Life Sciences Commons^™

North Dakota Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Recovery Project: Using Translocation To Prevent State-Wide Extirpation And Develop Rangewide Protocols, Kade D. Lazenby

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocurcus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) are the largest grouse species in North America. Sage-grouse occupy 11 western states, extending into North Dakota. North Dakota sage-grouse population is part of the Great Plains Management Zone. Conservation of sage-grouse has been on the forefront of conservation management 1990s. In 2015 the USFWS declared sage-grouse were not warranted for listing based on significant management efforts. Translocations of sage-grouse to prevent populations from extirpation are an example of these efforts.

Translocations have been described as movement and release of animals into a novel environment. There have been more than 7200 sage-grouse …

Ecology Of Greater Sage-Grouse Inhabiting The Southern Portion Of The Rich-Morgan-Summit Sage-Grouse Management Area, M. Brandon Flack

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) are sagebrush obligates and are therefore considered to be key indicators of sagebrush ecosystem health. Sage-grouse populations have declined range-wide over the last century due to loss and fragmentation of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats. Sage-grouse populations found in large intact sagebrush landscapes are considered to be more resilient, however, some small isolated populations persist and thrive in fragmented landscapes. Because of Utah’s unique topography and geography, sage-grouse habitat is discontinuous and populations are naturally dispersed throughout the state in suitable intact blocks or in disconnected islands of sagebrush habitat. Thus, Utah populations …

Factors Influencing The Ecology Of Greater Sage-Grouse Inhabiting The Bear Lake Plateau And Valley, Idaho And Utah, Casey J. Cardinal

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) are a sagebrush obligate species and as such an indicator of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitat quality and quantity. Sage-grouse populations have declined across western North America. This decline has been attributed to habitat loss and degradation of the sagebrush ecosystem. To determine factors that may cause localized declines in sage-grouse populations, managers may need site-specific information on the ecology and habitat use patterns of meta-populations. This information is currently lacking for sage-grouse populations that inhabit the Bear Lake Plateau and Valley (BLPV), encompassing parts of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. I captured, radio-marked …

Common Raven Density And Greater Sage-Grouse Nesting Success In Southern Wyoming: Potential Conservation And Management Implications, Jonathan B. Dinkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Declines in the distribution and abundance of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter "sage-grouse") in western North America over the past century have been severe. The goal of my research was to increase the understanding of factors influencing where sage-grouse hens placed their nests, how common ravens (Corvus corax: hereafter "raven") impacted sage-grouse nest success, and whether high raptor densities negatively impacted hen survival of sage-grouse. I compared raven and raptor densities at sage-grouse nest and brood locations to available habitat. I also assessed how sage-grouse positioned their nests and broods relative to proximity to man-made structures, …

Vital Rates, Population Trends, And Habitat-Use Patterns Of A Translocated Greater Sage-Grouse Population: Implications For Future Translocations, Orrin V. Duvuvuei

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) populations have declined range-wide with some local populations exhibiting dramatic decreases. In 2009–2010, radio-marked hens (30 hens in 2009 and 30 hens in 2010) were translocated from Parker Mountain in south-central Utah to augment a rapidly declining population on Anthro Mountain in northeastern Utah. Thirty-two resident female sage-grouse on Anthro Mountain were also radio-collared from 2009–2012.

I compared population vital rates (i.e., nest and brood success, and survival) of resident and translocated hens in Anthro Mountain’s population to those of a translocated population in Strawberry Valley, Utah and the source population. Of these …

Ecology Of Isolated Greater Sage-Grouse Populations Inhabiting The Wildcat Knolls And Horn Mountain, Southcentral Utah, Christopher J. Perkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) currently inhabit about 56% of pre-settlement distribution of potential habitat. In 2005, the Castle Country Adaptive Resources Management Local Working Group (CaCoARM) was formed to address concerns regarding local sage-grouse populations in Carbon and Emery counties. In 2006-2007, CaCoARM identified the Wildcat Knolls and Horn Mountain as areas of special concern for greater sage-grouse conservation. Both sites selected by the group were inhabited by what appeared to be small isolated sage-grouse populations. Factors limiting small isolated greater sage-grouse populations throughout its range are diverse and largely site-specific.

During 2008-2009, I captured, radio-collared, and monitored …

Greater Sage-Grouse Response To Sagebrush Reduction Treatments In Rich County, Utah, Roger Blair Stringham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Management of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the west has changed over the last several decades in response to environmental and anthropogenic causes. Many land and wildlife management agencies have begun manipulating sagebrush with herbicides, machinery, and fire. The intent of these manipulations (treatments) is to reduce sagebrush canopy cover and increase the density of grass and forb species, thus providing higher quality sage-grouse brood-rearing habitat. However, monitoring of sage-grouse response to such manipulations has often been lacking or non-existent. The objective of our study was to determine the response of sage-grouse to sagebrush reduction treatments that have …

Greater Sage-Grouse And Energy Development In Northeastern Utah: Implications For Management, Leah Suzanne Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Concern regarding the effect of energy development on greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is increasing as the search for fossil fuel intensifies. Sage-grouse may be especially sensitive to energy development because they require large, diverse areas of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitat to complete their life cycle. Additionally, the network of pipelines, roads, and wells required by energy development may fragment sagebrush habitat isolating populations and contributing to genetic drift, inbreeding, local extinction, or rapid divergence.

Seep Ridge, located in northeastern Utah, is one area where sage-grouse habitat and energy development plans overlap. Approved leases call for the construction …