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