Post on 26-May-2020
Sage-Grouse Ecology
by Alan Sands, Sage-Grouse Habitat Restoration Coordinator,Idaho Department Fish & Game/The Nature Conservancy
P. Isaeff
Overview
• Population Characteristics• Habitat Association• Sage-Grouse Habitat and ESD
Sage Grouse Distribution
Former
Current
POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS
Population Characteristics(Relative to other Galliforms)
• Low reproductive rate• High survival rate• Long-lived• Often migratory
Seasonal Habitat Characteristics
Breeding Habitat• Leks• Nesting• Early brood rearing
Nesting Habitat
• 15 – 25% sagebrush cover
• 16-31” sagebrush height
• > 15% grass cover
• > 10% forb cover
• > 7” grass height
Ecological Site Productivity
Big Sagebrush/Bluebunch Wheatgrass Site, Kuna Butte, ID
Ecological Site ProductivityComposition by Weight
POU
ND
S/A
CR
E
Source: BLM/NRCS clipping data Owyhee County
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
ARTRW/STTH ARTRW/AGSP ARTRV/AGSP
PoorFairGoodPNV
Ecological Site Productivity
Unburned Site - cover
Big Sagebrush – 27%
Perennial grasses – 43%
Forbs – 14%
Burned/Seeded Site - cover
Big Sagebrush - 15%
Perennial grasses - 60%
Perennial forbs - 25%
Ten-year Post-Burn Restoration Seeding
Big Sagebrush/Bluebunch Wheatgrass Site,
Laidlaw Park, Craters of Moon National Monument
Summer Habitat (late brood-rearing habitat)
• 10-25% sagebrush cover
• 16-31” sagebrush height
• Variable grass/forb height
• > 15% grass/forb cover
Winter Habitat
• 10 – 30% sagebrush cover• 10 – 14” sagebrush height
Shrub Steppe Ecological Integrity
InvasiveSpecies
DevelopmentClimate Change
Grazing
Disturbance Factors
Drought
Infrastructure
Fire
Fire
Post Fire Recovery –Wyoming Sagebrush –Bluebunch Wheatgrass
10-13 Ppt. Site• Study area near Craters of the Moon• Sage-Grouse winter and nesting habitat • 10,000 acre project; 60% burn, 40%
unburned in a mosaic pattern - 1990.• 9 treatment transects/9 control transects• Transects read one year pre-burn and 10
years post-burn over 14 years.• Pre-burn big sagebrush cover 13%.
Source: Beck, J., J. Connelly, K. Reese. Restoration Ecology. In press
Post Fire Recovery –Wyoming Sagebrush –Bluebunch Wheatgrass
10-13 Ppt. Site• Results
– Grass and forb cover recovered to pre-burn conditions within 4 yrs.
– Forb cover did not increase above pre-burn levels as a result of the fire and loss of the shrub cover.
– Forb cover and forb diversity increased in control plots during the study period.
– Forb cover and forb diversity in control plots was superior to the burned plots 14 yrs. post-burn.
– Wyoming sagebrush cover, threetip sagebrush cover, and total shrub cover were still very low 14 years post-burn.
Source: Beck, J., J. Connelly, K. Reese. Restoration Ecology. In press
Sage Grouse Habitat and ESD
• Composition by weight important for forage allocation
• Composition by cover important to quantify wildlife habitat
• Composition by weight = Composition by cover
• Apples and Oranges • A cross-walk is still sorely needed
DRAFT ESD State and Transition ModelLoamy 11-13” WY big sage/bluebunch wheatgrass
A - ARTRW/PSSP B – ARTRW/POSE
C - PSSP
State 1
State 2
State 3
Seeding
Unknown StatePOSE-BRTE
Sage-grouse Habitat Needs
• SAGEBRUSH – First and foremost!• Extensive areas of sagebrush• High quality habitat has a rich understory of
perennial bunchgrasses and forbs• More forbs are better• Bottom line – Sage-grouse need large
expanses of ecologically healthy sagebrush habitats – State 1, Phase A
Example Seed Mix for Wyoming big sagebrush/bluebunch wheatgrass site
Grasses Seed Rate – Lbs./Ac.BluebunchWheatgrass 3.0Basin Wildrye 0.5Big Bluegrass 0.3ForbsAlfalfa 1.0 Sainfoin 1.0Globemallow 0.2 Small burnet 0.5ShrubsWyoming Big Sagebrush 1.0 Bulk rate (Aerial Seed)Bitterbrush 0.5
IV –Native Herbs
I - Pristine
II –Relic III – Sage/ Depleted Herb
VIII – Annual Grassland
VII –Sage/Intro Wheatgrass
Sagebrush Steppe State & Transition Model
V - Sage/Annuals VI- Introduced Wheatgrass
IX - Exotic Forb
Threshold
Source: West, 1999. Managing for biodiversity on rangelands. pp. 101-126 in Collins and Qualset, Biodiversity in agroecosystems. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Shrub Steppe Status
0
5
10
15
20
25
II &IV III V VI &VII VIII
%
Sagebrush Steppe States
State II, Relict Wyoming big sagebrush/
bluebunch wheatgrass site
Source: West, N. 1999. Synecology and disturbance regimes of sagebrush steppe ecosystems. In Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystems Symposium, Boise State University, Boise, ID. Pp15-26.
Seral Juniper Community
3 – yr. Post Juniper Chaining/Seeding
Post-Fire Sagebrush Recovery
• Exponential decay model vs Nucleation model
• Exponential decay model – plants establish near existing plants
• Nucleation model - scattered colonization
Non-native Invasive
Source: Leopold, A. 1944. Cheat takes over. Wildlife Biology
Cheatgrass
Restoration• Key restoration principles
– Control competition– Plant at right time– Cover seed– Manage properly
Multi-species Restoration
Ten-year Post-burn Cover
Sagebrush - 15%
Bitterbrush - 3%
Perennial grasses - 60%
Perennial forbs - 25%
Laidlaw Park, Craters of the Moon Nat’l Monument, ID
Ecological Benefits• Improved watershed condition• Resistance to exotic plant invasion• Resilient to disturbance (fire, drought,
insects)• Improved habitat for
sagebrush-associated wildlife
Socio-Economic Benefits
• Provides a stable livestock forage base• Reduced fire suppression/rehabilitation
costs• Reduced weed control costs• Improved wildlife recreation opportunities• Avoiding potential listing under ESA
Summary• We need to:
• recognize that we’ve got an ecosystem problem
• focus our actions - conserve, improve, restore
• capitalize on opportunities
• embrace some new ways to get the job done
• approach this as a win-win - economy and environment
Cheatgrass Competition
• Up to 17,000 seeds/m2
• Up to 13,000 plants/m2
• Seeds are highly germinableand remain viable up to 5 years
• Winter annual
Ecological States of Sagebrush Steppe Communities
• 0 Converted: 10%• I Pristine: 0• II Relic: <1%• III ARTR/Depleted Herb: 25%• IV Native Herbs: 5%• V ARTR/Annuals: 25%• VI Introduced Wheatgrass: 5%• VII ARTR/Introduced
Wheatgrass: 5%• VIII Annual Grassland: 25%• IX Exotic Forbs
State II - Relict Wyoming big sagebrush/ Bluebunch wheatgrass site
Source: West, N. 1999. Synecology and disturbance regimes of sagebrush steppe ecosystems. In Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystems Symposium, Boise State University, Boise, ID. Pp15-26.
Effecting Restoration – 10 Principles1. Needed and attainable2. Terrain and soil suitable3. Adequate precip for desired plants4. Control competition5. Use adapted species6. Plant mixtures7. Obtain sufficient seed quantity and quality8. Cover seed9. Plant at the right time10. Manage properly
Source: Monsen, S.B. et al. 2004. Restoring Western Ranges and Wildlands. GenlTech Rpt RMRS-GTR-136, USDA,Forest Service, Rocky Mountain ReseachStation
The Competition – Exotic Annuals
Bulbous bluegrass
Medusa
Cheatgrass
Old Farm - Treatment Site Evaluation
Ecological Site:Loamy 8-12” Precip Zone Wy. Big Sagebrush/Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Old Farm Project Planning
• NAIP digital aerial photography
• Soils/Ecological Site Mapping
• GIS• GPS Pre and post-
vegetation monitoring