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Lewin A, Erinjery JJ, Nissim D, Iwamura T. Social-ecological cascade effects of land use on vertebrate pest dynamics in arid agricultural communities. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2804. [PMID: 36565243 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Extensive land conversion to agriculture in drylands and associated resource use have wide-ranging impacts on desert ecosystems globally. Incorporating the impacts of human-social aspects is thus imperative in examining ecological interactions. The provision of agricultural inputs in these resource-scarce regions supports invasive and pest species, negatively impacting both agricultural productivity and native desert ecosystems. Understanding the spatial dynamics of invasive and pest species requires analyzing both bottom-up resource availability factors underlying animal distributions and top-down biological controls. Here, we evaluate the social-ecological cascading effects of dryland agriculture on vertebrate pest communities in dryland agricultural communities of Israel. Our study region is characterized by 18 agricultural cooperatives with distinct crop regimes due to contrasting social decision-making and resource allocation schemes (i.e., communal kibbutzim vs. privatized moshavim). Crop choices further affect land management (e.g., enclosed vs. open farm systems) and resource intensity. This system is ideal for studying trophic mechanisms underlying animal assemblages between agricultural regimes. We examine the role of agricultural land-use practices on pest spatial distributions based on multiyear vertebrate pest observations with agricultural data sets. We use structural equation modeling (SEM) to quantify the relative importance of added agricultural resources underlying bottom-up and top-down trophic processes regulating vertebrate pest assemblages. Results reveal that crop choices determine pest distributions through bottom-up processes directly, while simultaneously driving pest competitive interactions through indirect top-down cascades impacting pest communities. For example, due to the indirect negative effect of wolves on mesopredators (foxes and jackals) mediated by livestock, the total positive effect of livestock on the abundance of mesopredators is reduced. Our study illustrates the social-ecological cascading effects of agricultural regimes on pest community assemblages mediated by contrasting agricultural land-use practices. Considering the expansion of dryland agroecological systems globally, understanding the intricate cascading pathways of predator- and prey-pest communities has important implications for agricultural management, biological invasions in drylands, and fragile desert environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Lewin
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Joseph J Erinjery
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Zoology, Kannur University, Kannur, India
| | - Doron Nissim
- Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Southern District, Omer, Israel
| | - Takuya Iwamura
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department F.-A. Forel for Aquatic and Environmental Sciences and Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
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Prochazka BG, O'Neil ST, Coates PS. A Bayesian multi-stage modelling framework to evaluate impacts of energy development on wildlife populations: an application to greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus). MethodsX 2023; 10:102023. [PMID: 36817696 PMCID: PMC9931900 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased demand for domestic production of renewable energy has led to expansion of energy infrastructure across western North America. Much of the western U.S. comprises remote landscapes that are home to a variety of vegetation communities and wildlife species, including the imperiled sagebrush ecosystem and indicator species such as greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Geothermal sources in particular have potential for continued development across the western U.S. but impacts to greater sage-grouse and other species are unknown. To address this information gap, we describe a novel two-pronged methodology that analyzes impacts of geothermal energy production on pattern and process of greater sage-grouse populations using (a) before-after control-impact (BACI) measures of population growth and lek absence rates and (b) concurrent-to-operation evaluations of demographic rates. Growth and absence rate analyses utilized 14 years of lek survey data collected prior (2005-2011) and concurrent (2012-2018) to geothermal operations at two sites in Nevada, USA. Demographic analyses utilized relocation data, restricted inference to concurrent years, and incorporated 17 additional control sites. Demographic results were applied to >100 potential geothermal sites distributed across the study region to generate spatially explicit predictions of unrealized population-level impacts.•State-space and generalized linear models yield estimates of population growth and lek absence rates, respectively, before and after the onset of geothermal energy production; distances ranging from 2-30 km are evaluated as alternative control-impact footprint hypotheses; this provides inference about the spatial extent as well as the magnitude of impacts associated with geothermal development.•Estimation of important population demographic rates are implemented to investigate the processes by which geothermal energy development might reduce population growth; independent estimates of confounding, environmental effects from 17 control sites are made spatially explicit within 'impact' models to establish baseline conditions otherwise masked by collinearity.•Population matrix models are built using estimates from demographic analyses to provide landscape mapping of impacts associated with potential geothermal sites.
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Jain V, Bugnyar T, Cunningham SJ, Gallego-Abenza M, Loretto MC, Sumasgutner P. The spatial and temporal exploitation of anthropogenic food sources by common ravens (Corvus corax) in the Alps. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:35. [PMID: 36008849 PMCID: PMC9414151 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00335-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anthropogenic food sources (AFSs) are widespread in human-transformed landscapes and the current scale at which they occur drives ecological change at the individual, population, and community levels. AFSs are exploited extensively by common ravens, Corvus corax. Understanding how raven populations use AFSs can provide insight into their ecological responses to AFSs. METHODS We equipped 81 ravens in the Austrian Alps with GPS-transmitters over a period of 2.75 years. Using these tracking data, we investigated how cohort differences (i.e., age, sex, and origin) and seasonal changes influence raven movement patterns (i.e., occurrence distribution and maximum daily displacement) and AFS-use (i.e., number of AFSs visited and probability of being present at any AFS) at 45 extensively exploited sites. RESULTS We found that proxies for experience and dominance, inferred by age (i.e., juvenile versus adult) and origin (i.e., wild-caught versus captive-bred-released) cohorts, influenced movement patterns and the number of AFSs visited. However, all individuals were equally likely to be present at AFSs, highlighting the importance of AFSs for non-breeders in the study population. Seasonal changes in environmental conditions that affect energetic demands, the availability of natural and anthropogenic food, and foraging competition, influenced individuals' occurrence distributions and AFS-use. We found that under harsher conditions in autumn and winter, individuals ranged wider and depended on AFSs to a larger degree. However, contrary to expectation, they were less likely to be present at AFSs in these seasons compared to spring and summer, suggesting a trade-off between time spent moving and exploiting resources. We attribute the small ranging movements exhibited by non-breeders in spring and summer to the presence of highly territorial and socially dominant breeders. As breeders mostly stay and forage within their territories during these seasons, competition at AFSs decrease, thereby increasing the likelihood of individuals being present at any AFS. CONCLUSIONS We emphasize that movement and AFS-use differ according to cohort differences and the seasonality of the environment. Our results highlight that predictable AFSs affect foraging strategies among non-breeding ravens. The extent of AFS-exploitation among non-breeding ravens in our study emphasize the potential of AFSs in shaping raven movement and resource-use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varalika Jain
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, Private Bax X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa.
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerasi Platz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susan J Cunningham
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, Private Bax X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Mario Gallego-Abenza
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerasi Platz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matthias-Claudio Loretto
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Group, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany
- Berchtesgaden National Park, Doktorberg 6, 83471, Berchtesgaden, Germany
| | - Petra Sumasgutner
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerasi Platz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
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Invasion of annual grasses following wildfire corresponds to maladaptive habitat selection by a sagebrush ecosystem indicator species. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Schroeder VM, Robinson WD, Johnson DD, Bohnert DW, Dinkins JB. Weather explains differences in sagebrush-obligate songbird nest success under various grazing regimes. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Benmazouz I, Jokimäki J, Lengyel S, Juhász L, Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki ML, Kardos G, Paládi P, Kövér L. Corvids in Urban Environments: A Systematic Global Literature Review. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113226. [PMID: 34827957 PMCID: PMC8614296 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is one of the most prevalent drivers of biodiversity loss, yet few taxonomic groups are remarkably successful at adapting to urban environments. We systematically surveyed the global literature on the effects of urbanization on species of family Corvidae (crows, choughs, jackdaws, jays, magpies, nutcrackers, ravens, rooks, treepies) to assess the occurrence of corvids in urban environments and the factors affecting their success. We found a total of 424 primary research articles, and the number of articles has increased exponentially since the 1970s. Most studies were carried out in cities of Europe and North America (45.5% and 31.4%, respectively) and were directed on a single species (75.2). We found that 30 corvid species (23% of 133 total) regularly occur in urban environments. The majority (72%) of the studies reported positive effects of urbanization on corvids, with 85% of studies detecting population increases and 64% of studies detecting higher breeding success with urbanization. Of the factors proposed to explain corvids' success (availability of nesting sites and food sources, low predation and persecution), food availability coupled with diet shifts emerged as the most important factors promoting Corvidae to live in urban settings. The breeding of corvids in urban environments was further associated with earlier nesting, similar or larger clutches, lower hatching but higher fledging success, reduced home range size and limited territoriality, increased tolerance towards humans and increasing frequency of conflicts with humans. Despite geographic and taxonomic biases in our literature sample, our review indicates that corvids show both flexibility in resource use and behavioral plasticity that enable them to exploit novel resources for nesting and feeding. Corvids can thus be urban exploiters of the large-scale modifications of ecosystems caused by urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isma Benmazouz
- Animal Husbandry Doctoral School, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
- Correspondence:
| | - Jukka Jokimäki
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, 96300 Rovaniemi, Finland; (J.J.); (M.-L.K.-J.)
| | - Szabolcs Lengyel
- Department of Tisza Research, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 4026 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Lajos Juhász
- Department of Nature Conservation Zoology and Game Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.J.); (L.K.)
| | | | - Gábor Kardos
- Institute of Metagenomics, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Petra Paládi
- Animal Husbandry Doctoral School, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - László Kövér
- Department of Nature Conservation Zoology and Game Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.J.); (L.K.)
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8
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Lazenby KD, Coates PS, O’Neil ST, Kohl MT, Dahlgren DK. Nesting, brood rearing, and summer habitat selection by translocated greater sage-grouse in North Dakota, USA. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:2741-2760. [PMID: 33767833 PMCID: PMC7981223 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human enterprise has led to large-scale changes in landscapes and altered wildlife population distribution and abundance, necessitating efficient and effective conservation strategies for impacted species. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) are a widespread sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) obligate species that has experienced population declines since the mid-1900s resulting from habitat loss and expansion of anthropogenic features into sagebrush ecosystems. Habitat loss is especially evident in North Dakota, USA, on the northeastern fringe of sage-grouse' distribution, where a remnant population remains despite recent development of energy-related infrastructure. Resource managers in this region have determined a need to augment sage-grouse populations using translocation techniques that can be important management tools for countering species decline from range contraction. Although translocations are a common tool for wildlife management, very little research has evaluated habitat following translocation, to track individual behaviors such as habitat selection and fidelity to the release site, which can help inform habitat requirements to guide selection of future release sites. We provide an example where locations from previously released radio-marked sage-grouse are used in a resource selection function framework to evaluate habitat selection following translocation and identify areas of seasonal habitat to inform habitat management and potential restoration needs. We also evaluated possible changes in seasonal habitat since the late 1980s using spatial data provided by the Rangeland Analysis Platform coupled with resource selection modeling results. Our results serve as critical baseline information for habitat used by translocated individuals across life stages in this study area, and will inform future evaluations of population performance and potential for long-term recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kade D. Lazenby
- Department of Wildland ResourcesJack H. Berryman InstituteS. J. Quinney College of Natural ResourcesUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
| | - Peter S. Coates
- Western Ecological Research CenterDixon Field StationU.S. Geological SurveyDixonCAUSA
| | - Shawn T. O’Neil
- Western Ecological Research CenterDixon Field StationU.S. Geological SurveyDixonCAUSA
| | - Michel T. Kohl
- Department of Wildland ResourcesJack H. Berryman InstituteS. J. Quinney College of Natural ResourcesUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
| | - David K. Dahlgren
- Department of Wildland ResourcesJack H. Berryman InstituteS. J. Quinney College of Natural ResourcesUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
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Fremgen-Tarantino MR, Olsoy PJ, Frye GG, Connelly JW, Krakauer AH, Patricelli GL, Forbey JS. Assessing accuracy of GAP and LANDFIRE land cover datasets in winter habitats used by greater sage-grouse in Idaho and Wyoming, USA. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 280:111720. [PMID: 33309394 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Remotely sensed land cover datasets have been increasingly employed in studies of wildlife habitat use. However, meaningful interpretation of these datasets is dependent on how accurately they estimate habitat features that are important to wildlife. We evaluated the accuracy of the GAP dataset, which is commonly used to classify broad cover categories (e.g., vegetation communities) and LANDFIRE datasets, which classifies narrower cover categories (e.g., plant species) and structural features of vegetation. To evaluate accuracy, we compared classification of cover types and estimates of percent cover and height of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) derived from GAP and LANDFIRE datasets to field-collected data in winter habitats used by greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Accuracy was dependent on the type of dataset used as well as the spatial scale (point, 500-m, and 1-km) and biological level (community versus dominant species) investigated. GAP datasets had the highest overall classification accuracy of broad sagebrush cover types (49.8%) compared to LANDFIRE datasets for narrower cover types (39.1% community-level; 31.9% species-level). Percent cover and height were not accurately estimated in the LANDFIRE dataset. Our results suggest that researchers must be cautious when applying GAP or LANDFIRE datasets to classify narrow categories of land cover types or to predict percent cover or height of sagebrush within sagebrush-dominated landscapes. We conclude that ground-truthing is critical for successful application of land cover datasets in landscape-scale evaluations and management planning, particularly when wildlife use relatively rare habitat types compared to what is available.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter J Olsoy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, 83725, USA
| | - Graham G Frye
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 982 N. Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | | | - Alan H Krakauer
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Gail L Patricelli
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jennifer Sorensen Forbey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, 83725, USA
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O’Neil ST, Coates PS, Brussee BE, Ricca MA, Espinosa SP, Gardner SC, Delehanty DJ. Wildfire and the ecological niche: Diminishing habitat suitability for an indicator species within semi-arid ecosystems. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:6296-6312. [PMID: 32741106 PMCID: PMC7693117 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Globally accelerating frequency and extent of wildfire threatens the persistence of specialist wildlife species through direct loss of habitat and indirect facilitation of exotic invasive species. Habitat specialists may be especially prone to rapidly changing environmental conditions because their ability to adapt lags behind the rate of habitat alteration. As a result, these populations may become increasingly susceptible to ecological traps by returning to suboptimal breeding habitats that were dramatically altered by disturbance. We demonstrate a multistage modeling approach that integrates habitat selection and survival during the key nesting life-stage of a bird species of high conservation concern, the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse). We applied these spatially explicit models to a spatiotemporally robust dataset of sage-grouse nest locations and fates across wildfire-altered sagebrush ecosystems of the Great Basin ecoregion, western United States. Female sage-grouse exhibited intricate habitat selection patterns that varied across regional gradients of ecological productivity among sagebrush communities, but often selected nest sites that disproportionately resulted in nest failure. For example, 23% of nests occurred in wildfire-affected habitats characterized by reduced sagebrush cover and greater composition of invasive annual grasses. We found survival of nests was negatively associated with wildfire-affected areas, but positively associated with higher elevations with increased ruggedness and overall shrub cover. Strong site fidelity likely drove sage-grouse to continue nesting in habitats degraded by wildfire. Hence, increasing frequency and extent of wildfire may contribute disproportionately to reduced reproductive success by creating ecological traps that act as population sinks. Identifying such habitat mismatches between selection and survival facilitates deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving reduced geographic niche space and population decline at broad spatiotemporal scales, while guiding management actions to areas that would be most beneficial to the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn T. O’Neil
- Western Ecological Research CenterU.S. Geological SurveyDixonCAUSA
| | - Peter S. Coates
- Western Ecological Research CenterU.S. Geological SurveyDixonCAUSA
| | | | - Mark A. Ricca
- Western Ecological Research CenterU.S. Geological SurveyDixonCAUSA
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11
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Shields T, Currylow A, Hanley B, Boland S, Boarman W, Vaughn M. Novel management tools for subsidized avian predators and a case study in the conservation of a threatened species. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Currylow
- ACEcological Research & Consulting Atascadero California 93422 USA
- Integrative & Evolutionary Biology University of Southern California Los Angeles California 90089 USA
| | | | | | | | - Mercy Vaughn
- Sundance Biology Inc. Paso Robles California 93446 USA
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12
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Cutting KA, Rotella JJ, Schroff SR, Frisina MR, Waxe JA, Nunlist E, Sowell BF. Maladaptive nest-site selection by a sagebrush dependent species in a grazing-modified landscape. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 236:622-630. [PMID: 30771681 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.01.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Animals are expected to select habitats that maximize their fitness over evolutionary time scales. Yet in human-modified landscapes, habitat selection might not always lead to increased fitness because animals undervalue high-quality resources that appear less attractive than those of lower quality. In the American West, agriculture has modified landscapes, yet little is known about whether agricultural changes alter the reliability of the cues animals use to identify habitat quality; ultimately forming maladaptive breeding strategies where behavioral cues are mismatched with survival outcomes. Using the greater sage-grouse, a species highly dependent upon sagebrush landscapes, we (1) evaluated how females select nesting habitats based on sagebrush type, along with livestock grazing related linear and point features, and other biotic, abiotic characteristics, given hypothesized influences on hiding cover, microclimate and predator travel routes and perches, (2) compared habitat selection information with results for nest survival estimates to evaluate if selection appears to be adaptive or not, and (3) used our results to evaluate the most appropriate strategies for this species in a grazing-modified landscape. Nest-site selection for sagebrush type appears to be maladaptive: in the most-preferred sagebrush type, nest survival rate was one-fourth the rate realized by females nesting in the sagebrush type avoided. Nest survival was four times higher for nests placed away from (>100 m), rather than next to (1 m), the nearest fence, and survival was lower within sites with higher cow pie density (a proxy for previous grazing intensity). Live and dead grasses influenced selection and survival in opposing ways such that dead grass was selected for but resulted in reduced survival while live grass was avoided but resulted in increased survival. Results collectively provide the first empirical evidence that a specific type of sagebrush acts as an ecological trap while another sagebrush type is undervalued. These results also suggest that adding more fences to control livestock grazing systems will likely reduce sage-grouse nest survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A Cutting
- Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 27650B South Valley Road, Lakeview, MT 59739, USA; Department of Ecology, Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Montana State University, Animal Bioscience Building 205, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
| | - Jay J Rotella
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Sean R Schroff
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Montana State University, Animal Bioscience Building 205, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Michael R Frisina
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Montana State University, Animal Bioscience Building 205, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - James A Waxe
- Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 27650B South Valley Road, Lakeview, MT 59739, USA; Department of Ecology, Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Erika Nunlist
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Montana State University, Animal Bioscience Building 205, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Bok F Sowell
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Montana State University, Animal Bioscience Building 205, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
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O'Neil ST, Coates PS, Brussee BE, Jackson PJ, Howe KB, Moser AM, Foster LJ, Delehanty DJ. Broad‐scale occurrence of a subsidized avian predator: Reducing impacts of ravens on sage‐grouse and other sensitive prey. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shawn T. O'Neil
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center Dixon California
| | - Peter S. Coates
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center Dixon California
| | - Brianne E. Brussee
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center Dixon California
| | | | | | | | | | - David J. Delehanty
- Department of Biological Sciences Idaho State University Pocatello Idaho
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14
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Smith JT, Tack JD, Berkeley LI, Szczypinski M, Naugle DE. Effects of livestock grazing on nesting sage‐grouse in central Montana. J Wildl Manage 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph T. Smith
- Wildlife Biology ProgramUniversity of Montana32 Campus DriveMissoulaMT 59812USA
| | - Jason D. Tack
- Habitat and Population Evaluation TeamU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service32 Campus DriveMissoulaMT 59812USA
| | | | - Mark Szczypinski
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and ParksRoundupMT 59072USA
| | - David E. Naugle
- Wildlife Biology ProgramUniversity of Montana32 Campus DriveMissoulaMT 59812USA
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Dettenmaier SJ, Messmer TA, Hovick TJ, Dahlgren DK. Effects of livestock grazing on rangeland biodiversity: A meta-analysis of grouse populations. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:7620-7627. [PMID: 29043019 PMCID: PMC5632623 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 06/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Livestock grazing affects over 60% of the world's agricultural lands and can influence rangeland ecosystem services and the quantity and quality of wildlife habitat, resulting in changes in biodiversity. Concomitantly, livestock grazing has the potential to be detrimental to some wildlife species while benefiting other rangeland organisms. Many imperiled grouse species require rangeland landscapes that exhibit diverse vegetation structure and composition to complete their life cycle. However, because of declining populations and reduced distributions, grouse are increasingly becoming a worldwide conservation concern. Grouse, as a suite of upland gamebirds, are often considered an umbrella species for other wildlife and thus used as indicators of rangeland health. With a projected increase in demand for livestock products, better information will be required to mitigate the anthropogenic effects of livestock grazing on rangeland biodiversity. To address this need, we completed a data-driven and systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature to determine the current knowledge of the effects of livestock grazing on grouse populations (i.e., chick production and population indices) worldwide. Our meta-analysis revealed an overall negative effect of livestock grazing on grouse populations. Perhaps more importantly, we identified an information void regarding the effects of livestock grazing on the majority of grouse species. Additionally, the reported indirect effects of livestock grazing on grouse species were inconclusive and more reflective of differences in the experimental design of the available studies. Future studies designed to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of livestock grazing on wildlife should document (i) livestock type, (ii) timing and frequency of grazing, (iii) duration, and (iv) stocking rate. Much of this information was lacking in the available published studies we reviewed, but is essential when making comparisons between different livestock grazing management practices and their potential impacts on rangeland biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth J. Dettenmaier
- Department of Wildland ResourcesJack H. Berryman InstituteUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
- Ecology CenterUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
| | - Terry A. Messmer
- Department of Wildland ResourcesJack H. Berryman InstituteUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
| | - Torre J. Hovick
- Range Science ProgramSchool of Natural Resource SciencesNorth Dakota State UniversityFargoNDUSA
| | - David K. Dahlgren
- Department of Wildland ResourcesJack H. Berryman InstituteUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
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