Grassland bird diversity and abundance in the presence of native and non-native grazers

Boyce, Andy J.; Shamon, Hila; Kunkel, Kyran; McShea, William J.

doi:10.5751/ace-01944-160213

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…2001, Boyce et al. 2021). These management activities can have significant direct and indirect impacts on small mammal communities (Vinton et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Land management drives tallgrass prairie plant and animal populations (Guiden et al 2021) and can have significant impacts on habitat structure. Management practices like prescribed fire and grazing are common practices that impact a variety of taxa (Hartnett et al 1996, Eom et al 2001, Boyce et al 2021). These management activities can have significant direct and indirect impacts on small mammal communities (Vinton et al 1993, Matlack et al 2001, Burke et al 2020, Guiden et al 2023, which can in turn create a ripple effect on the vast spectrum of taxa connected to these species through food webs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Small mammal associations with habitat composition, configuration, and management in tallgrass prairies: a review

Rowland‐Schaefer,

Koehn,

Jones

2023

Mammal Review

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Tallgrass prairie is among the most threatened ecosystems but is often fragmented and surrounded by human‐modified landscapes. Small mammals are integral components of tallgrass prairies. However, little is known about how landscape composition, configuration, and management impact small mammals in tallgrass prairies. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify species‐specific and community associations with three broad topics: landscape composition, landscape configuration, and management practices. We identified 61 studies that assessed our variables of interest. We categorised the location, species assessed, variables monitored, and results by species and for the community. The majority of studies (64%) were conducted in two states, Illinois and Kansas. Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), and white‐footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) showed specific associations with landscape variables, with deer mice preferring bare ground and recently burned plots, and prairie voles preferring thatch and negatively associated with prescribed fire. White‐footed mice were frequently associated with wooded areas. Small mammal biodiversity was positively associated with patchy habitats containing greater diversity in vegetative composition and management regime. Management and land composition were both relatively well studied for several species; habitat configuration was understudied. We identified significant gaps in our understanding of small mammal landscape ecology in tallgrass prairies. With tallgrass prairie restoration a growing trend in this region, a greater understanding of drivers of small mammal populations will be crucial to successful restoration efforts. Future research should focus on understudied areas and species, and examine how habitat heterogeneity impacts small mammal biodiversity.

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“…2001, Boyce et al. 2021). These management activities can have significant direct and indirect impacts on small mammal communities (Vinton et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammal associations with habitat composition, configuration, and management in tallgrass prairies: a review

Rowland‐Schaefer,

Koehn,

Jones

2023

Mammal Review

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“…Identifying specific habitat features that correlate with species' occurrence can offer information that can be used in habitat management decisions. As such, gaining an understanding of resource use patterns and drivers of abundance has become a conservation priority for many bird species , Yoo and Koper 2017, Londe et al 2019, Boyce et al 2021, Rose et al 2021.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity in selection patterns of five grassland songbirds in dry-mixed grasslands of Alberta

Landry-DeBoer¹,

Jones²,

Downey³

et al. 2023

ACE

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Declining grassland bird populations across North America continue to be a concern. Understanding local relationships between grassland bird abundance and vegetative and landscape characteristics will enable more prescriptive recommendations to be made to land managers. We used point count survey data collected by the MULTISAR (Multiple Species At Risk) program along with field measurements of habitat and landscape characteristics on 15 ranches in the Dry Mixed-grass Subregion in southern Alberta to improve our understandings of habitat relationships for five grassland bird species: Baird's Sparrow (Centronyx bairdii), Sprague's Pipit (Anthus spragueii), Thick-billed Longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii), Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus), and Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum). We used generalized linear mixed models to examine the relationship between the predicted abundance of a species and covariates that represented vegetative structure (e.g., litter), management (e.g., range health), and anthropogenic features (e.g., energy development) of habitat site selection. Model results demonstrate four vegetation structure covariates were of most importance for predicting abundance, including litter, vegetation height, bare soil, and shrub cover. Quadratic relationships were found with litter amounts for the predicted abundance of Baird's Sparrow, Chestnut-collared Longspur, and Grasshopper Sparrow. Contrastingly, higher amounts of litter reduced the predicted abundance of Thick-billed Longspur. The relationship of vegetation height was quadratic for Sprague's Pipit and was positive for Baird's Sparrow, but negative for Thick-billed Longspur. As bare soil percentage increased, the predicted abundance of Baird's Sparrow and Chestnut-collared Longspur decreased, with Sprague's Pipit showing a quadratic association. Negative relationships were found with increased amounts of shrub cover for Chestnut-collared Longspur, Sprague's Pipit, and Thick-billed Longspur. Our results help to further understand individual grassland bird species' habitat requirements, enabling us to provide land management recommendations for maintaining, improving, or creating the heterogenic environments needed for a variety of grassland birds in the Dry Mixed-grass Subregion. Diversité des tendances de sélection chez cinq passereaux de prairies mixtes sèches de l'AlbertaRÉSUMÉ. Le déclin des populations d'oiseaux de prairies en Amérique du Nord reste préoccupant. La compréhension des relations locales entre l'abondance des oiseaux de prairies et les caractéristiques de la végétation et du paysage permettra de formuler des recommandations plus normatives à l'intention des gestionnaires de terres. Nous avons utilisé des données de dénombrement par points d'écoute recueillies dans le cadre du programme MULTISAR (Multiple Species At Risk) ainsi que des mesures sur le terrain de caractéristiques de l'habitat et du paysage dans 15 ranchs de la sous-région de prairies mixtes sèches dans le sud de l'Alberta pour améliorer notre compréh...

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Rangeland Songbirds

Chalfoun,

Johnson,

Shaffer

2023

Rangeland Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

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Songbirds that occur across the diverse types of North American rangelands constitute many families within the Order Passeriformes, and hundreds of species. Most are declining, and many are considered potential indicator species for rangeland ecosystems. We synthesized information on the natural and life history, habitat requirements, conservation status, and responses to management of songbirds associated with North American grasslands and sagebrush steppe, two of the most geographically extensive types of rangelands. We provide a more targeted examination of the habitat associations and management considerations for two focal species, the grassland-obligate grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) and sagebrush-obligate Brewer’s sparrow (Spizella breweri). Grassland- and sagebrush-obligate species rely on expansive stands of grasslands and sagebrush, respectively, and we discuss how key ecological processes and rangeland management approaches—grazing, fire, and mechanical treatments—influence rangeland songbirds. Rangeland management practices can affect breeding songbirds considerably, primarily through the resultant structure and composition of vegetation, which influences the availability of preferred nesting substrates, refugia from predators, and foraging success. Optimal management strategies to limit negative consequences to rangeland songbirds will depend on the target species and local topoedaphic and climatic conditions. The maintenance of large, contiguous patches of native habitats and restoration of previously degraded areas will help facilitate the population persistence of rangeland-associated songbirds. Maintaining structural heterogeneity of habitats within landscapes, moreover, can facilitate local species diversity. Information pertaining to periods outside of the nesting stage is severely lacking for most species, which is concerning because effective management necessitates understanding of threats and limiting factors across the full annual life cycle. Moreover, information on disease effects and prevalence, the effects of a changing climate, and how both may interact with management strategies, also comprise key gaps in knowledge.

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Grassland bird diversity and abundance in the presence of native and non-native grazers

Cited by 10 publications

References 44 publications

Small mammal associations with habitat composition, configuration, and management in tallgrass prairies: a review

Small mammal associations with habitat composition, configuration, and management in tallgrass prairies: a review

Diversity in selection patterns of five grassland songbirds in dry-mixed grasslands of Alberta

Rangeland Songbirds

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