Energy Development and Production in the Great Plains: Implications and Mitigation Opportunities

Ott, Jacqueline P.; Hanberry, Brice B.; Khalil, Mona; Paschke, Mark W.; Burg, Max Post van der; Prenni, A. J.

doi:10.1016/j.rama.2020.05.003

Cited by 25 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 185 publications

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“…They also have implications for management of mixed‐grass prairie and other semiarid grasslands. It is well known that anthropogenic soil disturbances reduce biological diversity and soil C in grasslands (Davidson & Ackerman, 1993; Hoekstra et al, 2005; Ott et al, 2020; Samson et al, 2004). Our results suggest that eCO 2 and warming will make it more difficult for grasslands to recover from disturbance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The semiarid mixed‐grass prairie is the largest remaining grassland in North America, sustaining both biological diversity and livestock production (Samson et al, 2004). It is threatened by climate change as well as disturbance, particularly energy development and crop production, both of which involve soil disturbance and associated plant invasion (Heisler‐White et al, 2009; Mueller et al, 2016; Ott et al, 2020; Samson et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Soil disturbance and invasion magnify CO₂ effects on grassland productivity, reducing diversity

Blumenthal

Carrillo

Kray

et al. 2022

Global Change Biology

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Climate change, disturbance, and plant invasion threaten grassland ecosystems, but their combined and interactive effects are poorly understood. Here, we examine how the combination of disturbance and plant invasion influences the sensitivity of mixedgrass prairie to elevated carbon dioxide (eCO2) and warming. We established subplots of intact prairie and disturbed/invaded prairie within a free-air CO2 enrichment (to 600 ppmv) by infrared warming (+1.5 °C day, 3 °C night) experiment and followed plant and soil responses for five years. Elevated CO2 initially led to moderate increases in biomass and plant diversity in both intact and disturbed/invaded prairie, but these effects shifted due to strong eCO2 responses of the invasive forb Centaurea diffusa. In the final three years, biomass responses to eCO2 in disturbed/invaded prairie were 10 times as large as those in intact prairie (+186% vs. +18%), resulting in reduced rather than increased plant diversity (-17% vs. +10%). At the same time, warming interacted with disturbance/invasion and year, reducing the rate of topsoil carbon recovery following disturbance. The strength of these interactions demonstrates the need to incorporate disturbance into predictions of climate change effects. In contrast to expectations from studies in intact ecosystems, eCO2 may threaten plant diversity in ecosystems subject to soil disturbance and invasion.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil disturbance and invasion magnify CO₂ effects on grassland productivity, reducing diversity

Blumenthal

Carrillo

Kray

et al. 2022

Global Change Biology

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“…Knowledge of these parameters can help inform management decisions such as wind turbine placement and when turbines are turned on or off (Loss et al 2013, Howell et al 2020, Loring et al 2020. This is germane to the SGP due to the expansion of extensive wind energy development in the region (Ott et al 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is germane to the SGP due to the expansion of extensive wind energy development in the region (Ott et al. 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using automated telemetry to identify population connectivity and migration phenology of Snowy Plovers breeding in the Southern Great Plains

Heath‐Acre

Boal

Collins

et al. 2022

J of Field Ornithology

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Within-breeding season movements have not been quantified for Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus) breeding on the Southern Great Plains (SGP), where suitable breeding habitat can range from less than 10 km to more than 600 km apart. This mosaic distribution of discrete patches of breeding habitat, combined with weather stochasticity and low densities of Snowy Plovers in Texas and New Mexico, increases the risk of local and regional extirpation. Further, little is known about SGP Snowy Plover migration phenology or winter habitat. We used the Motus Wildlife Tracking System to examine population connectivity, migration phenology, and winter habitat locations of adult Snowy Plovers in the SGP. Movements of Snowy Plovers during the 2017 and 2018 breeding seasons suggest little to no connectivity between the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge population in Oklahoma and populations in Texas and New Mexico. However, several Snowy Plovers in Texas moved to a lake formed by freshwater springs that may have provided higher-quality breeding and foraging habitat. Migrating primarily at night, we found that Snowy Plovers from a breeding area in Oklahoma made migratory movements to Texas and the Louisiana Gulf Coast. These data may be important to long-term conservation and planning efforts relative to understanding regional persistence and connectivity among breeding populations of Snowy Plovers in the SGP. Our results also highlight the need for future studies of wintering habitats used by SGP Snowy Plovers. RESUMEN.Uso de telemetrı ´a automatizada para identificar conectividad migratoria y fenologı ´a de la migración de chorlos nevados en el sur de las Grandes Planicies Los movimientos dentro de la temporada reproductiva no han sido cuantificados en chorlos nevados (Charadrius nivosus) que anidan en el sur de las Grandes Planicies (SGP), donde los hábitats reproductivos disponibles se encuentran separados de 10 a más de 600 km uno del otro. Esta distribución de mosaicos de parches discretos de hábitat reproductivo, combinado con estocasticidad en el estado del tiempo y las bajas densidades de chorlos nevados en Texas y Nuevo México, incrementan el riesgo de ser extirpados local y regionalmente. Además, se sabe poco sobre la fenologı ´a de la migración y hábitat de invernada del chorlo nevado en las SGP. Usamos el Sistema de Seguimiento de Vida Silvestre Motus para examinar la conectividad poblacional, fenologı ´a de la migración y localización de hábitat invernal de chorlos nevados adultos en las SGP. Los movimientos de los chorlos nevados durante las temporadas reproductivas de 2017 y 2018 sugieren poca o nula conectividad entre la población del Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge en Oklahoma, y poblaciones en Texas y Nuevo México. Sin embargo, varios chorlos nevados de Texas se movieron a un lago formado por manantiales de agua dulce que podrı ´an haberles provisto de hábitat reproductivo y de forrajeo de mayor calidad. Dado que migran principalmente de noche, encontramos que los chorlos nevados de un área reproductiva ...

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“…Populations have fluctuated over time across the range [ 15 ], with population decline linked to habitat fragmentation, degradation, and loss resulting from energy production [ 16 ], agricultural conversion, anthropogenic features [ 16 – 19 ], and woody encroachment [ 20 , 21 ]. Landscape change continues to occur, as evidenced by land cover time series such as changes between different broad land cover classes [ 22 ] and increased energy development in the region, particularly New Mexico and Texas [ 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges in updating habitat suitability models: An example with the lesser prairie-chicken

et al. 2021

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Habitat loss from land-use change is one of the top causes of declines in wildlife species of concern. As such, it is critical to assess and reassess habitat suitability as land cover and anthropogenic features change for both monitoring and developing current information to inform management decisions. However, there are obstacles that must be overcome to develop consistent assessments through time. A range-wide lek habitat suitability model for the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), currently under review by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for potential listing under the Endangered Species Act, was published in 2016. This model was based on lek data from 2002 to 2012, land cover data ranging from 2001 to 2013, and anthropogenic features from circa 2011, and has been used to help guide lesser prairie-chicken management and anthropogenic development actions. We created a second iteration model based on new lek surveys (2015 to 2019) and updated predictors (2016 land cover and cleaned/updated anthropogenic data) to evaluate changes in lek suitability and to quantify current range-wide habitat suitability. Only three of 11 predictor variables were directly comparable between the iterations, making it difficult to directly assess what predicted changes resulted from changes in model inputs versus actual landscape change. The second iteration model showed a similar positive relationship with land cover and negative relationship with anthropogenic features to the first iteration, but exhibited more variation among candidate models. Range-wide, more suitable habitat was predicted in the second iteration. The Shinnery Oak Ecoregion, however, exhibited a loss in predicted suitable habitat that could be due to predictor source changes. Iterated models such as this are important to ensure current information is being used in conservation and development decisions.

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Energy Development and Production in the Great Plains: Implications and Mitigation Opportunities

Cited by 25 publications

References 185 publications

Soil disturbance and invasion magnify CO₂ effects on grassland productivity, reducing diversity

Soil disturbance and invasion magnify CO₂ effects on grassland productivity, reducing diversity

Using automated telemetry to identify population connectivity and migration phenology of Snowy Plovers breeding in the Southern Great Plains

Challenges in updating habitat suitability models: An example with the lesser prairie-chicken

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Energy Development and Production in the Great Plains: Implications and Mitigation Opportunities

Cited by 25 publications

References 185 publications

Soil disturbance and invasion magnify CO2 effects on grassland productivity, reducing diversity

Soil disturbance and invasion magnify CO2 effects on grassland productivity, reducing diversity

Using automated telemetry to identify population connectivity and migration phenology of Snowy Plovers breeding in the Southern Great Plains

Challenges in updating habitat suitability models: An example with the lesser prairie-chicken

Contact Info

Product

Resources

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Soil disturbance and invasion magnify CO₂ effects on grassland productivity, reducing diversity

Soil disturbance and invasion magnify CO₂ effects on grassland productivity, reducing diversity