Influence of Nonnative and Native Ungulate Biomass and Seasonal Precipitation on Vegetation Production in a Great Basin Ecosystem

Zeigenfuss, Linda C.; Schoenecker, Kathryn A.; Ransom, Jason I.; Ignizio, Drew A.; Mask, Tracy

doi:10.3398/064.074.0304

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Although we do not have a clear understanding of the extent to which horse populations naturally were top-down limited by predation, they were certainly sometimes important prey for large carnivores [ 147 ]. Further, feral populations may sometimes be limited by predation and may also sometimes increase rapidly in the absence of predators [ 148 , 149 ], thereby greatly impacting vegetation [ 150 , 151 ] and, in some cases, having negative effects on other biodiversity [ 152 ]. There are as yet no definite answers to this issue.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Geographic Assessment of the Global Scope for Rewilding with Wild-Living Horses (Equus ferus)

Naundrup

Svenning

2015

PLoS ONE

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Megafaunas worldwide have been decimated during the late Quaternary. Many extirpated species were keystone species, and their loss likely has had large effects on ecosystems. Therefore, it is increasingly considered how megafaunas can be restored. The horse (Equus ferus) is highly relevant in this context as it was once extremely widespread and, despite severe range contraction, survives in the form of domestic, feral, and originally wild horses. Further, it is a functionally important species, notably due to its ability to graze coarse, abrasive grasses. Here, we used species distribution modelling to link locations of wild-living E. ferus populations to climate to estimate climatically suitable areas for wild-living E. ferus. These models were combined with habitat information and past and present distributions of equid species to identify areas suitable for rewilding with E. ferus. Mean temperature in the coldest quarter, precipitation in the coldest quarter, and precipitation in the driest quarter emerged as the best climatic predictors. The distribution models estimated the climate to be suitable in large parts of the Americas, Eurasia, Africa, and Australia and, combined with habitat mapping, revealed large areas to be suitable for rewilding with horses within its former range, including up to 1.5 million ha within five major rewilding areas in Europe. The widespread occurrence of suitable climates and habitats within E. ferus’ former range together with its important functions cause it to be a key candidate for rewilding in large parts of the world. Successful re-establishment of wild-living horse populations will require handling the complexity of human–horse relations, for example, potential conflicts with ranchers and other agriculturalists or with other conservation aims, perception as a non-native invasive species in some regions, and coverage by legislation for domestic animals.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Geographic Assessment of the Global Scope for Rewilding with Wild-Living Horses (Equus ferus)

Naundrup

Svenning

2015

PLoS ONE

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“…RNAs serve to: The only other public land area in Oregon with both Greater Sage-Grouse habitat and a long-term closure to grazing is Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge, which was closed in the mid-1990s; all wild horses were removed as well. The BLM contacted the management staff of Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge on the Oregon-Nevada border and Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge for copies of published research that may be of value to this planning effort (Earnst et al 2012;Zeigenfuss et al 2014;Batchelor et al 2015;Boyd et al 2017;Gooch et al 2017), but none of these papers concerned the responses of forbs and insects important to Greater Sage-Grouse. The BLM has no authority over the management and research direction in USFWS national wildlife refuges.…”

Section: Planning Area and Current Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oregon greater sage-grouse : draft resource management plan amendment and environmental impact statement /

2018

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The Bureau of Land Management's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.Cover Photo:

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“…During the early 1990s, the horse population averaged 200–300 animals as a result of a proactive population control (removal) program; however, without continued active management, the population substantially increased by the mid‐to‐late 2000s necessitating management action. Since the early 2000s, feral horses were reported to affect the Refuge's natural resources and native wildlife (Barnett , Davies et al , Zeigenfuss et al , Gooch et al ) and were targeted for removal in 2013–2014 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The species is viewed as a symbol of freedom and an icon of the American West, but horses also are a non‐native, feral grazer that present significant land management challenges. Unmanaged or poorly managed non‐native grazers, including horses, can have substantial impacts on ecosystem integrity, influencing a wide array of native flora (Smith , Levin et al , Zalba and Cozzani , Beever et al , Davies et al ), fauna (Beever , Beever and Brussard , Beever and Herrick , Hall et al , Gooch et al ), and ecosystem processes (Beever and Brussard , Zeigenfuss et al ). On lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in the western states alone, there are an estimated >67,000 free‐roaming horses and burros ( Equus asinus ) occupying 12.8 million ha, more than twice the maximum management level that can exist in balance with other public rangeland resources and uses (Bureau of Land Management ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Population dynamics and fertility control of feral horses

Collins

Kasbohm

2016

J Wildl Manag

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The management of free‐roaming, feral horse (Equus caballus) populations in the western United States is a contentious and challenging issue. Between 2008 and 2014, 1,873 individual horses from a closed population in the northern Great Basin, USA were captured, uniquely marked, and were either removed for private adoption or had permanent fertility control treatments (i.e., vasectomy or ovariectomy) applied prior to release. We derived the annual population size, growth rate, and the number of horses by sex and age by using the horse's estimated age at first capture to infer its age during each year it was part of the population. Estimates of population size from 2 aerial survey techniques averaged within 5.3%–9.6% of derived population estimates. The overall survival (i.e., recapture) rate for individual horses was 88% for individuals released back into the population between 2009 and 2012. Treated horses maintained group associations and there were no differences between survival rates for released females or males that received fertility control treatment, compared to animals released without treatment. The application of combined fertility control efforts resulted in a decline in the population‐level annual foaling rate from >20% to <4% within 4 years. Maintaining a proportion of a population as permanently non‐reproducing has the potential to safely maintain free‐roaming horse herds at desired management levels. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.

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Influence of Nonnative and Native Ungulate Biomass and Seasonal Precipitation on Vegetation Production in a Great Basin Ecosystem

Cited by 15 publications

References 39 publications

A Geographic Assessment of the Global Scope for Rewilding with Wild-Living Horses (Equus ferus)

A Geographic Assessment of the Global Scope for Rewilding with Wild-Living Horses (Equus ferus)

Oregon greater sage-grouse : draft resource management plan amendment and environmental impact statement /

Population dynamics and fertility control of feral horses

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