Sagebrush and Sage-grouse Publications
Recent publications related to Sagebrush and Sage-grouse are listed below.
Publications
Publications
Filter Total Items: 126
Methodological considerations of terrestrial laser scanning for vegetation monitoring in the sagebrush steppe Methodological considerations of terrestrial laser scanning for vegetation monitoring in the sagebrush steppe
Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) provides fast collection of high-definition structural information, making it a valuable field instrument to many monitoring applications. A weakness of TLS collections, especially in vegetation, is the occurrence of unsampled regions in point clouds where the sensor’s line-of-sight is blocked by intervening material. This problem, referred to as...
Authors
Kyle Anderson, Nancy Glenn, Lucas Spaete, Douglas Shinneman, David Pilliod, Robert Arkle, Susan McIlroy, DeWayne Derryberry
Historical cover trends in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem from 1985 to 2013: Links with climate, disturbance, and management Historical cover trends in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem from 1985 to 2013: Links with climate, disturbance, and management
Understanding the causes and consequences of component change in sagebrush steppe is crucial for evaluating ecosystem sustainability. The sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe ecosystem of the northwest USA has been impacted by the invasion of exotic grasses, increasing fire return intervals, changing land management practices, and fragmentation, often lowering the overall resilience to...
Authors
Hua Shi, Matthew Rigge, Collin Homer, George Xian, Debbie Meyer, Brett Bunde
Estimating vegetation biomass and cover across large plots in shrub and grass dominated drylands using terrestrial lidar and machine learning Estimating vegetation biomass and cover across large plots in shrub and grass dominated drylands using terrestrial lidar and machine learning
Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) has been shown to enable an efficient, precise, and non-destructive inventory of vegetation structure at ranges up to hundreds of meters. We developed a method that leverages TLS collections with machine learning techniques to model and map canopy cover and biomass of several classes of short-stature vegetation across large plots. We collected high...
Authors
Kyle Anderson, Nancy Glenn, Lucas Spaete, Douglas Shinneman, David Pilliod, Robert Arkle, Susan McIlroy, DeWayne Derryberry
U.S. Geological Survey sage-grouse and sagebrush ecosystem research annual report for 2017 U.S. Geological Survey sage-grouse and sagebrush ecosystem research annual report for 2017
The sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem extends across a large portion of the Western United States, and the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is one of the iconic species of this ecosystem. Greater sage-grouse populations occur in 11 States and are dependent on relatively large expanses of sagebrush-dominated habitat. Sage-grouse populations have been experiencing long...
Long-term trends in restoration and associated land treatments in the southwestern United States Long-term trends in restoration and associated land treatments in the southwestern United States
Restoration treatments, such as revegetation with seeding or invasive species removal, have been applied on U.S. public lands for decades. Temporal trends in these management actions have not been extensively summarized previously, particularly in the southwestern United States where invasive plant species, drought, and fire have altered dryland ecosystems. We assessed long-term (1940...
Authors
Stella M. Copeland, Seth Munson, David S. Pilliod, Justin L. Welty, John Bradford, Bradley Butterfield
Using object-based image analysis to conduct high-resolution conifer extraction at regional spatial scales Using object-based image analysis to conduct high-resolution conifer extraction at regional spatial scales
The distribution and abundance of pinyon (Pinus monophylla) and juniper (Juniperus osteosperma, J. occidentalis) trees (hereinafter, "pinyon-juniper") in sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems of the Great Basin in the Western United States has increased substantially since the late 1800s. Distributional expansion and infill of pinyon-juniper into sagebrush ecosystems threatens the...
Authors
Peter Coates, K. Gustafson, Cali L. Roth, Michael P. Chenaille, Mark Ricca, Kimberly Mauch, Erika Sanchez-Chopitea, Travis Kroger, William Perry, Michael Casazza
Hierarchical population monitoring of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Nevada and California—Identifying populations for management at the appropriate spatial scale Hierarchical population monitoring of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Nevada and California—Identifying populations for management at the appropriate spatial scale
Population ecologists have long recognized the importance of ecological scale in understanding processes that guide observed demographic patterns for wildlife species. However, directly incorporating spatial and temporal scale into monitoring strategies that detect whether trajectories are driven by local or regional factors is challenging and rarely implemented. Identifying the...
Authors
Peter Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Mark Ricca, Gregory Wann, Cameron Aldridge, Steven Hanser, Kevin Doherty, Michael O’Donnell, David R. Edmunds, Shawn Espinosa
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) nesting and brood-rearing microhabitat in Nevada and California—Spatial variation in selection and survival patterns Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) nesting and brood-rearing microhabitat in Nevada and California—Spatial variation in selection and survival patterns
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereinafter, "sage-grouse") are highly dependent on sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) dominated vegetation communities for food and cover from predators. Although this species requires the presence of sagebrush shrubs in the overstory, it also inhabits a broad geographic distribution with significant gradients in precipitation and temperature that...
Authors
Peter Coates, Brianne Brussee, Mark Ricca, Jonathan E. Dudko, Brian G. Prochazka, Shawn Espinosa, Michael Casazza, David Delehanty
Climate and soil texture influence patterns of forb species richness and composition in big sagebrush plant communities across their spatial extent in the western US Climate and soil texture influence patterns of forb species richness and composition in big sagebrush plant communities across their spatial extent in the western US
Article for outlet: Plant Ecology. Abstract: Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) plant communities are widespread non-forested drylands in western North American and similar to all shrub steppe ecosystems world-wide are composed of a shrub overstory layer and a forb and graminoid understory layer. Forbs account for the majority of plant species diversity in big sagebrush plant...
Authors
Victoria Pennington, Kyle Palmquist, John Bradford, William Lauenroth
Enhanced precipitation promotes decomposition and soil C stabilization in semiarid ecosystems, but seasonal timing of wetting matters Enhanced precipitation promotes decomposition and soil C stabilization in semiarid ecosystems, but seasonal timing of wetting matters
Aims Changing precipitation regimes in semiarid ecosystems will affect the balance of soil carbon (C) input and release, but the net effect on soil C storage is unclear. We asked how changes in the amount and timing of precipitation affect litter decomposition, and soil C stabilization in semiarid ecosystems. Methods The study took place at a long-term (18 years) ecohydrology experiment...
Authors
Xochi Campos, Matthew J. Germino, Marie-Anne de Graaff
Reclamation after oil and gas development does not speed up succession or plant community recovery in big sagebrush ecosystems in Wyoming Reclamation after oil and gas development does not speed up succession or plant community recovery in big sagebrush ecosystems in Wyoming
Article for intended outlet: Restoration Ecology. Abstract: Reclamation is an application of treatment(s) following a disturbance to promote succession and accelerate the return of target conditions. Previous studies have framed reclamation in the context of succession by studying its effectiveness in re-establishing late-successional plant communities. Re-establishment of these plant...
Authors
Caitlin Rottler, Ingrid Burke, Kyle Palmquist, John Bradford, William Lauenroth
Nitrogenase activity by biological soil crusts in cold sagebrush steppe ecosystems Nitrogenase activity by biological soil crusts in cold sagebrush steppe ecosystems
In drylands worldwide, biological soil crusts (BSC) form a thin photosynthetic cover across landscapes, and provide vital benefits in terms of stabilizing soil and fixing nitrogen (N) and carbon (C). Numerous studies have examined the effects of climate and disturbance on BSC functions; however, few have characterized these responses in rolling BSCs typical of northern ecosystems in the
Authors
Stacy Schwabedissen, Kathleen Lohse, Sasha Reed, Ken Aho, Timothy Magnuson
Using dynamic population simulations to extend resource selection analyses and prioritize habitats for conservation Using dynamic population simulations to extend resource selection analyses and prioritize habitats for conservation
Prioritizing habitats for conservation is a challenging task, particularly for species with fluctuating populations and seasonally dynamic habitat needs. Although the use of resource selection models to identify and prioritize habitat for conservation is increasingly common, their ability to characterize important long-term habitats for dynamic populations are variable. To examine how...
Authors
Julie Heinrichs, Cameron Aldridge, Michael O’Donnell, Nathan Schumaker
Response of bird community structure to habitat management in piñon-juniper woodland-sagebrush ecotones Response of bird community structure to habitat management in piñon-juniper woodland-sagebrush ecotones
Piñon (Pinus spp.) and juniper (Juniperus spp.) woodlands have been expanding their range across the intermountain western United States into landscapes dominated by sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) shrublands. Management actions using prescribed fire and mechanical cutting to reduce woodland cover and control expansion provided opportunities to understand how environmental structure and...
Authors
Steven Knick, Steve Hanser, James Grace, Jeff Hollenbeck, Matthias Leu
Patterns in Greater Sage-grouse population dynamics correspond with public grazing records at broad scales Patterns in Greater Sage-grouse population dynamics correspond with public grazing records at broad scales
Human land use, such as livestock grazing, can have profound yet varied effects on wildlife interacting within common ecosystems, yet our understanding of land-use effects is often generalized from short-term, local studies that may not correspond with trends at broader scales. Here we used public land records to characterize livestock grazing across Wyoming, USA, and we used Greater...
Authors
Adrian P. Monroe, Cameron Aldridge, Timothy Assal, Kari Veblen, David Pyke, Michael Casazza
Developing approaches for linear mixed modeling in landscape genetics through landscape-directed dispersal simulations Developing approaches for linear mixed modeling in landscape genetics through landscape-directed dispersal simulations
Dispersal can impact population dynamics and geographic variation, and thus, genetic approaches that can establish which landscape factors influence population connectivity have ecological and evolutionary importance. Mixed models that account for the error structure of pairwise datasets are increasingly used to compare models relating genetic differentiation to pairwise measures of...
Authors
Jeffery Row, Steven Knick, Sara Oyler-McCance, Stephen Lougheed, Bradley Fedy
Science framework for conservation and restoration of the sagebrush biome: Linking the Department of the Interior’s Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy to long-term strategic conservation actions, Part 1. Science basis and applications Science framework for conservation and restoration of the sagebrush biome: Linking the Department of the Interior’s Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy to long-term strategic conservation actions, Part 1. Science basis and applications
The Science Framework is intended to link the Department of the Interior’s Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy with long-term strategic conservation actions in the sagebrush biome. The Science Framework provides a multiscale approach for prioritizing areas for management and determining effective management strategies within the sagebrush biome. The emphasis is on sagebrush...
Authors
Jeanne Chambers, Jeffrey Beck, John Bradford, Jared Bybee, Steve Campbell, John Carlson, Thomas Christiansen, Karen Clause, Gail Collins, Michele R. Crist, Jonathan Dinkins, Kevin Doherty, Fred Edwards, Shawn Espinosa, Kathleen Griffin, Paul Griffin, Jessica Haas, Steve Hanser, Douglas Havlina, Kenneth Henke, Jacob Hennig, Linda Joyce, Francis Kilkenny, Sarah Kulpa, Laurie Kurth, Jeremy Maestas, Mary E. Manning, Kenneth E. Mayer, Brian Mealor, Clinton McCarthy, Mike Pellant, Marco Perea, Karen Prentice, David Pyke, Lief Wiechman, Amarina Wuenschel
Fungal and bacterial contributions to nitrogen cycling in cheatgrass-invaded and uninvaded native sagebrush soils of the western USA Fungal and bacterial contributions to nitrogen cycling in cheatgrass-invaded and uninvaded native sagebrush soils of the western USA
Aim There is interest in determining how cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) modifies N cycling in sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) soils of the western USA. Methods To gain insight into the roles of fungi and bacteria in N cycling of cheatgrass-invaded and uninvaded sagebrush soils, the fungal protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide (CHX), and the bacteriocidal compound, bronopol...
Authors
Nicole DeCrappeo, Elizabeth DeLorenze, Andrew Giguere, David Pyke, Peter Bottomley
Climate drives adaptive genetic responses associated with survival in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) Climate drives adaptive genetic responses associated with survival in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
A genecological approach was used to explore genetic variation for survival in Artemisia tridentata(big sagebrush). Artemisia tridentata is a widespread and foundational shrub species in western North America. This species has become extremely fragmented, to the detriment of dependent wildlife, and efforts to restore it are now a land management priority. Common-garden experiments were...
Authors
Lindsay Chaney, Bryce A. Richardson, Matthew Germino
Using resilience and resistance concepts to manage persistent threats to sagebrush ecosystems and greater sage-grouse Using resilience and resistance concepts to manage persistent threats to sagebrush ecosystems and greater sage-grouse
Conservation of imperiled species often demands addressing a complex suite of threats that undermine species viability. Regulatory approaches, such as the US Endangered Species Act (1973), tend to focus on anthropogenic threats through adoption of policies and regulatory mechanisms. However, persistent ecosystem-based threats, such as invasive species and altered disturbance regimes...
Authors
Jeanne C. Chambers, Jeremy Maestas, David Pyke, Chad Boyd, Mike Pellant, Amarina Wuenschel
Ecology and space: A case study in mapping harmful invasive species Ecology and space: A case study in mapping harmful invasive species
The establishment and invasion of non-native plant species have the ability to alter the composition of native species and functioning of ecological systems with financial costs resulting from mitigation and loss of ecological services. Spatially documenting invasions has applications for management and theory, but the utility of maps is challenged by availability and uncertainty of data...
Authors
David Barnett, Catherine Jarnevich, Geneva Chong, Thomas Stohlgren, Sunil Kumar, Tracy Holcombe