extreme Fire as a Management Tool to Combat Regime Shifts in the Range of the Endangered American Burying Beetle" (2020). Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research in Agronomy and Horticulture. 193. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/agronhortdiss/193 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Agronomy and Horticulture Department at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research in Agronomy and Horticulture by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Extreme Fire as a Management Tool to Combat Regime Shifts in the Range of the Endangered American Burying BeetleAlison K Ludwig1, Daniel R. Uden2, and Dirac Twidwell11Agronomy & Horticulture, 2School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-LincolnBeetle Trapping• Beetle abundance greater at traps near burn units (within 1.2 km)• Significant difference between beetle abundance at traps near and far from burn units (p-value < 0.0001)Covariance Dataset• Traps near burn units (within 1.2 km)have more negative covariance valuesat larger spatial scales• Indicates more border clashes betweentrees and perennials at larger scalesLandscape Map• Pink circles indicate trap locations• Circle size indicates total beetle abundance• Green polygons indicate burn units• Red areas donate more negative covariance values (max -100), while blue areas show less negative covariance values (min 0)• Map Result: Areas in the central Canyons have higher beetle abundances. This is also close to the majorityof prescribed fires.References1 McPherron et al (2012) Trends in Entomology 8:27–36.2 Roos et al (2018) PNAS 115(32):8143-8148.3 Twidwell et al (2013) Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 11(s1):e64–e71.4 Walker & Hoback (2007) Environmental Entomology 36(2):297–307.Acknowledgements• The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and especially their dedicated employees: T.J. Walker, Shaun Dunn, Andy Moore, and Adam Kester• The Loess Canyons Rangeland Alliance• The National Science Foundation’s National Research Traineeship grant• Dr. Dan Uden and Dr. Dirac Twidwell, and the entire Twidwell LabAbstractThe American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) is a federally-endangered species of carrion beetle found in Nebraska. In the Loess Canyons, woody encroachment is replacing the grasslands this species prefers. Prescribed fire has been used to stop the spread of woody species, but its impacts on the beetle are unknown.IntroductionStudy Site: The Loess Canyons• Very steep silt-loam hills1• Heavily eroded1• Mixed-grass prairie2• Shifting from a grassland to woodland1• Extreme prescribed fire to halt woodland spread, restore grasslands3• Above map adapted from: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program: Mountain-Prairie Strategic Plan.” Report. 2012. Pg 71.MethodsBeetle Trapping• 28 permanent trap locations, sampled since 2007• Annual trapping, ~5 days in August• Traps baited with carrion and checked every morning• All American burying beetles are counted, measured, and tagged before releaseCovariance Dataset• Covariance of trees vs. perennial forbs/grasses• Covariance values range between     0 and -200• More negative values indicate higher incidences of clashes between tree-perennial borders• Covariance values are calculated at six levels of spatial scale (simplified diagram shown below)Research Questions• Is extreme prescribed fire having an impact on the endangered beetle?• What is the covariance between trees and perennial forbs/grasses around burned and unburned traps?Beetle Background• Habitat generalist/scavenger/decomposer3• Listed as federally-endangered in 19893• Found in < 10% of historical range3• Low, dense Juniperus forest is detrimental3Above map adapted from: Government Accountability Office. “Endangered Species Act: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s American Burying Beetle Conservation Efforts.” Report. Dec 2016. Pg 37.• Endangered beetle more abundant at traps near burn units, therefore extreme prescribed fire not having a negative effect on the beetle• Covariance at small scales, less negative at both burned and unburned traps• Covariance at large scales, more negative near burned traps• At large scales, there are more clashes between grassland and woodland near burn trapsConclusionsResults

Extreme Fire as a Management Tool to Combat Regime Shifts in the Range of the Endangered American Burying Beetle

UNL | Libraries

University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research in 
Agronomy and Horticulture Agronomy and Horticulture Department 
4-13-2020 
Extreme Fire as a Management Tool to Combat Regime Shifts in 
the Range of the Endangered American Burying Beetle 
Alison K. Ludwig 
University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Daniel R. Uden 
University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Dirac Twidwell 
University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/agronhortdiss 
 Part of the Agricultural Science Commons, Agriculture Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences 
Commons, Botany Commons, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Entomology Commons, 
Environmental Health Commons, Environmental Sciences Commons, Forest Management Commons, 
Horticulture Commons, Other Animal Sciences Commons, Other Plant Sciences Commons, and the Plant 
Biology Commons 
Ludwig, Alison K.; Uden, Daniel R.; and Twidwell, Dirac, "Extreme Fire as a Management Tool to Combat 
Regime Shifts in the Range of the Endangered American Burying Beetle" (2020). Theses, Dissertations, 
and Student Research in Agronomy and Horticulture. 193. 
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/agronhortdiss/193 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Agronomy and Horticulture Department at 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations, and 
Student Research in Agronomy and Horticulture by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of 
Nebraska - Lincoln. 
Extreme Fire as a Management Tool to Combat Regime Shifts in the 
Range of the Endangered American Burying Beetle
Alison K Ludwig1, Daniel R. Uden2, and Dirac Twidwell1
1Agronomy & Horticulture, 2School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Beetle Trapping
• Beetle abundance greater at traps near burn units 
(within 1.2 km)
• Significant difference between beetle abundance at 
traps near and far from burn units (p-value < 0.0001)
Covariance Dataset
• Traps near burn units (within 1.2 km)
have more negative covariance values
at larger spatial scales
• Indicates more border clashes between
trees and perennials at larger scales
Landscape Map
• Pink circles indicate trap locations
• Circle size indicates total beetle abundance
• Green polygons indicate burn units
• Red areas donate more negative covariance values 
(max -100), while blue areas show less negative 
covariance values (min 0)
• Map Result: Areas in the central Canyons have higher 
beetle abundances. This is also close to the majority
of prescribed fires.
References
1 McPherron et al (2012) Trends in Entomology 8:27–36.
2 Roos et al (2018) PNAS 115(32):8143-8148.
3 Twidwell et al (2013) Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 11(s1):e64–e71.
4 Walker & Hoback (2007) Environmental Entomology 36(2):297–307.
Acknowledgements
• The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and especially their dedicated employees: T.J. Walker, Shaun Dunn, Andy Moore, and Adam Kester
• The Loess Canyons Rangeland Alliance
• The National Science Foundation’s National Research Traineeship grant
• Dr. Dan Uden and Dr. Dirac Twidwell, and the entire Twidwell Lab
Abstract
The American burying beetle (Nicrophorus 
americanus) is a federally-endangered species of 
carrion beetle found in Nebraska. In the Loess 
Canyons, woody encroachment is replacing the 
grasslands this species prefers. Prescribed fire has 
been used to stop the spread of woody species, but 
its impacts on the beetle are unknown.
Introduction
Study Site: The Loess Canyons
• Very steep silt-loam hills1
• Heavily eroded1
• Mixed-grass prairie2
• Shifting from a grassland to woodland1
• Extreme prescribed fire to halt woodland 
spread, restore grasslands3
• Above map adapted from: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Partners 
for Fish and Wildlife Program: Mountain-Prairie Strategic Plan.” 
Report. 2012. Pg 71.
Methods
Beetle Trapping
• 28 permanent trap locations, 
sampled since 2007
• Annual trapping, ~5 days in August
• Traps baited with carrion and 
checked every morning
• All American burying beetles are 
counted, measured, and tagged 
before release
Covariance Dataset
• Covariance of trees vs. perennial 
forbs/grasses
• Covariance values range between     
0 and -200
• More negative values indicate higher 
incidences of clashes between tree-
perennial borders
• Covariance values are calculated at 
six levels of spatial scale (simplified 
diagram shown below)
Research Questions
• Is extreme prescribed fire having an 
impact on the endangered beetle?
• What is the covariance between trees 
and perennial forbs/grasses around 
burned and unburned traps?
Beetle Background
• Habitat generalist/scavenger/decomposer3
• Listed as federally-endangered in 19893
• Found in < 10% of historical range3
• Low, dense Juniperus forest is detrimental3
Above map adapted from: Government Accountability Office. 
“Endangered Species Act: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s American 
Burying Beetle Conservation Efforts.” Report. Dec 2016. Pg 37.
• Endangered beetle more abundant at traps near burn 
units, therefore extreme prescribed fire not having a 
negative effect on the beetle
• Covariance at small scales, less negative at both 
burned and unburned traps
• Covariance at large scales, more negative near burned 
traps
• At large scales, there are more clashes between 
grassland and woodland near burn traps
Conclusions
Results


https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1203&amp;context=agronhortdiss

Extreme Fire as a Management Tool to Combat Regime Shifts in the Range of the Endangered American Burying Beetle

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

UNL | Libraries