Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion of sagebrush habitats after a fire in northwestern Nevada, U.S.A.
Cameron L Aldridge, PhD
Dr. Cameron Aldridge is a research ecologist at the Fort Collins Science Center. Dr. Aldridge's work focuses on the conservation and management of sage-grouse and their habitats.
Dr. Cameron Aldridge is a Research Ecologist with the US Geological Survey, based at the Fort Collins Science Center, who works in collaboration with the Natural Resource Ecology Lab at Colorado State University. He is also an Affiliate Research Scientist at NREL and an Affiliate Professor with ESS and GDPE.
His research is diverse, but he is best recognized as one of the foremost sage-grouse ecologists in the world. He has a large research program focused on understanding the conservation and management of Greater and Gunnison Sage-grouse and their habitats. His research team includes both undergraduate and graduate students, research associates, post-doctoral fellows, and research scientists, all of which collaborate to understand why sage-grouse populations have declined, what major factors affect resource conditions and quality for sage-grouse, what drives population dynamics. The Aldridge Lab works closely on these issues with state and federal partners, as well as NGOs, conservation groups and industry.
More broadly, research in the Aldridge Lab involves understanding animal-habitat relationships, with an emphasis on conservation ecology and population demography. Researchers in the lab are addressing the effects of energy development, land-use change, and climate change on conserving wildlife populations, their habitats, and the ecosystems they inhabit. Species that we are currently studying include songbirds and small mammals, snakes and lizards, and grouse, such as white-tailed ptarmigan and sage-grouse. We also work with plant communities and exotic invasive plants, understanding how external drivers such as climate, grazing and energy development affect plant communities. We work across spatial scales, and use statistical and empirical modeling to answer these research and conservation questions, most of which have direct applications for conservation and management of the species and their habitats. Most of the research has direct applications for conservation and management of the species, most notably sage-grouse, and their habitats.
Professional Experience
August 2023-Present Branch Chief, and Research Supervisory Ecologist, Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamic Research Branch, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado.
March 2022-Present Acting Branch Chief, Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamic Research Branch, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
Feb. 2020-Present Research Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
Feb. 2020-Present Affiliate Research Scientist, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University
Feb. 2020-Present Affiliate Professor, Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University
Jan. 2017-20 Finance Committee Member for the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University
July 2015-20 Associate Professor with Tenure, Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University
July 2015-Present Research Scientist III, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University & U.S. Geological Survey, FORT Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
Aug. 2014-16 Executive Committee Member, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University
Jan. 2012-18 Graduate Program Advisor for the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University.
Aug. 2010 Assistant Professor, Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University.
July 2009 Research Scientist II, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University & U.S. Geological Survey, FORT Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Feb. 2007-Present Faculty Member, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE), Colorado State University
Feb. 2007-11 Joint Faculty Member, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University
Oct. 2006 Research Scientist, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University & U.S. Geological Survey, FORT Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Education and Certifications
2005 - 2006 Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University & U.S. Geological Survey, FORT Science Center, Fort Collins, CO.
2000 - 2005 Doctorate of Philosophy in Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
1998 - 2000 Master of Science in Biology, Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan.
1991 - 1996 Bachelor of Science double major in Ecology and Zoology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.
Science and Products
Estimating spatial variation in greater sage-grouse lek buffers using seasonal space use models
A user-friendly decision support tool for monitoring and managing greater sage-grouse populations
Hierarchical Population Monitoring Framework for Greater Sage-Grouse
Influence of future climate scenarios on habitat and population dynamics of greater sage-grouse
A targeted annual warning system (TAWS) for identifying aberrant declines in greater sage-grouse populations
Estimating trends for greater sage-grouse populations within highly stochastic environments
Spatiotemporal conditions of vegetation and invasive plant species on mine lands.
Modeling chronic wasting disease prevalence through time to investigate mechanisms of spread in deer and elk in Wyoming
Gunnison Sage-grouse Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)
Estimating road age and traffic volume for disturbance assessments in Wyoming
Understanding How Vehicular Traffic Impacts Sage-Grouse Populations In Wyoming
Road Ecology
Maps of multiple future threats and stable areas for Gunnison sage-grouse habitats across three scenarios (2016-2070)
Data and analytical code assessing eleven songbird species' responses to environmental change during summertime (2008 - 2020) in the InterMountain West, USA
Bibliography of hydrological and ecological research in the Great Basin terminal lakes, USA
Sagebrush structural connectivity yearly and temporal trends based on RCMAP sagebrush products, biome-wide from 1985 to 2020
Predicted 2020 densities for 11 songbird species across the western United States
Prioritized sites for conifer removal within the Utah portion of Bird Conservation Region 16, 2020
State-and-Transition Simulation Models to explore post-fire habitat restoration in three greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Priority Areas for Conservation, USA (2018-2068)
Sagebrush projections for greater sage-grouse core areas in Wyoming, USA, 2018-2100
A neutral landscape approach to evaluating the umbrella species concept for greater sage-grouse in northeast Wyoming, USA
Predictive Maps of Fuel Break Effectiveness by Treatment Type and Underlying Resilience to Disturbance and Resistance to Invasion Across the Western U.S.
Gunnison sage-grouse predicted gene flow (conductance) surfaces, Colorado, United States
Genotypes and cluster definitions for a range-wide greater sage-grouse dataset collected 2005-2017 (ver 1.1, January 2023)
Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion of sagebrush habitats after a fire in northwestern Nevada, U.S.A.
A white-tailed ptarmigan on Mt. Evans, a fourteener in Northern Colorado.
A white-tailed ptarmigan on Mt. Evans, a fourteener in Northern Colorado.
A white-tailed ptarmigan sits on the side of Mt. Evans in northern Colorado.
A white-tailed ptarmigan sits on the side of Mt. Evans in northern Colorado.
Evaluating spatial coverage of the greater sage-grouse umbrella to conserve sagebrush-dependent species biodiversity within the Wyoming basins
Integrated science strategy for assessing and monitoring water availability and migratory birds for terminal lakes across the Great Basin, United States
Living on the edge: Predicting songbird response to management and environmental changes across an ecotone
A multi-ecosystem prioritization framework to balance competing habitat conservation needs of multiple species in decline
Using state-and-transition simulation models to scope post-fire success in restoring greater sage-grouse habitat
Dynamic spatiotemporal modeling of a habitat-defining plant species to support wildlife management at regional scales
Temporal patterns of structural sagebrush connectivity from 1985 to 2020
A retrospective assessment of fuel break effectiveness for containing rangeland wildfires in the sagebrush biome
Range-wide population trend analysis for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)—Updated 1960–2022
Using neutral landscape models to evaluate the umbrella species concept in an ecotone
A targeted annual warning system developed for the conservation of a sagebrush indicator species
A hidden cost of single species management: Habitat-relationships reveal potential negative effects of conifer removal on a non-target species
grsg_lekdb: Compiling and standardizing greater sage-grouse lek databases, version 1.2.0
popcluster: hierarchical population monitoring frameworks, Version 2.0.0
Spatial scale selection for greater sage-grouse population trends, Version 1.0.0
grsg_lekdb: Compiling and standardizing greater sage-grouse lek databases, version 1.1.0
lcp_centrality: Defining least-cost paths and graph theory centrality measures
grsg_lekdb: Compiling and standardizing greater sage-grouse lek databases
popcluster: Developing Hierarchical Population Monitoring Frameworks for mobile species with high site fidelity
Science and Products
- Science
Filter Total Items: 58
Estimating spatial variation in greater sage-grouse lek buffers using seasonal space use models
Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) management relies on the identification and protection of core habitat for the species. Core areas are often centered on leks where the potential impacts of anthropogenic development and other disturbances can be evaluated based on buffer distances around active leks. While buffer distances have been quantified for some regions, sage-grouse space...A user-friendly decision support tool for monitoring and managing greater sage-grouse populations
Researchers within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Colorado State University (CSU) worked with BLM and State Wildlife Agencies to develop a hierarchical population monitoring framework for managing greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) populations and the sagebrush ecosystems that they depend upon for survival and reproduction. This hierarchical population monitoring strategy now...Hierarchical Population Monitoring Framework for Greater Sage-Grouse
Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) are at the center of state and national land use policies largely because of their unique life-history traits as an ecological indicator for health of sagebrush ecosystems. Researchers within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Colorado State University (CSU) worked with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and state wildlife agencies to develop a...Influence of future climate scenarios on habitat and population dynamics of greater sage-grouse
Sagebrush ecosystems and sagebrush-dependent wildlife species are likely to experience more frequent extreme drought and temperature conditions with changing climate. Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ), an indicator species in sagebrush ecosystems, may experience habitat and population losses that are increasingly exacerbated by current and future climate change. However, the direct...A targeted annual warning system (TAWS) for identifying aberrant declines in greater sage-grouse populations
Land and wildlife managers require accurate estimates of sensitive species’ trends to help guide conservation decisions that maintain biodiversity and promote healthy ecosystems. Researchers within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Colorado State University (CSU) worked with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and State Wildlife Agencies to develop a hierarchical population monitoring...Estimating trends for greater sage-grouse populations within highly stochastic environments
Land and wildlife managers require accurate estimates of sensitive species’ trends to help guide conservation decisions that maintain biodiversity and promote healthy ecosystems. Researchers within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Colorado State University (CSU) worked with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and State Wildlife Agencies to develop a hierarchical population monitoring...Spatiotemporal conditions of vegetation and invasive plant species on mine lands.
To support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Ecosystem Restoration program, we are developing 1) a document highlighting remote sensing approaches that can be leveraged for site prioritization, recovery design, and long-term assessments of recovery trends, and 2) data products of vegetation conditions, change, recovery potential, and risk of exotic plant invasion on mine lands. We will incorporate...Modeling chronic wasting disease prevalence through time to investigate mechanisms of spread in deer and elk in Wyoming
Diseases are challenging to manage in wild ungulate populations, particularly when there are many ways the disease can spread. Wildlife management agencies often need to take action to control disease spread, but it is unclear which actions are most effective in constraining disease because the importance of different spread mechanisms is not fully understood. This project will aid state wildlife...Gunnison Sage-grouse Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)
In partnership with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and other partners, scientists from USGS Fort Collins Science Center are working to create a suite of prioritization scenarios that will inform adaptive management for Gunnison sage-grouse.Estimating road age and traffic volume for disturbance assessments in Wyoming
In 2021, the Fort Collins Science Center initiated a research effort to estimate road age and annual traffic volumes across the majority of roads in Wyoming for assessing impacts to wildlife. Data on roads often focus on the ‘where’ (for example, spatial features) but neglect the ‘when’ (for example, road age) or ‘how much’ (for example, traffic volume). Knowing these characteristics is critical...Understanding How Vehicular Traffic Impacts Sage-Grouse Populations In Wyoming
In 2021, the Fort Collins Science Center initiated a research effort to 1) assess how traffic in Wyoming has impacted sage-grouse population growth rates, 2) identify the spatial scales at which these effects are most evident, and 3) identify what levels of traffic result in sage-grouse population declines.Road Ecology
Roads and their associated infrastructure can cause substantial and pervasive effects on adjacent ecosystems but are necessary for the movement and redistribution of goods, people, wealth, and natural resources in modern societies. The Fort Collins Science Center has initiated research looking at how roads and traffic may be impacting sagebrush ecosystems and the wildlife inhabiting them. This... - Data
Filter Total Items: 32
Maps of multiple future threats and stable areas for Gunnison sage-grouse habitats across three scenarios (2016-2070)
This dataset contains a series of maps of projected threats and current state of habitats for the threatened Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus). The maps are 30-m spatially explicit projections of current habitats (2016) and future landscape change (by 2070) for the full range of the species’ seven extant populations, which cover diverse ecoregions of the imperiled sagebrush biome of theData and analytical code assessing eleven songbird species' responses to environmental change during summertime (2008 - 2020) in the InterMountain West, USA
This data release provides avian data for 11 songbird species (Bewick’s wren [Thryomanes bewickii], black-throated gray warbler [Setophaga nigrescens], Brewer’s sparrow [Spizella breweri], gray flycatcher [Empidonax wrightii], gray vireo [Vireo vicinior], green-tailed towhee [Pipilo chlorurus], juniper titmouse [Baeolophus ridgwayi], loggerhead shrike [Lanius ludovicianus], sagebrush sparrow [ArteBibliography of hydrological and ecological research in the Great Basin terminal lakes, USA
This database contains literature citations and associated abstracts pertaining to the ecology and hydrology of terminal lakes in the Great Basin region of the western United States. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, nor did we perform a systematic meta-analysis; rather, literature records were included based on topical relevance.Sagebrush structural connectivity yearly and temporal trends based on RCMAP sagebrush products, biome-wide from 1985 to 2020
This dataset includes modeled outputs for structural connectivity and trends in connectivity patterns in the sagebrush biome of the United States at 270-meter resolution. Connectivity was calculated using an omnidirectional circuit-based algorithm, with sources, targets, and conductance based on sagebrush fractional component from the RCMAP sagebrush products for 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010Predicted 2020 densities for 11 songbird species across the western United States
Informed wildlife management requires robust information regarding population status, habitat requirements, and likely responses to changing resource conditions. Growing evidence indicates single species management may inadequately conserve communities and result in undesired effects to non-target species. Thus, management can benefit from habitat relationship information for multiple species withPrioritized sites for conifer removal within the Utah portion of Bird Conservation Region 16, 2020
Individual species often drive habitat restoration action; however, management under this paradigm may negatively affect non-target species. Prioritization frameworks which explicitly consider benefits to target species while minimizing consequences for non-target species may drastically improve management strategies. We examined extents to which conifer removal, an approach frequently implementedState-and-Transition Simulation Models to explore post-fire habitat restoration in three greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Priority Areas for Conservation, USA (2018-2068)
Wildfires are increasingly modifying wildlife habitat in the western United States and managers need ways to scope the pace and degree to which post-fire restoration actions can re-create habitat in dynamic landscapes. We simulated post-fire revegetation and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) habitat restoration using a spatially explicit state-transition simulation model (STSM) develSagebrush projections for greater sage-grouse core areas in Wyoming, USA, 2018-2100
Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems provide critical habitat for the near-threatened Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), and future loss of sagebrush habitat because of land use change and global climate change is of concern. We used a dynamic additive spatio-temporal model to estimate effects of climate (spring-summer temperatures and precipitation) on sagebrush cover dynamics at 3A neutral landscape approach to evaluating the umbrella species concept for greater sage-grouse in northeast Wyoming, USA
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) has been identified as a potential umbrella species with the assumption that conservation of their habitats in sagebrush ecosystems may benefit multiple other wildlife species, but co-occurrence with an umbrella species does not necessarily guarantee species will respond positively to management for sage-grouse. This may be particularly true for ecotPredictive Maps of Fuel Break Effectiveness by Treatment Type and Underlying Resilience to Disturbance and Resistance to Invasion Across the Western U.S.
Escalated wildfire activity within the western U.S. has widespread societal impacts and long-term consequences for the imperiled sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) biome. Shifts from historical fire regimes and the interplay between frequent disturbance and invasive annual grasses may initiate permanent state transitions as wildfire frequency outpaces sagebrush communities' innate capacity to recover. TheGunnison sage-grouse predicted gene flow (conductance) surfaces, Colorado, United States
Habitat fragmentation and degradation impacts an organism's ability to navigate the landscape, ultimately resulting in decreased gene flow and increased extinction risk. Understanding how landscape composition impacts gene flow (i.e., connectivity) and interacts with scale is essential to conservation decision-making. We used a landscape genetics approach implementing a recently developed statistiGenotypes and cluster definitions for a range-wide greater sage-grouse dataset collected 2005-2017 (ver 1.1, January 2023)
Monitoring change in genetic diversity in wildlife populations across multiple scales could facilitate prioritization of conservation efforts. We used microsatellite genotypes from 7,080 previously collected genetic samples from across the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) range to develop a modelling framework for estimating genetic diversity within a recently developed hierarchical - Multimedia
Cheatgrass invasion of sagebrush habitats after a fire in northwestern Nevada, U.S.ACheatgrass invasion of sagebrush habitats after a fire in northwestern Nevada, U.S.A
Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion of sagebrush habitats after a fire in northwestern Nevada, U.S.A.
Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion of sagebrush habitats after a fire in northwestern Nevada, U.S.A.
A white-tailed ptarmigan on Mt. Evans, ColoradoA white-tailed ptarmigan on Mt. Evans, a fourteener in Northern Colorado.
A white-tailed ptarmigan on Mt. Evans, a fourteener in Northern Colorado.
A white-tailed ptarmigan on Mt. Evans, ColoradoA white-tailed ptarmigan sits on the side of Mt. Evans in northern Colorado.
A white-tailed ptarmigan sits on the side of Mt. Evans in northern Colorado.
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 120
Evaluating spatial coverage of the greater sage-grouse umbrella to conserve sagebrush-dependent species biodiversity within the Wyoming basins
Biodiversity is threatened due to land-use change, overexploitation, pollution, and anthropogenic climate change, altering ecosystem functioning around the globe. Protecting areas rich in biodiversity is often difficult without fully understanding and mapping species’ ecological niche requirements. As a result, the umbrella species concept is often applied, whereby conservation of a surrogate specAuthorsCameron L. Aldridge, D. Joanne Saher, Julie A. Heinrichs, Adrian P. Monroe, Matthias Leu, Steve E. HanserIntegrated science strategy for assessing and monitoring water availability and migratory birds for terminal lakes across the Great Basin, United States
Executive SummaryIn 2022, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) established the Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment (IWAAs) to monitor and assess the hydrology of terminal lakes in the Great Basin and the migratory birds and other wildlife dependent on those habitats. Scientists from across the USGS (with specialties in water quantity, water quality, limnology, avian biologAuthorsRebecca J. Frus, Cameron L. Aldridge, Michael L. Casazza, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Garth Herring, Scott A. Hynek, Daniel K. Jones, Susan K Kemp, Thomas M. Marston, Christopher M. Morris, Ramon C. Naranjo, Cee Nell, David R. O'Leary, Cory T. Overton, Bryce A. Pulver, Brian E. Reichert, Christine A. Rumsey, Rudy Schuster, Cassandra D. SmithLiving on the edge: Predicting songbird response to management and environmental changes across an ecotone
Effective wildlife management requires robust information regarding population status, habitat requirements, and likely responses to changing resource conditions. Single-species management may inadequately conserve communities and result in undesired effects to non-target species. Thus, management can benefit from understanding habitat relationships for multiple species. Pinyon pine and juniper (PAuthorsNicholas J. Van Lanen, Adrian P. Monroe, Cameron L. AldridgeA multi-ecosystem prioritization framework to balance competing habitat conservation needs of multiple species in decline
ContextIndividual species often drive habitat restoration action; however, management under this paradigm may negatively affect non-target species. Prioritization frameworks which explicitly consider benefits to target species while minimizing consequences for non-target species may improve management strategies and outcomes.ObjectivesWe examined extents to which conifer removal, an approach frequAuthorsNicholas J. Van Lanen, Jessica E. Shyvers, Courtney Duchardt, Cameron L. AldridgeUsing state-and-transition simulation models to scope post-fire success in restoring greater sage-grouse habitat
Wildfires are increasingly modifying wildlife habitat in the western United States and managers need ways to scope the pace and degree to which post-fire restoration actions can re-create habitat in dynamic landscapes. We developed a spatially explicit state-transition simulation model (STSM) to project post-fire revegetation and the potential for sage-grouse habitat restoration in sagebrush ecosyAuthorsElizabeth Kari Orning, Julie A. Heinrichs, David A. Pyke, Peter S. Coates, Cameron L. AldridgeDynamic spatiotemporal modeling of a habitat-defining plant species to support wildlife management at regional scales
Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems provide critical habitat for the Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a species of conservation concern. Thus, future loss of sagebrush habitat because of land use change and global climate change is of concern. Here, we use a dynamic additive spatiotemporal model to estimate the effects of climate on sagebrush cover dynamics at 32 sage-grouse manaAuthorsAndrew T. Tredennick, Adrian P. Monroe, Thomas J. Prebyl, John Lombardi, Cameron L. AldridgeTemporal patterns of structural sagebrush connectivity from 1985 to 2020
The sagebrush biome within the western United States has been reshaped by disturbances, management, and changing environmental conditions. As a result, sagebrush cover and configuration have varied over space and time, influencing processes and species that rely on contiguous, connected sagebrush. Previous studies have documented changes in sagebrush cover, but we know little about how the connectAuthorsErin K. Buchholtz, Michael O'Donnell, Julie A. Heinrichs, Cameron L. AldridgeA retrospective assessment of fuel break effectiveness for containing rangeland wildfires in the sagebrush biome
Escalated wildfire activity within the western U.S. has widespread societal impacts and long-term consequences for the imperiled sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) biome. Shifts from historical fire regimes and the interplay between frequent disturbance and invasive annual grasses may initiate permanent state transitions as wildfire frequency outpaces sagebrush communities’ innate capacity to recover. TheAuthorsCali L. Weise, Brianne E. Brussee, Douglas J. Shinneman, Peter S. Coates, Michele R. Crist, Cameron L. Aldridge, Julie A. Heinrichs, Mark A. RiccaRange-wide population trend analysis for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)—Updated 1960–2022
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are at the center of state and national land-use policies largely because of their unique life-history traits as an ecological indicator for health of sagebrush ecosystems. This updated population trend analysis provides state and federal land and wildlife managers with best-available science to help guide current management and conservation plans aiAuthorsPeter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Cameron L. Aldridge, Michael S. O'Donnell, David R. Edmunds, Adrian P. Monroe, Steve E. Hanser, Lief A. Wiechman, Michael P. ChenailleUsing neutral landscape models to evaluate the umbrella species concept in an ecotone
ContextSteep declines in North American rangeland biodiversity have prompted researchers and managers to use umbrella species as a tool to manage diverse suites of co-occurring wildlife, but efficacy of this method has been variable. Evaluation of prairie and shrubland grouse as umbrellas is typically restricted to observed overlap between umbrella and background species, but this approach does noAuthorsCourtney Duchardt, Adrian P. Monroe, David R. Edmunds, Matthew James Holloran, Alison G. Holloran, Cameron L. AldridgeA targeted annual warning system developed for the conservation of a sagebrush indicator species
A fundamental goal of population ecologists is to identify drivers responsible for temporal variation in abundance. Understanding whether variation is associated with environmental stochasticity or anthropogenic disturbances, which are more amenable to management action, is crucial yet difficult to achieve. Here, we present a hierarchical monitoring framework that models rates of change in abundanAuthorsBrian G. Prochazka, Peter S. Coates, Michael O'Donnell, David R. Edmunds, Adrian P. Monroe, Mark A. Ricca, Gregory T. Wann, Steve E. Hanser, Lief A. Wiechman, Kevin E. Doherty, Michael P. Chenaille, Cameron L. AldridgeA hidden cost of single species management: Habitat-relationships reveal potential negative effects of conifer removal on a non-target species
Land management priorities and decisions may result in population declines for non-target wildlife species. In the western United States, large-scale removal of conifer from sagebrush ecosystems (Artemisia spp.) is occurring to recover greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations and may result in pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) habitat loss. Jay populations have experiencedAuthorsNicholas J. Van Lanen, Adrian P. Monroe, Cameron L. Aldridge - Software
grsg_lekdb: Compiling and standardizing greater sage-grouse lek databases, version 1.2.0
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter referred to as sage-grouse) are landscape-scale sagebrush obligate species and an important gamebird and iconic species of the West (Hanser & Knick, 2011; Rowland et al., 2006). They occupy the sagebrush biome in western North America, extending east of the Sierra Nevada/Cascade Mountain ranges to the western regions of the Great Plains ofpopcluster: hierarchical population monitoring frameworks, Version 2.0.0
We developed a method to construct hierarchically nested and biologically relevant groupings of similar habitats associated with field surveys while considering structure/connectedness (movements between habitats). This approach can support mobile species using high fidelity sites where monitoring during surveys occurs, such as birthing grounds, breeding grounds, or stopovers/seasonal habitats forSpatial scale selection for greater sage-grouse population trends, Version 1.0.0
The distance within which populations respond to features in a landscape (scale of effect) can indicate how disturbance and management may affect wildlife. Using annual counts of male greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) attending 584 leks in southwest Wyoming (2003-2019) and estimates of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) cover from a remote sensing product (Rigge et al., 2021; Monroe et al.,grsg_lekdb: Compiling and standardizing greater sage-grouse lek databases, version 1.1.0
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are landscape-scale sagebrush obligate species and an important gamebird and iconic species of the western United States. They occupy the sagebrush biome in western North America, extending east of the Sierra Nevada/Cascade Mountain ranges to the western regions of the Great Plains of the United States. Sage-grouse are one of the most closely monitorlcp_centrality: Defining least-cost paths and graph theory centrality measures
We present software that creates least-cost path spanning trees, a least-cost path minimum spanning tree, and graph theory centrality measures. The software was developed to support identification of population structures--specifically, greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), but also support other species or graph theory applications where least-cost paths are desired. We used habitat pagrsg_lekdb: Compiling and standardizing greater sage-grouse lek databases
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are landscape-scale sagebrush obligate species and an important gamebird and iconic species of the western United States. They occupy the sagebrush biome in western North America, extending east of the Sierra Nevada/Cascade Mountain ranges to the western regions of the Great Plains of the United States. Sage-grouse are one of the most closely monitorpopcluster: Developing Hierarchical Population Monitoring Frameworks for mobile species with high site fidelity
The software "popcluster" constructs hierarchically nested groupings of similar habitats associated with field surveys while considering biological structure/connectedness (movements between habitats). This approach can support mobile species with high site fidelity where monitoring during surveys occurs on birthing grounds, breeding grounds, or stopovers/seasonal habitat for migratory species. Ea - News