Download or read book Developing Grassland Songbird Management Targets for Multi Species Conservation on Native Mixed Grass Prairie written by Phillip Kelsey Rose and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Grassland birds are declining at steeper rates than birds from nearly every other habitat type, and the primary reasons for these declines are loss and degradation of native grasslands. Moisture, along with other environmental conditions such as soil type, topography, fire, and grazing, play important roles in determining the extent of habitat features important to grassland songbirds. I examined the associations between the abundance/occurrence of 14 grassland songbird species and vegetation characteristics along a moisture gradient in southwest Saskatchewan. Associations with at least one vegetation characteristic changed along the moisture gradient for 12 of the 14 species. Songbird abundance/occurrence was typically greater in areas with dense cover at drier sites along the moisture gradient when overall cover was sparse and greater in areas with sparser cover at wetter sites when overall cover was dense; however, absolute values for vegetation characteristics associated with peak abundance/occurrence often remained similar along the moisture gradient. The umbrella species concept is based on the premise that the conservation of a single species can also aid in conservation of a wide range of other co-occurring species with overlapping habitat requirements. I examined how the vegetation attributes of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) critical habitat influenced grassland songbirds, and whether sage-grouse could potentially serve as an umbrella species for the grassland songbird community at the northern extent of the sage-grouse range. I found that abundance of Sprague's pipit (Anthus spragueii) and Baird's sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) was lower and abundance of lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) was higher within greater sage-grouse critical habitat in comparison to a 1.6 km buffer surrounding critical habitat. The abundance of all endemic grassland songbirds, except lark bunting, was negatively associated with vegetation attributes that characterized sage-grouse critical habitat (i.e., shrub and sagebrush cover). The vegetation characteristics associated with shrub-steppe songbirds and several grassland generalists overlapped with vegetation characteristics that defined greater sage-grouse critical habitat. Greater sage-grouse conservation is likely to have a positive influence on shrub-tolerant species, such as lark bunting, and a neutral or positive effect on generalist grassland species, but will provide few benefits to other grassland species at risk.
Download or read book Demographic Responses of Grassland Songbirds to Rangeland Management in the Tallgrass Prairie written by Bram Hendrik Ferdinand Verheijen and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Grasslands are among the most rapidly declining ecosystems in the world. The Flint Hills ecoregion contains one of the largest remaining tracts of tallgrass prairie, but most of the area is managed with high densities of grazing animals and frequent prescribed burns, thereby reducing variation in vegetative structure. A homogeneous landscape leads to lower diversity and abundance of wildlife species, including grassland songbirds. Patch-burn grazing management has been proposed to more closely match the historical interaction between fire and selective grazing by native ungulates. Pastures managed with patch-burn grazing have a greater variety of vegetative structure and plant species composition, and as a result, higher species diversity, abundance, and reproductive success of grassland birds. However, past work has not considered potential effects of regional variation in predation risk and rates of brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater), or annual variation in climatic conditions on the effects of patch-burn grazing management on the reproductive success of grassland songbirds. Over a six year period and at two tallgrass prairie sites, I tested the effects of patch-burn grazing on the reproductive success of three native grassland songbird species, Dickcissels (Spiza americana), Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna), and Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), as well as subsequent effects on the space use, movements, and survival of fledgling Dickcissels. I found only minor effects of patch-burn grazing on the reproductive success of grassland songbirds, supporting previous studies that show that patch-burn grazing does not have negative effects on demographic rates of grassland songbirds. Management regime did not affect densities or territory size of male Dickcissels, but bird densities tended to be higher and territories tended to be smaller on patches within the patch-burn grazing treatment that were burned in the previous year. Thus, patch-burn grazing management might benefit Dickcissel populations by providing higher quality breeding habitat in unburned patches. Last, I found evidence for a potential tradeoff between habitat selection for nests vs. fledglings of Dickcissels in some rangeland management strategies. Parents that realized high reproductive success by nesting in pastures with lower cowbird densities, produced fledglings that faced high rates of depredation by snakes and showed greater movements away from those pastures. Survival rates and movements of Dickcissel fledglings were low, especially during the first week after leaving the nest, which stresses the importance of local habitat conditions. At a larger spatial scale, I tested whether regional differences in habitat structure could drive variation in apparent survival of grassland songbirds. I found that grassland- and shrubland-breeding species had higher estimates of apparent survival than forest-breeding species, contrary to the prevailing viewpoint that birds breeding in dynamic landscapes, such as frequently burned grasslands, should show lower apparent survival than species that breed in woody habitats. The results of my field study show that restoring the historical interaction between fire and grazing on the landscape via patch-burn grazing management could benefit grassland songbirds. Moreover, my dissertation is the first study that tests the effects of patch-burn grazing management on the survival and movements of fledgling Dickcissels, and shows that high cowbird densities can cause a tradeoff between different life-stages. Future conservation efforts should take into account regional variation in species abundance, predator community composition and abundance of Brown-headed Cowbirds when assessing the effects of rangeland management on the demography of grassland songbirds.
Download or read book Grassland Songbird Community Relationships Mediated by Cattle Stocking Rates and Plant Community Composition in Two Habitats in a Northern Mixed Grass Prairie written by Kelsey Molloy and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Grassland birds are experiencing the most significant declines of any avian guild in North America. Grazing is an important tool to manage habitats for these species, as they respond to structural changes in vegetation, and grazing affects vegetation structure. I studied the impact of cattle stocking rates grassland songbird abundances, with upland and lowland habitats in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada, 2006 to 2012. I also examined relationships between songbird abundance and plant community composition. Generalized linear mixed models were used for analyses. Species differed in responses to increased grazing (0 to 0.85 AUM/ha); Sprague's pipit responded negatively, whereas chestnut-collared longspur responded positively. Above average precipitation during the study likely reduced the grazing effects. Overall, a range of cattle stocking rates makes habitat available for a complete songbird community. Efforts focused on prairie conservation should manage grazing at stocking rates that produce habitats that are under-represented relative to surrounding grasslands.
Download or read book Changes in Grassland Songbird Abundances Through Time in Response to Burning and Grazing in the Northern Mixed grass Prairie written by Alexis Richardson and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Ecology of Bird Communities written by John A. Wiens and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1989 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A major study of avian community ecology.
Download or read book Annual Report written by Manitoba. Manitoba Natural Resources and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Ecology and Conservation of Grassland Birds written by Paul D. Goriup and published by International. This book was released on 1988 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Rangeland Systems written by David D. Briske and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-04-12 with total page 664 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is open access under a CC BY-NC 2.5 license. This book provides an unprecedented synthesis of the current status of scientific and management knowledge regarding global rangelands and the major challenges that confront them. It has been organized around three major themes. The first summarizes the conceptual advances that have occurred in the rangeland profession. The second addresses the implications of these conceptual advances to management and policy. The third assesses several major challenges confronting global rangelands in the 21st century. This book will compliment applied range management textbooks by describing the conceptual foundation on which the rangeland profession is based. It has been written to be accessible to a broad audience, including ecosystem managers, educators, students and policy makers. The content is founded on the collective experience, knowledge and commitment of 80 authors who have worked in rangelands throughout the world. Their collective contributions indicate that a more comprehensive framework is necessary to address the complex challenges confronting global rangelands. Rangelands represent adaptive social-ecological systems, in which societal values, organizations and capacities are of equal importance to, and interact with, those of ecological processes. A more comprehensive framework for rangeland systems may enable management agencies, and educational, research and policy making organizations to more effectively assess complex problems and develop appropriate solutions.
Download or read book Prescribed Burning Guidelines in the Northern Great Plains written by Kenneth F. Higgins and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book How Much Habitat is Enough written by Graham K. Bryan and published by Environment Canada. This book was released on 2004 with total page 12 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book For the Health of the Land written by Aldo Leopold and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2012-07-16 with total page 263 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aldo Leopold's classic work A Sand County Almanac is widely regarded as one of the most influential conservation books of all time. In it, Leopold sets forth an eloquent plea for the development of a "land ethic" -- a belief that humans have a duty to interact with the soils, waters, plants, and animals that collectively comprise "the land" in ways that ensure their well-being and survival. For the Health of the Land, a new collection of rare and previously unpublished essays by Leopold, builds on that vision of ethical land use and develops the concept of "land health" and the practical measures landowners can take to sustain it. The writings are vintage Leopold -- clear, sensible, and provocative, sometimes humorous, often lyrical, and always inspiring. Joining them together are a wisdom and a passion that transcend the time and place of the author's life. The book offers a series of forty short pieces, arranged in seasonal "almanac" form, along with longer essays, arranged chronologically, which show the development of Leopold's approach to managing private lands for conservation ends. The final essay is a never before published work, left in pencil draft at his death, which proposes the concept of land health as an organizing principle for conservation. Also featured is an introduction by noted Leopold scholars J. Baird Callicott and Eric T. Freyfogle that provides a brief biography of Leopold and places the essays in the context of his life and work, and an afterword by conservation biologist Stanley A. Temple that comments on Leopold's ideas from the perspective of modern wildlife management. The book's conservation message and practical ideas are as relevant today as they were when first written over fifty years ago. For the Health of the Land represents a stunning new addition to the literary legacy of Aldo Leopold.
Download or read book PRAIRIEMAP a GIS Database for Prairie Grassland Management in Western North America written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The PRAIRIEMAP web site (http://prairiemap.wr.usgs.gov) contains links to partners, documentation of the data, and a directory of GIS data that can be downloaded.
Download or read book Handbook of Field Methods for Monitoring Landbirds written by and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Ecology and Conservation of Grassland Birds of the Western Hemisphere written by Peter D. Vickery and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Prairie Conservation written by Fred B. Samson and published by Island Press. This book was released on 1996-08 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The area of native prairie known as the Great Plains once extended from Canada to the Mexican border and from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to western Indiana and Wisconsin. Today the declines in prairie landscape types, estimated to be as high as 99%, exceed those of any other major ecosystem in North America. The overwhelming loss of landscape and accompanying loss of species constitute a real threat to both ecological and human economic health.Prairie Conservation is a comprehensive examination of the history, ecology, and current status of North American grasslands. It presents for the first time in a single volume information on the historical, economic, and cultural significance of prairies, their natural history and ecology, threats, and conservation and restoration programs currently underway. Chapters cover: environmental history of the Great Plains the economic value of prairie prairie types -- tallgrass, mixed grass, shortgrass, wetlands -- and the ecological processes that sustain each type prairie fauna -- invertebrates, fish and other aquatic creatures, amphibians and reptiles, birds, and mammals conservation programs such as the Great Plains Partnership, Canada's Prairie Conservation Action Plan, the U.S. Prairie Pothole Joint Venture, and others The book brings together knowledge and insights from a wide range of experts to describe and explain the importance of prairies and to position them in the forefront of North American conservation efforts. Praire Conservation is an essential reference for anyone interested in prairie ecology and conservation and will play a critical role in broadening our awareness and understanding of prairie ecosystems.
Download or read book Biology and Conservation of Musteloids written by David Whyte Macdonald and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 721 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The musteloids are the most diverse super-family among carnivores, ranging from little known, exotic, and highly-endangered species to the popular and familiar, and include a large number of introduced invasives. They feature terrestrial, fossorial, arboreal, and aquatic members, ranging from tenacious predators to frugivorous omnivores, span weights from a 100g weasel to 30kg giant otters, and express a range of social behaviours from the highly gregarious to the fiercely solitary. Musteloids are the subjects of extensive cutting-edge research from phylogenetics to the evolution of sociality and through to the practical implications of disease epidemiology, introduced species management, and climate change. Their diversity and extensive biogeography inform a wide spectrum of ecological theory and conservation practice. The editors of this book have used their combined 90 years of experience working on the behaviour and ecology of wild musteloids to draw together a unique network of the world's most successful and knowledgeable experts. The book begins with nine review chapters covering hot topics in musteloid biology including evolution, disease, social communication, and management. These are followed by twenty extensive case studies providing a range of comprehensive geographic and taxonomic coverage. The final chapter synthesises what has been discussed in the book, and reflects on the different and diverse conservation needs of musteloids and the wealth of conservation lessons they offer. Biology and Conservation of Musteloids provides a conceptual framework for future research and applied conservation management that is suitable for graduate level students as well as professional researchers in musteloid and carnivore ecology and conservation biology. It will also be of relevance and use to conservationists and wildlife managers.
Download or read book Riparian Areas written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2002-10-10 with total page 449 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that wetlands be protected from degradation because of their important ecological functions including maintenance of high water quality and provision of fish and wildlife habitat. However, this protection generally does not encompass riparian areasâ€"the lands bordering rivers and lakesâ€"even though they often provide the same functions as wetlands. Growing recognition of the similarities in wetland and riparian area functioning and the differences in their legal protection led the NRC in 1999 to undertake a study of riparian areas, which has culminated in Riparian Areas: Functioning and Strategies for Management. The report is intended to heighten awareness of riparian areas commensurate with their ecological and societal values. The primary conclusion is that, because riparian areas perform a disproportionate number of biological and physical functions on a unit area basis, restoration of riparian functions along America's waterbodies should be a national goal.
