Maladaptive nest‐site selection and reduced nest survival in female sage‐grouse following wildfire

Dudley, Ian F.; Coates, Peter S.; Prochazka, Brian G.; Davis, Dawn M.; Gardner, Scott; Delehanty, David J.

doi:10.1002/ecs2.4282

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…The results from our analysis are consistent with those findings and provide a pattern-based case study that demonstrates reductions in population size and suggests a potential mechanism for species range contraction that can occur when peripheral populations are affected (e.g., Coates et al 2019). Although not investigated as part of this study, reductions in population size following wildfire are likely a function of reduced rates of survival and recruitment (Foster et al 2019;Anthony 2020;Dudley 2020), as well as potential emigration away from affected areas. Additional demographic studies are needed to identify mechanisms by which wildfire influences population dynamics and the long-term prevalence of such negative effects.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…For example, substantial reductions in winter survival were documented following a large wildfire in Oregon, USA (Foster 2016). Moreover, nesting vegetation was severely affected, which likely contributed to low nest survival documented after the fire, between 2015 and 2018 (Dudley 2020). After the wildfire, sagegrouse used a higher percent of non-shrub nest cover inside the fire perimeter (e.g., perennial grasses and forbs) than outside the perimeter (Dudley 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, nesting vegetation was severely affected, which likely contributed to low nest survival documented after the fire, between 2015 and 2018 (Dudley 2020). After the wildfire, sagegrouse used a higher percent of non-shrub nest cover inside the fire perimeter (e.g., perennial grasses and forbs) than outside the perimeter (Dudley 2020). Increased habitat edge by way of fragmentation of sagebrush communities may also increase the occupancy and density of visual nest predators such as common ravens (Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758; Howe et al 2014;O'Neil et al 2018;Coates et al 2020), with greater potential impacts where shrub cover has been reduced (Coates and Delehanty 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, it is unlikely that habitat in the form of islands could fully compensate for potential population declines following fire. Although further investigation is needed, intact sagebrush islands appeared to be sparse within our study area based on estimated loss of native plant communities loss (Bureau of Land Management 2012) and type conversion to cheatgrass approximately eight years following the wildfire (Dudley 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prevailing evidence suggests that sage-grouse continue to occupy burned areas in years immediately following wildfire, instead of seeking out unburned albeit novel alternatives (Lockyer et al 2015;Foster et al 2019;Dudley 2020;O'Neil et al 2020). Wildfire has been known to alter habitat composition (Hess and Beck 2012;Davis and Crawford 2015) and food resources (Rhodes et al 2010), and may reduce nest and adult survival (Lockyer et al 2015;Foster et al 2019;Dudley 2020) with potentially negative impacts on lek attendance (Steenvoorden et al 2019). This implies that wildfire is likely to have short-term negative impacts on sage-grouse population growth and may also reduce long-term habitat population capacity when permanent state transitions of habitat patches to annual grass occur (Miller et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Large-scale wildfire reduces population growth in a peripheral population of sage-grouse

et al. 2021

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Background Drastic increases in wildfire size and frequency threaten western North American sagebrush (Artemisia L. spp.) ecosystems. At relatively large spatial scales, wildfire facilitates type conversion of sagebrush-dominated plant communities to monocultures of invasive annual grasses (e.g., Bromus tectorum L.). Annual grasses provide fine fuels that promote fire spread, contributing to a positive grass–fire feedback cycle that affects most sagebrush ecosystems, with expected habitat loss for resident wildlife populations. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus Bonaparte, 1827) are sagebrush obligate species that are indicators of sagebrush ecosystem function because they rely on different components of sagebrush ecosystems to meet seasonal life history needs. Because wildfire cannot be predicted, chronic impacts of wildfire on sage-grouse populations have been largely limited to correlative studies. Thus, evidence from well-designed experiments is needed to understand the specific mechanisms by which wildfire is detrimental to sage-grouse population dynamics. Results Following a significant wildfire event in the southwest periphery of sage-grouse range, we implemented a before-after-control-impact study with long-term paired (BACIP) datasets of male sage-grouse surveyed from traditional breeding grounds (leks) within and outside the wildfire boundary. We estimated sage-grouse population rate of change in apparent abundance ($$ \hat{\uplambda} $$ λ ̂ ) at burned and unburned areas before and after wildfire and derived BACIP ratios, which provide controlled evidence of wildfire impact. We found that $$ \hat{\uplambda} $$ λ ̂ at leks within the wildfire boundary decreased approximately 16% relative to leks at control sites. Furthermore, we estimated a 98.5% probability that the observed change in $$ \hat{\uplambda} $$ λ ̂ could be attributed to the wildfire. Conclusions We demonstrated adverse wildfire impacts on sage-grouse population growth using an experimental BACIP design, which disentangled the effect of wildfire disturbance from natural population fluctuations. Our results underscore the importance of active and comprehensive management actions immediately following wildfire (i.e., seeding coupled with planting sagebrush), that might offset short-term impacts of wildfire by timing rapid recovery of sagebrush to meet short-term species’ habitat requirements. Burned leks likely have substantial immediate impacts that may extend beyond wildfire boundaries, especially if critical source habitats are removed. Such impacts could fragment habitat and disrupt connectivity, thereby affecting larger populations and possibly contributing to more widespread declines in sage-grouse populations.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Large-scale wildfire reduces population growth in a peripheral population of sage-grouse

et al. 2021

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Earthquake impacts on a protected pinniped in New Zealand

Hall,

Chilvers,

Weir

et al. 2024

Aquatic Conservation

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The impacts of natural disasters on marine mammals are poorly understood and difficult to study, which can hamper management responses following such events. This study provides the first distribution and abundance assessment of New Zealand fur seal (NZFS: Arctocephalus forsteri) colonies around Kaikōura, New Zealand, since a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in November 2016 caused substantial changes to both the local marine and terrestrial environments, and led to the reconstruction of a major highway that runs adjacent to NZFS colonies. Mark–recapture and direct counts in the 2022–2023 breeding season estimated pup production for NZFS breeding colonies along the Kaikōura coast. Using established multipliers, pup estimates were used to provide the first comprehensive population estimate for Kaikōura's NZFS population since the earthquake. Three new colonies and three new subcolonies were assessed and recorded, additional to reassessments of two established colonies. Overall, Kaikōura's NZFS population has grown and spread post‐earthquake, with an upper total population estimate of between 21,560 and 28,327 animals in the 2022–2023 breeding season. Some sites, such as Lynch's Reef, appear to have benefited from earthquake‐induced coastal uplift, with pup production increasing. Contrastingly, the estimated 2,401 (±99) pups produced at Ōhau Point in 2023 is similar to pre‐earthquake estimates. This indicates that the earthquake has disrupted previously documented growth at this site. The distribution of NZFS breeding at Ōhau Point has also changed substantially since the last pre‐earthquake assessment. From these findings, alterations to the Ōhau Point New Zealand Fur Seal Sanctuary and similar protections at other locations on the Kaikōura coast are suggested, as greater numbers of NZFSs are now accessible to human interaction and disturbance. The results demonstrate both how natural disasters and subsequent infrastructure modifications can impact coastal species and how conservation measures may need to be amended accordingly.

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Living on the edge: identifying demographic bottlenecks in an isolated sage‐grouse population

Sink,

Dugger,

Hagen

et al. 2024

Wildlife Biology

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The greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus: hereafter sage‐grouse) population in Modoc County California is geographically isolated and contains a single lek (from 56 leks in the 1940s), despite significant efforts to increase the population through translocations and habitat improvement. Repeated wildfire within the landscape has led to an increase in invasive annual grasses and a decrease in sagebrush (Artemisia sp.) cover in important nesting and brood‐rearing habitat. We estimated survival for adult females, nests, and chicks and assessed biotic characteristics that may influence these survival estimates to identify factors that may be limiting population growth. We monitored 37 female sage‐grouse marked with GPS PTTS, 39 nests, and 8 broods for 3 years (2019–2021). We measured vegetation characteristics for nests at the microsite and landscape scale to evaluate effects on daily nest survival (DNS). We used survival rates from all life stages to parameterize matrix models and estimate population growth rate. Mean nest success over 3 years was 29% (95% CI: 17.1–44.8) across a 29‐day incubation period and DNS declined as the proportion of both medusahead Taeniatherum caput‐medusae and Japanese brome Bromus japonicus around the nest increased. Across all three years, mean chick survival across a 54‐day period was 44% (95% CI: 0.9–72.3) and mean annual survival for adult females was 29% (95% CI: 17.8–43.7). Our estimated vital rates were 45–55% lower than distribution‐wide estimates and the projected population growth rate was strongly declining (0.411, 95% CI: 0.30–0.52). Our results suggested recent cover changes associated with wildfire on the study area may have had a detrimental effect on this population across all life stages, and if attention is not given to preventing the transition from sagebrush communities into invasive grasslands, this population and others in degraded landscapes may not persist.

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Maladaptive nest‐site selection and reduced nest survival in female sage‐grouse following wildfire

Cited by 11 publications

References 60 publications

Large-scale wildfire reduces population growth in a peripheral population of sage-grouse

Large-scale wildfire reduces population growth in a peripheral population of sage-grouse

Earthquake impacts on a protected pinniped in New Zealand

Living on the edge: identifying demographic bottlenecks in an isolated sage‐grouse population

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