Building the Sage-Grouse Umbrella with Songbird Habitat Models
USGS and Colorado State University scientists are using data and hierarchical community models to create predictive surfaces of bird use by habitat type and comparing these predictions to habitat prioritization derived from sage-grouse locations.
Given the diverse habitat types used for their life history in the sagebrush biome, greater sage-grouse are often proposed as an umbrella species for communities of other sagebrush-obligate species. Data gaps remain throughout the sage-grouse range, however, including in northeastern Wyoming. Concurrently, an ambitious effort is underway to monitor bird communities across the West following the IMBCR program, and the distribution of these species can be characterized by specific habitat components that overlap sage-grouse seasonal habitats. USGS and Colorado State University scientists are using IMBCR data and hierarchical community models to create predictive surfaces of bird use by habitat type and comparing these predictions to habitat prioritization derived from sage-grouse locations. With the extent of IMBCR sampling across the West (nine states that overlap sage-grouse range), this approach has the potential to be extended to other areas with low-density sage-grouse populations where direct identification of seasonal habitats is difficult.
A neutral landscape approach to evaluating the umbrella species concept for greater sage-grouse in northeast Wyoming, USA
Using neutral landscape models to evaluate the umbrella species concept in an ecotone
Prioritizing landscapes for grassland bird conservation with hierarchical community models
Wyoming greater sage-grouse habitat prioritization: A collection of multi-scale seasonal models and geographic information systems land management tools
Habitat prioritization across large landscapes, multiple seasons, and novel areas: an example using greater sage-grouse in Wyoming
USGS and Colorado State University scientists are using data and hierarchical community models to create predictive surfaces of bird use by habitat type and comparing these predictions to habitat prioritization derived from sage-grouse locations.
Given the diverse habitat types used for their life history in the sagebrush biome, greater sage-grouse are often proposed as an umbrella species for communities of other sagebrush-obligate species. Data gaps remain throughout the sage-grouse range, however, including in northeastern Wyoming. Concurrently, an ambitious effort is underway to monitor bird communities across the West following the IMBCR program, and the distribution of these species can be characterized by specific habitat components that overlap sage-grouse seasonal habitats. USGS and Colorado State University scientists are using IMBCR data and hierarchical community models to create predictive surfaces of bird use by habitat type and comparing these predictions to habitat prioritization derived from sage-grouse locations. With the extent of IMBCR sampling across the West (nine states that overlap sage-grouse range), this approach has the potential to be extended to other areas with low-density sage-grouse populations where direct identification of seasonal habitats is difficult.