Arthropod Abundance Associated with the Natural Resources Conservation Service: Implications for Greater Sage-Grouse Management

Abstract

One goal of the Natural Resource Conservation Service's Sage-Grouse Initiative was to reverse the western US trend of declining sage-grouse populations. The sage-grouse initiative aims at preventing 'sod-busting' activities (conversion of native habitats into cropland) which is identified as the largest threat to stable sage-grouse populations and their habitats (USFWS 2010). Rest-rotation livestock grazing is implemented on sage-grouse 'core areas' with the purpose of improving rangeland health on private lands and eliminate the need of listing sage-grouse on the threatened or endangered species list. We collected arthropods in central Montana from three habitat classes associated with the Sage-grouse Initiative: 1) Grazed (actively grazed livestock pastures), 2) Deferred (Ungrazed pastures), and 3) Idle (Lands of the Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge lower unit) and report here on 2012-2014 findings. Total arthropod catches in pitfall traps were greatest from livestock Idle pastures; however, greater numbers of those arthropods classified as sage-grouse food were caught from Deferred pastures. Differences in habitat class catches revolved primarily around the high levels of thatch found on the Lake Mason Wildlife Refuge which altered the community composition and predator:prey ratios.