The Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) population in the United States declined to ≤33 animals in January 2003. Low population numbers and unstable recruitment are concerns for biologists managing this subspecies. We examined habitat use by pronghorn from 1999 to 2002 on a portion of the Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) used for military exercises. We overlaid locations of pronghorn (n=1,203) on 377 1‐km2 blocks within the North (NTAC) and South Tactical Ranges (STAC), BMGR; we classified vegetation associations and disturbance status (e.g., airfields, targets, roads) for each block. Locations of pronghorn were distributed in proportion to vegetation associations on NTAC and STAC. Sightings of pronghorns were biased toward disturbed blocks, with 73% of locations of pronghorn occurring in proximity to mock airfields, high‐explosive hills (e.g., targets for live high‐explosive bombs and rockets), other targets, and roads. Disturbed landscapes on the BMGR may attract Sonoran pronghorn by creating favorable forage. Habitat manipulations simulating the effects of military disturbances on the landscape (e.g., improved forage) may improve remaining Sonoran pronghorn habitat.
The management of natural resources involves the integration of physical, biological, and sociological information. Computerized geographical information systems (CIS) offer the capacity to combine this information. GIS has the potential to be a powerful wildlife management tool for integrating recreational and biological information. This study develops a recreational use model using data from a traditional recreational survey and a mountain sheep habitat model within a GIS database. This study develops a method that provides the resource manager with a toot to make predictions about the locations where recreational users may be encroaching on mountain sheep. Findings of this study illustrate that frequent recreational use along two trails occurred within preferred sheep habitat. More than 45% of recreationists surveyed travel extensively off the designated trails into the wilderness areas and thereby further encroach upon sheep habitat. This study demonstrates the use of a GIS to identify critical habitat areas and model recreational behavior that may influence a sensitive wildlife species.Keywords geographical information systems, human dimensions, mountain sheep, recreation management Studies in wildlife and recreation management utilizing both GIS information and social science survey data have demonstrated some new and exciting opportunities to examine complex resource management issues. They provide a forum for examining large amounts of information very quickly. The analysis helps develop a range of alternative management plans within reasonable time periods.The need to organize the amounts of diverse and relevant spatial data that are available for making management decisions has led many natural resource agencies to use computerized information management systems. Natural resource managers have long used models to assist them in making decisions. Dealing effectively with multiple resource planning and management issues requires that information be readily available in many formats. These conditions, according to Hunter et al. (1988), have made "conventional resource management tools and methods less effective" and have led resource managers to use "more advanced information technology for help" (p. 109).
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