Effects of Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat treatment efforts on associated avifauna and vegetation structure

Conservation efforts over the last 20 years for the Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus minimus) have involved extensive habitat manipulations done predominantly to improve brood rearing habitat for the grouse. However, the effects of Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat treatments on sympatric avifauna and responses of vegetation to manipulations are rarely measured, and if they are, it is immediately following treatment implementation. This study examined the concept of umbrella species management by retrospectively comparing density and occupancy of eight sagebrush associated songbird species and six measures of vegetation in treated and control sites. Our results suggested that songbird densities and occupancy changed for birds at the extreme ends of their association with sagebrush and varied with fine-scale habitat structure. We found Brewer’s Sparrows (Spizella breweri) decreased in density on treated sites and Vesper Sparrows (Pooecetes gramineus) increased. Occupancy estimation revealed that Brewer’s Sparrows and Green-tailed Towhees (Pipilo chlorurus) occupied significantly fewer treated points whereas Vesper Sparrows occupied significantly more. Vegetation comparisons between treated and control areas found shrub cover to be 26% lower in treated sites. Lower shrub cover in treated areas may explain the differences in occupancy and densities of the species sampled based on known habitat needs. The fine-scale analysis showed a negative relationship to forb height and cover for the Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza belli) indicating, from vegetation measures showing grass and forb cover during a good precipitation year covered significantly more area in the treatment than the control sites, that Sage Sparrows may also not respond favorably to Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat treatments. While the concept of an umbrella species is appealing, evidence from this study suggests that conservation efforts aimed at the Gunnison Sage-Grouse may not be particularly effective for conserving other sagebrush obligate species of concern. This is probably due to Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat management being focused on the improvement of brood rearing habitat which reduces sagebrush cover and promotes development of understory forbs and grasses.

Color signals in the Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) : signal properties and their condition dependency

Recent progress in techniques of quantifying between‐individual differences of color‐based ornaments has revealed undiscovered possibilities for research in sexual selection. We present how the color spectra data can be comprehensively used for studying the importance of sexual ornaments in the black grouse and how these ornaments are related to a male condition. For this, we used both correlative field and experimental data. Field data indicated that older males had more chromatic coloration than yearlings. Blue chroma of males was correlated with male mating success. We experimentally manipulated yearling birds with testosterone implants and found that testosterone‐implanted males had impaired expression of several sexual ornaments: 10 months after the implantation, both structural‐based blue and carotenoid‐based red eye comb coloration were diminished, as well as lyre (tail) length. However, the manipulation did not affect vital traits under natural selection (wing length or body mass). Our data indicate that structural color is an important trait in sexual selection in this lekking species. Importantly, the data also indicate that male sexual ornaments are more susceptible to environmental conditions than the other male traits, thus showing their heightened condition dependency compared with the other traits mediating the honesty of signaling.

In silico identification and characterisation of 17 polymorphic anonymous non-coding sequence markers (ANMs) for red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica)

Peer reviewed

The Effects of Oil and Gas Exploration on Greater Sage Grouse Populations

Energy production throughout the greater Rocky Mountain Region has increased dramatically in the past decade. Pristine habitat areas historically home to the greater sage grouse are being impaired by these energy development actions. Ongoing studies by state and federal biologists have shown a decrease in overall reproductive activity and a decrease in population on historical mating grounds. This project identifies actions to conserve and restore the habitat of sage grouse populations and reverse the decline of the species. Recommended measures presented in this project include using directional drilling of multiple wells from one single drill pad, creating a GIS mapping data base, funding additional scientific studies regarding impacts from energy development and improved cooperation between state, federal and private agencies.

Propagation of wild birds : a manual of applied ornithology : treating of practical methods of propagation of quails, grouse, wild turkey, pheasants, partridges, pigeons and doves, and waterfowl, in America, and of attracting and increasing wild birds in general, including sng-birds /

Includes index.

Progress report of the ruffed grouse investigation, 1932 /

At head of title: Division of Fish and Game, Conservation Department, State of New York.

Grouse disease : its causes and remedies /

Mode of access: Internet.

The grouse in health and in disease, being the final report of the Committee of inquiry on grouse disease.

Mode of access: Internet.

Habitat requirements and management recommendations for sage grouse /

Bibliography: p. 34-37.

The role of parasite-driven selection in shaping landscape genomic structure in red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica)

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Acknowledgements This study was funded by a BBSRC studentship (MAW) and NERC grants NE/H00775X/1 and NE/D000602/1 (SBP). The authors are grateful to Mario Röder and Keliya Bai for fieldwork assistance, and all estate owners, factors and keepers for access to field sites, most particularly MJ Taylor and Mike Nisbet (Airlie), Neil Brown (Allargue), RR Gledson and David Scrimgeour (Delnadamph), Andrew Salvesen and John Hay (Dinnet), Stuart Young and Derek Calder (Edinglassie), Kirsty Donald and David Busfield (Glen Dye), Neil Hogbin and Ab Taylor (Glen Muick), Alistair Mitchell (Glenlivet), Simon Blackett, Jim Davidson and Liam Donald (Invercauld), Richard Cooke and Fred Taylor† (Invermark), Shaila Rao and Christopher Murphy (Mar Lodge), and Ralph Peters and Philip Astor (Tillypronie). Data accessibility • Genotype data (DataDryad: doi:10.5061/dryad.4t7jk) • Metadata (information on sampling sites, phenotypes and medication regimen) (DataDryad: doi:10.5061/dryad.4t7jk)