Comparing Ground Cover Conditions and Greater Sage‐Grouse Lek Counts Between Two Management Systems by Gregg Simonds and Eric Sant, Open Range Consulting
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This document compares greater sage-grouse lek counts and ground cover conditions between two land management systems - Three Creeks and DLL - over 17 years. It finds that the DLL system, which uses targeted grazing management and treatments, had higher sagebrush cover, more perennial grass, fewer juniper trees, and greater sage-grouse numbers compared to the Three Creeks system, which uses seasonal long grazing. Graphs and tables show differences in land cover, sagebrush acres per male grouse, and males counted on leks between the two systems over time. The conclusion is that spatially explicit vegetation maps at different scales can help describe habitat functionality and relationships between management actions and habitat conditions.
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Comparing Ground Cover Conditions and Greater Sage‐Grouse Lek Counts Between Two Management Systems by Gregg Simonds and Eric Sant, Open Range Consulting
- 1. Comparing Ground Cover Conditions and Greater Sage‐Grouse Lek Counts Between Two Management Systems Open Range Consulting Gregg Simonds & Eric Sant October, 2013
- 2. Total # Of Males on Leks over 17 Yrs on Three Creeks and DLL 600 500 300 Three Creeks (6 leks) DLL (10 leks) 200 100 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 0 1994 Total Birds 400
- 5. Sagebruhs Acres 300 Acres/Male on Leks (2007) 250 200 150 100 50 0 DLL Three Creeks Males/Lek (2007) 45 Males/Lek 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 DLL Three Creeks
- 6. Percent Cover % Sagebrush Cover betw 2 Landcover Types 25 20 15 DLL 10 3 Creeks 5 0 Tall Sagebrush Short Sagebrush Landcover Types
- 7. Landsat scale From Hunnicutt 1992 Early Brood Nesting Late Brood 90m Less heterogeneous More heterogeneous
- 9. Sagebrush Class Comparison (Within 2 Miles of Leks) 80% Percent of Area Occupied 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 0%-10% 10%-20% 20% and Greater Cover Class DLL Three Creeks
- 12. Males on Leks Herb 2005 2004 2003 2005 2004 2003 Treatments 10 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 20 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 0 1995 MALES ON LEKS 60 34 50 32 40 30 28 30 26 24 22 20 % HERBACEOUS COVER Males on Leks & Herbaceous Cover
- 13. Percent Sagebrush Coverage Different Management Three Creeks • Mostly Public • Season Long Grazing • 6.75 Acres/AUM DLL • Mostly Private • Mgt.Rest,Treatments • 4.4 Acres/AUM
- 14. Conclusions Conclusions Provide Spatially Explicit Vegetation Maps At All Scales Population Area, Core Area, Seasonal Habitats Can Describe Area Functionality Cover, Diversity, Food Can Make Relationships Between Management Action and Habitat Cond Grazing and Treatments Provide Baseline Information and Provide Timely Updates Cheaply For Regional and Local Planning and Mitigation Crediting