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Slabe VA, Warner KS, Duran Z, Pilliod DS, Ortiz PA, Schmidt D, Szabo S, Katzner TE. Lead exposure of a fossorial rodent varies with the use of ammunition across the landscape. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 954:176406. [PMID: 39304143 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to heavy metals has been documented in a wide range of wildlife species, but infrequently in ground squirrels. This is despite their tendency to be targets of recreational shooters and the accumulation of lead ammunition in the soil environments they inhabit. We analyzed lead and copper concentrations in liver (nPb = 116, nCu = 101) and femur (nPb = 116, nCu = 116) of Piute ground squirrels (Urocitellus mollis) and in soil (n = 75) on public lands in southwestern Idaho to understand how lead exposure may vary across a gradient of intensities and histories of shooting activity. The liver and femur of squirrels from areas used for recreational shooting for >30 years had elevated lead concentrations relative to areas where shooting was rare or did not occur (our negative control), but as expected, lower than areas used for military target training for >70 years (our positive control). Lead concentration in soils were higher in areas used for military target training than in those used for recreational shooting. There were no differences in copper concentrations in biological or soil samples among sites. These data suggest that ground squirrels can be influenced by the history of lead use in their local environment, and they illustrate another pathway by which human activity can influence toxicant exposure to wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent A Slabe
- Conservation Science Global, Inc., Bozeman, MT, USA; The Peregrine Fund, Boise, ID, USA.
| | | | - Zoe Duran
- Idaho Army National Guard, Boise, ID, USA
| | - David S Pilliod
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Patricia A Ortiz
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Diane Schmidt
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID, USA
| | | | - Todd E Katzner
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID, USA
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2
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Price SJ, Germino MJ. Variability in weather and site properties affect fuel and fire behavior following fuel treatments in semiarid sagebrush-steppe. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 353:120154. [PMID: 38308992 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Fuel-treatments targeting shrubs and fire-prone exotic annual grasses (EAGs) are increasingly used to mitigate increased wildfire risks in arid and semiarid environments, and understanding their response to natural factors is needed for effective landscape management. Using field-data collected over four years from fuel-break treatments in semiarid sagebrush-steppe, we asked 1) how the outcomes of EAG and sagebrush fuel treatments varied with site biophysical properties, climate, and weather, and 2) how predictions of fire behavior using the Fuel Characteristic Classification System fire model related to land-management objectives of maintaining fire behavior expected of low-load, dry-climate grasslands. Generalized linear mixed effect modeling with build-up model selection was used to determine best-fit models, and marginal effects plots to assess responses for each fuel type. EAG cover decreased as antecedent-fall precipitation increased and increased as antecedent-spring temperatures and surface soil clay contents increased. Herbicides targeting EAGs were less effective where pre-treatment EAG cover was >40 % and antecedent spring temperatures were >9.5 °C. Sagebrush cover was inversely related to soil clay content, especially where clay contents were >17 %. Predicted fire behavior exceeded management objectives under 1) average fire weather conditions when EAG or sagebrush cover was >50 % or >26 %, respectively, or 2) extreme fire weather conditions when EAG or sagebrush cover was >10 % or >8 %, respectively. Consideration of the strong effects of natural variability in site properties and antecedent weather can help in justifying, planning and implementing fuel-treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Jake Price
- US Geological Service, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise ID, 83702, USA
| | - Matthew J Germino
- US Geological Service, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise ID, 83702, USA.
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3
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Root HT, Chan J, Ponzetti J, Pyke DA, McCune B. Long-term biocrust responses to wildfires in Washington, USA. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2023; 110:e16261. [PMID: 38031439 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Dryland ecosystems in the western United States are affected by invasive species, wildfires, livestock grazing, and climate change in ways that are difficult to distinguish. Biocrusts perform important ecological roles in these systems and are sensitive to all of these pressures. METHODS We revisited a Washington, USA, site sampled for biocrusts in 1999 to focus on effects of exotic annual grass invasion and wildfires in the absence of livestock grazing. We examined changes between 1999 and 2020 using a Bayesian directed acyclic graph (DAG) to interpret direct and indirect causal impacts of wildfire on perennial bunchgrasses, exotic annual grasses, and biocrusts. RESULTS Between 1999 and 2020, exotic annual grass cover increased in all plots and in unburned plots by 16% and 18%, respectively, bunchgrass cover decreased by 21% and 25%, and biocrust cover decreased by 8.9% and 9.8%. Our DAG suggested that decreases in bunchgrass increased exotic annual grass, which reduced biocrust cover. Wildfires did not directly influence changes in bunchgrass, exotic annual grass, or biocrust cover. Areas dominated by exotic annual grass had less abundant and diverse biocrusts than areas with less exotic annual grass. CONCLUSIONS Biocrust community changes were more strongly related to increasing exotic annual grasses than to wildfires. Changes may relate to other soil disturbances or broad-scale changes in climate or air quality. The minimal influence of wildfire on exotic annual grass and biocrusts suggests that apparent negative impacts of wildfire at other sites may be due to exacerbation by livestock grazing or other surface disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather T Root
- Department of Botany and Plant Ecology, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, 84401, USA
| | - Julian Chan
- Department of Mathematics, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, 84401, USA
| | | | - David A Pyke
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest & Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon, 97330, USA
| | - Bruce McCune
- Department of Botany & Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, 2082 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA
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4
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Tyrrell EA, Coates PS, Prochazka BG, Brussee BE, Espinosa SP, Hull JM. Wildfire immediately reduces nest and adult survival of greater sage-grouse. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10970. [PMID: 37414751 PMCID: PMC10326004 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32937-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Wildfire events are becoming more frequent and severe on a global scale. Rising temperatures, prolonged drought, and the presence of pyrophytic invasive grasses are contributing to the degradation of native vegetation communities. Within the Great Basin region of the western U.S., increasing wildfire frequency is transforming the ecosystem toward a higher degree of homogeneity, one dominated by invasive annual grasses and declining landscape productivity. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) are a species of conservation concern that rely on large tracts of structurally and functionally diverse sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) communities. Using a 12-year (2008-2019) telemetry dataset, we documented immediate impacts of wildfire on demographic rates of a population of sage-grouse that were exposed to two large wildfire events (Virginia Mountains Fire Complex-2016; Long Valley Fire-2017) near the border of California and Nevada. Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in demographic rates were accounted for using a Before-After Control-Impact Paired Series (BACIPS) study design. Results revealed a 40% reduction in adult survival and a 79% reduction in nest survival within areas impacted by wildfires. Our results indicate that wildfire has strong and immediate impacts to two key life stages of a sagebrush indicator species and underscores the importance of fire suppression and immediate restoration following wildfire events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmy A Tyrrell
- Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of California Davis, 2251 Meyer Hall, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Peter S Coates
- Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA.
| | - Brian G Prochazka
- Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Brianne E Brussee
- Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Shawn P Espinosa
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 6980 Sierra Center Parkway, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - Joshua M Hull
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of California Davis, 2251 Meyer Hall, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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Weise CL, Brussee BE, Coates PS, Shinneman DJ, Crist MR, Aldridge CL, Heinrichs JA, Ricca MA. A retrospective assessment of fuel break effectiveness for containing rangeland wildfires in the sagebrush biome. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 341:117903. [PMID: 37146489 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Escalated wildfire activity within the western U.S. has widespread societal impacts and long-term consequences for the imperiled sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) biome. Shifts from historical fire regimes and the interplay between frequent disturbance and invasive annual grasses may initiate permanent state transitions as wildfire frequency outpaces sagebrush communities' innate capacity to recover. Therefore, wildfire management is at the core of conservation plans for sagebrush ecosystems, especially critical habitat for species of conservation concern such as the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse). Fuel breaks help facilitate wildfire suppression by modifying behavior through fuels modification and allowing safe access points for containment by firefighters. The Bureau of Land Management has proposed to roughly double the existing fuel break network in the western U.S., centered on the Great Basin. To our knowledge, no broad-scale examination of fuel break effectiveness or the environmental conditions under which fuel breaks are expected to be most effective has been conducted. We performed a retrospective assessment of probability of fuel break contributing to wildfire containment on recorded wildfire and fuel break interactions from 1985 to 2018 within the western U.S. We characterized environmental, fuels, and weather conditions within 500 m of wildfire contact, and within 5 km of the approaching wildfire. We used a binomial mixed model within a Bayesian framework to identify relationships between these variables and fuel break success. Fuel breaks were least successful in areas classified as having low resilience to disturbance and low resistance to invasion, in areas composed of primarily woody fuels, and when operating in high temperature and low precipitation conditions. Fuel breaks were most effective in areas where fine fuels dominated and in areas that were readily accessible. Maintenance history and fuel break type also contributed to the probability of containment. Overall results indicate a complex and sometimes paradoxical relationship between landscape characteristics that promote wildfire spread and those that impact fuel break effectiveness. Finally, we developed predictive maps of fuel break effectiveness by fuel break type to further elucidate these complex relationships and to inform urgently needed fuel break placement and maintenance priorities across the sagebrush biome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cali L Weise
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Brianne E Brussee
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Peter S Coates
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA.
| | - Douglas J Shinneman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 230 N. Collins Rd., Boise, ID, 83706, USA
| | - Michele R Crist
- Bureau of Land Management, National Interagency Fire Center, 3833 Development Avenue, Boise, ID, 83705-5354, USA
| | - Cameron L Aldridge
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building C, Fort Collins, CO, 80526-8118, USA
| | - Julie A Heinrichs
- Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University; in Cooperation with U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building C, Fort Collins, CO, 80526-8118, USA
| | - Mark A Ricca
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA; U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 777 NW 9th St #400, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA
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6
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Stevens BS, Roberts SB, Conway CJ, Englestead DK. Effects of large-scale disturbance on animal space use: Functional responses by greater sage-grouse after megafire. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9933. [PMID: 37038512 PMCID: PMC10082181 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Global change has altered the nature of disturbance regimes, and megafire events are increasingly common. Megafires result in immediate changes to habitat available to terrestrial wildlife over broad landscapes, yet we know surprisingly little about how such changes shape space use of sensitive species in habitat that remains. Functional responses provide a framework for understanding and predicting changes in space use following habitat alteration, but no previous studies have assessed functional responses as a consequence of megafire. We studied space use and tested for functional responses in habitat use by breeding greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) before and after landscape-level changes induced by a >40,000 ha, high-intensity megafire that burned sagebrush steppe in eastern Idaho, USA. We also incorporated functional responses into predictive resource selection functions (RSFs) to map breeding habitat before and after the fire. Megafire had strong effects on the distribution of available resources and resulted in context-dependent habitat use that was heterogeneous across different components of habitat. We observed functional responses in the use and selection of a variety of resources (shrubs and herbaceous vegetation) for both nesting and brood rearing. Functional responses in the use of nesting habitat were influenced by the overarching effect of megafire on vegetation, whereas responses during brood rearing appeared to be driven by individual variation in available resources that were conditional on nest locations. Importantly, RSFs built using data collected prior to the burn also had poor transferability for predicting space use in a post-megafire landscape. These results have strong implications for understanding and predicting how animals respond to a rapidly changing environment, given that increased severity, frequency, and extent of wildfire are consequences of global change with the capacity to reshape ecosystems. We therefore demonstrate a conceptual framework to better understand space use and aid habitat conservation for wildlife in a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan S. Stevens
- Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish and Wildlife SciencesUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
| | | | - Courtney J. Conway
- U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
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7
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Revolinski SR, Maughan PJ, Coleman CE, Burke IC. Preadapted to adapt: underpinnings of adaptive plasticity revealed by the downy brome genome. Commun Biol 2023; 6:326. [PMID: 36973344 PMCID: PMC10042881 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04620-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bromus tectorum L. is arguably the most successful invasive weed in the world. It has fundamentally altered arid ecosystems of the western United States, where it now found on an excess of 20 million hectares. Invasion success is related to avoidance of abiotic stress and human management. Early flowering is a heritable trait utilized by B. tectorum, enabling the species to temporally monopolize limited resources and outcompete the native plant community. Thus, understanding the genetic underpinning of flowering time is critical for the design of integrated management strategies. To study flowering time traits in B. tectorum, we assembled a chromosome scale reference genome for B. tectorum. To assess the utility of the assembled genome, 121 diverse B. tectorum accessions are phenotyped and subjected to a genome wide association study (GWAS). Candidate genes, representing homologs of genes that have been previously associated with plant height or flowering phenology traits in related species are located near QTLs we identified. This study uses a high-resolution GWAS to identify reproductive phenology genes in a weedy species and represents a considerable step forward in understanding the mechanisms underlying genetic plasticity in one of the most successful invasive weed species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel R Revolinski
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Peter J Maughan
- Department of Plant & Wildlife Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Craig E Coleman
- Department of Plant & Wildlife Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Ian C Burke
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
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8
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Tomat-Kelly G, Flory SL. Research gaps limit understanding of invasion-fire cycles. Biol Invasions 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02951-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
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9
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Fernández-Guisuraga JM, Calvo L, Fernandes PM, Hulet A, Perryman B, Schultz B, Jensen KS, Enterkine J, Boyd CS, Davies KW, Johnson DD, Wollstein K, Price WJ, Arispe SA. Estimates of fine fuel litter biomass in the northern Great Basin reveal increases during short fire-free intervals associated with invasive annual grasses. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160634. [PMID: 36462652 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Exotic annual grasses invasion across northern Great Basin rangelands has promoted a grass-fire cycle that threatens the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe ecosystem. In this sense, high accumulation rates and persistence of litter from annual species largely increase the amount and continuity of fine fuels. Here, we highlight the potential use and transferability of remote sensing-derived products to estimate litter biomass on sagebrush rangelands in southeastern Oregon, and link fire regime attributes (fire-free period) with litter biomass spatial patterns at the landscape scale. Every June, from 2018 to 2021, we measured litter biomass in 24 field plots (60 m × 60 m). Two remote sensing-derived datasets were used to predict litter biomass measured in the field plots. The first dataset used was the 30-m annual net primary production (NPP) product partitioned into plant functional traits (annual grass, perennial grass, shrub, and tree) from the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP). The second dataset included topographic variables (heat load index -HLI- and site exposure index -SEI-) computed from the USGS 30-m National Elevation Dataset. Through a frequentist model averaging approach (FMA), we determined that the NPP of annual and perennial grasses, as well as HLI and SEI, were important predictors of field-measured litter biomass in 2018, with the model featuring a high overall fit (R2 = 0.61). Model transferability based on extrapolating the FMA predictive relationships from 2018 to the following years provided similar overall fits (R2 ≈ 0.5). The fire-free period had a significant effect on the litter biomass accumulation on rangelands within the study site, with greater litter biomass in areas where the fire-free period was <10 years. Our findings suggest that the proposed remote sensing-derived products could be a key instrument to equip rangeland managers with additional information towards fuel management, fire management, and restoration efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Manuel Fernández-Guisuraga
- Centro de Investigação e de Tecnologias Agroambientais e Biológicas, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of León, 24071 León, Spain.
| | - Leonor Calvo
- Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Paulo M Fernandes
- Centro de Investigação e de Tecnologias Agroambientais e Biológicas, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - April Hulet
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Barry Perryman
- Department of Agriculture, Veterinary, and Rangeland Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Brad Schultz
- University of Reno Cooperative Extension Winnemucca County, University of Nevada, Winnemucca, NV 89445, USA
| | - K Scott Jensen
- University of Idaho Extension Service-Owyhee County, University of Idaho, Marsing, ID 83669, USA
| | - Josh Enterkine
- Department of Geosciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83706, USA
| | - Chad S Boyd
- USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Burns, OR 97720, USA
| | - Kirk W Davies
- USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Burns, OR 97720, USA
| | - Dustin D Johnson
- Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center-Burns, Oregon State University, Burns, OR 97720, USA
| | - Katherine Wollstein
- Oregon State University Extension Service-Malheur & Harney Counties, Oregon State University, Burns, OR 97720, USA
| | - William J Price
- Oregon State University Extension Service-Baker & Union Counties, Oregon State University, Baker City, OR 97814, USA
| | - Sergio A Arispe
- Oregon State University Extension Service-Malheur County, Oregon State University, Ontario, OR 97914, USA
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10
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Crist MR. Rethinking the focus on forest fires in federal wildland fire management: Landscape patterns and trends of non-forest and forest burned area. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 327:116718. [PMID: 36565577 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
For most of the 20th century and beyond, national wildland fire policies concerning fire suppression and fuels management have primarily focused on forested lands. Using summary statistics and landscape metrics, wildfire spatial patterns and trends for non-forest and forest burned area over the past two decades were examined across the U.S, and federal agency jurisdictions. This study found that wildfires burned more area of non-forest lands than forest lands at the scale of the conterminous and western U.S. and the Department of Interior (DOI). In an agency comparison, 74% of DOI burned area occurred on non-forest lands and 78% of U.S. Forest Service burned area occurred on forested lands. Landscape metrics revealed key differences between forest and non-forest fire patterns and trends in total burned area, burned patch size, distribution, and aggregation over time across the western U.S. Opposite fire patterns emerged between non-forest and forest burns when analyzed at the scale of federal agency jurisdictions. In addition, a fire regime departure analysis comparing current large fire probability with historic fire trends identified certain vegetation types and locations experiencing more fire than historically. These patterns were especially pronounced for cold desert shrublands, such as sagebrush where increases in annual area burned, and fire frequency, size, and juxtaposition have resulted in substantial losses over a twenty-year period. The emerging non-forest fire patterns are primarily due to the rapid expansion of non-native invasive grasses that increase fuel connectivity and fire spread. These invasions promote uncharacteristic frequent fire and loss of native ecosystems at large-scales, accelerating the need to place greater focus on managing invasive species in wildland fire management. Results can be used to inform wildfire management and policy aimed at reducing uncharacteristic wildfire processes and patterns for both non-forest and forest ecosystems as well as identify differing management strategies needed to address the unique wildfire issues each federal agency faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele R Crist
- Landscape Ecologist, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Fire and Aviation Directorate, Boise, ID, 83705, USA.
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11
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Stevens BS, Conway CJ, Knetter JM, Roberts SB, Donnelly P. Multi‐scale effects of land cover, weather, and fire on Columbian sharp‐tailed grouse. J Wildl Manage 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan S. Stevens
- Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho 875 Perimeter Drive MS 1136 Moscow ID 83844‐1136 USA
| | - Courtney J. Conway
- U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho 875 Perimeter Drive MS 1141 Moscow ID 83844‐1141 USA
| | | | - Shane B. Roberts
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game 600 South Walnut Boise ID 83712 USA
| | - Patrick Donnelly
- Intermountain West Joint Venture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ‐ Migratory Bird Program Missoula MT 59801 USA
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12
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Germino MJ, Kluender CR, Anthony CR. Plant community trajectories following livestock exclusion for conservation vary and hinge on initial invasion and soil‐biocrust conditions in shrub steppe. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Germino
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Chad R. Kluender
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
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13
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Schuyler EM, Hagen CA, Anthony CR, Foster LJ, Dugger KM. Temporal mismatch in space use by a sagebrush obligate species after large‐scale wildfire. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M. Schuyler
- Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Christian A. Hagen
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | | | - Lee J. Foster
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Salem Oregon USA
| | - Katie M. Dugger
- U.S. Geological Survey, Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
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14
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Arkle RS, Pilliod DS, Germino MJ, Jeffries MI, Welty JL. Reestablishing a foundational species: Limitations on post‐wildfire sagebrush seedling establishment. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robert S. Arkle
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - David S. Pilliod
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Matthew J. Germino
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Michelle I. Jeffries
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Justin L. Welty
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
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15
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Roth CL, O'Neil ST, Coates PS, Ricca MA, Pyke DA, Aldridge CL, Heinrichs JA, Espinosa SP, Delehanty DJ. Targeting Sagebrush (Artemisia Spp.) Restoration Following Wildfire with Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Nest Selection and Survival Models. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 70:288-306. [PMID: 35687203 PMCID: PMC9252971 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-022-01649-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Unprecedented conservation efforts for sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems across the western United States have been catalyzed by risks from escalated wildfire activity that reduces habitat for sagebrush-obligate species such as Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). However, post-fire restoration is challenged by spatial variation in ecosystem processes influencing resilience to disturbance and resistance to non-native invasive species, and spatial and temporal lags between slower sagebrush recovery processes and faster demographic responses of sage-grouse to loss of important habitat. Decision-support frameworks that account for these factors can help users strategically apply restoration efforts by predicting short and long-term ecological benefits of actions. Here, we developed a framework that strategically targets burned areas for restoration actions (e.g., seeding or planting sagebrush) that have the greatest potential to positively benefit sage-grouse populations through time. Specifically, we estimated sagebrush recovery following wildfire and risk of non-native annual grass invasion under four scenarios: passive recovery, grazing exclusion, active restoration with seeding, and active restoration with seedling transplants. We then applied spatial predictions of integrated nest site selection and survival models before wildfire, immediately following wildfire, and at 30 and 50 years post-wildfire based on each restoration scenario and measured changes in habitat. Application of this framework coupled with strategic planting designs aimed at developing patches of nesting habitat may help increase operational resilience for fire-impacted sagebrush ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cali L Roth
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Shawn T O'Neil
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Peter S Coates
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA.
| | - Mark A Ricca
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - David A Pyke
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 777 NW 9th Street, Suite 400, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA
| | - Cameron L Aldridge
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building C, Fort Collins, CO, 80526-8118, USA
| | - Julie A Heinrichs
- Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, in cooperation with U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Colorado State University, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building C, Fort Collins, CO, 80526-8118, USA
| | - Shawn P Espinosa
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 6980 Sierra Center Parkway #120, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - David J Delehanty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, USA
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16
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Pyke DA, Shaff SE, Chambers JC, Schupp EW, Newingham BA, Gray ML, Ellsworth LM. Ten‐year ecological responses to fuel treatments within semiarid Wyoming big sagebrush ecosystems. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David A. Pyke
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Scott E. Shaff
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Jeanne C. Chambers
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Reno Nevada USA
| | - Eugene W. Schupp
- Department of Wildland Resources/Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah USA
| | - Beth A. Newingham
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Great Basin Rangelands Research Unit Reno Nevada USA
| | - Margaret L. Gray
- Department of Wildland Resources/Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah USA
| | - Lisa M. Ellsworth
- Fisheries and Wildlife Department Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
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17
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Bishop TBB, Lee Molinari R, St. Clair SB. Post‐fire restoration seeding success increases with early fall seeding and simulated precipitation in the Great Basin Desert of North America. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tara B. B. Bishop
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University, 4124 LSB Provo UT 84602 USA
- US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, 720 North 500 East Provo UT 84604 USA
| | - Rebecca Lee Molinari
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University, 4124 LSB Provo UT 84602 USA
| | - Samuel B. St. Clair
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University, 4124 LSB Provo UT 84602 USA
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18
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Svejcar LN, Kerby JD, Svejcar TJ, Mackey B, Boyd CS, Baughman OW, Madsen MD, Davies KW. Plant recruitment in drylands varies by site, year and seeding technique. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren N. Svejcar
- Rangeland scientists, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Services (ARS), Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center Burns OR 97720 USA
| | - Jay D. Kerby
- Southeast Oregon Project Manager, The Nature Conservancy Burns OR 97720 USA
- Current affiliation: Unaffiliated, 4 South Street, Pukerau, 9772 New Zealand
| | - Tony J. Svejcar
- Rangeland scientists, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Services (ARS), Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center Burns OR 97720 USA
| | - Bruce Mackey
- Statistician, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Services (ARS), Pacific West Area office Albany CA 94710 USA
| | - Chad S. Boyd
- Rangeland scientists, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Services (ARS), Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center Burns OR 97720 USA
| | | | - Matthew D. Madsen
- Brigham Young University, Plant and Wildlife Sciences, 5048 LSB Provo UT 84602 USA
| | - Kirk W. Davies
- Rangeland scientists, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Services (ARS), Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center Burns OR 97720 USA
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19
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Simler‐Williamson AB, Applestein C, Germino MJ. Interannual variation in climate contributes to contingency in post‐fire restoration outcomes in seeded sagebrush steppe. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Allison B. Simler‐Williamson
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Cara Applestein
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Matthew J. Germino
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
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20
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Invasion of annual grasses following wildfire corresponds to maladaptive habitat selection by a sagebrush ecosystem indicator species. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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21
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Loehman RA, Heyerdahl EK, Pederson GT, McWethy D. Climate and Landscape Controls on Old-Growth Western Juniper Demography in the Northern Great Basin, USA. Ecosystems 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-022-00762-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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22
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Multi-Species Inference of Exotic Annual and Native Perennial Grasses in Rangelands of the Western United States Using Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 Data. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14040807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
The invasion of exotic annual grass (EAG), e.g., cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), into rangeland ecosystems of the western United States is a broad-scale problem that affects wildlife habitats, increases wildfire frequency, and adds to land management costs. However, identifying individual species of EAG abundance from remote sensing, particularly at early stages of invasion or growth, can be problematic because of overlapping controls and similar phenological characteristics among native and other exotic vegetation. Subsequently, refining and developing tools capable of quantifying the abundance and phenology of annual and perennial grass species would be beneficial to help inform conservation and management efforts at local to regional scales. Here, we deploy an enhanced version of the U.S. Geological Survey Rangeland Exotic Plant Monitoring System to develop timely and accurate maps of annual (2016–2020) and intra-annual (May 2021 and July 2021) abundances of exotic annual and perennial grass species throughout the rangelands of the western United States. This monitoring system leverages field observations and remote-sensing data with artificial intelligence/machine learning to rapidly produce annual and early season estimates of species abundances at a 30-m spatial resolution. We introduce a fully automated and multi-task deep-learning framework to simultaneously predict and generate weekly, near-seamless composites of Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 spectral data. These data, along with auxiliary datasets and time series metrics, are incorporated into an ensemble of independent XGBoost models. This study demonstrates that inclusion of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and Normalized Difference Wetness Index time-series data generated from our deep-learning framework enables near real-time and accurate mapping of EAG (Median Absolute Error (MdAE): 3.22, 2.72, and 0.02; and correlation coefficient (r): 0.82, 0.81, and 0.73; respectively for EAG, cheatgrass, and medusahead) and native perennial grass abundance (MdAE: 2.51, r:0.72 for Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda)). Our approach and the resulting data provide insights into rangeland grass dynamics, which will be useful for applications, such as fire and drought monitoring, habitat suitability mapping, as well as land-cover and land-change modelling. Spatially explicit, timely, and accurate species-specific abundance datasets provide invaluable information to land managers.
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Svejcar LN, Brown VS, Ritchie AL, Davies KW, Svejcar TJ. A new perspective and approach to ecosystem restoration: a seed enhancement technology guide and case study. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren N. Svejcar
- USDA‐Agricultural Research Service Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center 67826‐A Hwy 205 Burns OR 97720 U.S.A
| | - Vanessa S. Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia 35 Stirling Highway Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | - Alison L. Ritchie
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia 35 Stirling Highway Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | - Kirk W. Davies
- USDA‐Agricultural Research Service Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center 67826‐A Hwy 205 Burns OR 97720 U.S.A
| | - Tony J. Svejcar
- Oregon State University, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center 67826‐A Hwy 205 Burns OR 97720 U.S.A
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24
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Mahood AL, Jones RO, Board DI, Balch JK, Chambers JC. Interannual climate variability mediates changes in carbon and nitrogen pools caused by annual grass invasion in a semiarid shrubland. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:267-284. [PMID: 34614268 PMCID: PMC9291498 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Exotic plant invasions alter ecosystem properties and threaten ecosystem functions globally. Interannual climate variability (ICV) influences both plant community composition (PCC) and soil properties, and interactions between ICV and PCC may influence nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) pools. We asked how ICV and non-native annual grass invasion covary to influence soil and plant N and C in a semiarid shrubland undergoing widespread ecosystem transformation due to invasions and altered fire regimes. We sampled four progressive stages of annual grass invasion at 20 sites across a large (25,000 km2 ) landscape for plant community composition, plant tissue N and C, and soil total N and C in 2013 and 2016, which followed 2 years of dry and wet conditions, respectively. Multivariate analyses and ANOVAs showed that in invasion stages where native shrub and perennial grass and forb communities were replaced by annual grass-dominated communities, the ecosystem lost more soil N and C in wet years. Path analysis showed that high water availability led to higher herbaceous cover in all invasion stages. In stages with native shrubs and perennial grasses, higher perennial grass cover was associated with increased soil C and N, while in annual-dominated stages, higher annual grass cover was associated with losses of soil C and N. Also, soil total C and C:N ratios were more homogeneous in annual-dominated invasion stages as indicated by within-site standard deviations. Loss of native shrubs and perennial grasses and forbs coupled with annual grass invasion may lead to long-term declines in soil N and C and hamper restoration efforts. Restoration strategies that use innovative techniques and novel species to address increasing temperatures and ICV and emphasize maintaining plant community structure-shrubs, grasses, and forbs-will allow sagebrush ecosystems to maintain C sequestration, soil fertility, and soil heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam L. Mahood
- Department of GeographyUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
- Earth LabUniversity of ColoradoBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Rachel O. Jones
- Department of Biological & Ecological EngineeringOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - David I. Board
- US Forest ServiceRocky Mountain Research StationRenoNevadaUSA
| | - Jennifer K. Balch
- Department of GeographyUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
- Earth LabUniversity of ColoradoBoulderColoradoUSA
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25
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Rohde AT, Pilliod DS. Spatiotemporal dynamics of insect pollinator communities in sagebrush steppe associated with weather and vegetation. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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26
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Pilliod DS, Jeffries MA, Welty JL, Arkle RS. Protecting restoration investments from the cheatgrass‐fire cycle in sagebrush steppe. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David S. Pilliod
- US Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Michelle A. Jeffries
- US Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Justin L. Welty
- US Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Robert S. Arkle
- US Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
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27
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Davies KW, Boyd CS. Seeding locally sourced native compared to introduced bunchgrasses post‐wildfire in frigid Wyoming big sagebrush communities. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kirk W. Davies
- Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center USDA‐Agricultural Research Service Burns Oregon USA
| | - Chad S. Boyd
- Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center USDA‐Agricultural Research Service Burns Oregon USA
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28
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Davies KW, Leger EA, Boyd CS, Hallett LM. Living with exotic annual grasses in the sagebrush ecosystem. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 288:112417. [PMID: 33765575 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Exotic annual grasses dominate millions of hectares and increase fire frequency in the sagebrush ecosystem of North America. This devastating invasion is so costly and challenging to revegetate with perennial vegetation that restoration efforts need to be prioritized and strategically implemented. Management needs to break the annual grass-fire cycle and prevent invasion of new areas, while research is needed to improve restoration success. Under current land management and climate regimes, extensive areas will remain annual grasslands, because of their expansiveness and the low probability of transition to perennial dominance. We propose referring to these communities as Intermountain West Annual Grasslands, recognizing that they are a stable state and require different management goals and objectives than perennial-dominated systems. We need to learn to live with annual grasslands, reducing their costs and increasing benefits derived from them, at the same time maintaining landscape-level plant diversity that could allow transition to perennial dominance under future scenarios. To accomplish this task, we propose a framework and research to improve our ability to live with exotic annual grasses in the sagebrush biome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirk W Davies
- Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, 67826-A Hwy 205, Burns, OR, 97720, USA.
| | - Elizabeth A Leger
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Chad S Boyd
- Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, 67826-A Hwy 205, Burns, OR, 97720, USA
| | - Lauren M Hallett
- Department of Biology and Environmental Studies Program, University of Oregon, 12010 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97405, USA
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29
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Rigge M, Shi H, Postma K. Projected change in rangeland fractional component cover across the sagebrush biome under climate change through 2085. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Rigge
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science Center Sioux Falls South Dakota57198USA
| | - Hua Shi
- AFDS Sioux Falls South Dakota57198USA
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30
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Applestein C, Caughlin TT, Germino MJ. Weather affects post‐fire recovery of sagebrush‐steppe communities and model transferability among sites. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cara Applestein
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center U.S. Geological Survey 970 South Lusk Street Boise Idaho83706USA
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - T. Trevor Caughlin
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Matthew J. Germino
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center U.S. Geological Survey 970 South Lusk Street Boise Idaho83706USA
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31
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Klinger R, Underwood EC, McKinley R, Brooks ML. Contrasting Geographic Patterns of Ignition Probability and Burn Severity in the Mojave Desert. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.593167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent and frequency of fire has increased in many arid systems over the last century, with a large proportion of area in some regions undergoing transitions to novel conditions. Portions of the Mojave Desert in southwestern North America have undergone such transitions, most often from woody to herbaceous-dominated systems. These transitions have often been attributed to the proliferation of invasive annual grasses that promote more frequent fire, but recent evidence indicates that transitions can also occur independent of fire frequency if burn severity is high. In addition, high probability of ignition (i.e., potentially high fire frequency) and high burn severity may not always be geographically related. Therefore, our goals were to: (1) map potential burn severity, fire frequency, and probability of ignition across the Mojave; and, (2) evaluate spatial association among predicted burn severity, fire frequency and probability of ignition. We first mapped perimeters of 250 wildfires > 405 ha that occurred from 1972 to 2010, then extracted data on fire frequency (number of times burned from 1972 to 2010), burn severity (the difference Normalized Burn Ratio), and 15 predictor variables representing physiography, climate, ignition, and vegetation. Maximum entropy was used to predict probability of ignition and Random Forest models were used to predict dNBR and fire frequency. Areas with high burn severity and high ignition probability had opposite spatial trends; areas with high burn severity were predicted to predominantly be in the northwest part of the region whereas areas with high ignition probability were predicted to be in the northeast. The models indicate the existence of a number of spatially structured but temporally dynamic fire regimes throughout the Mojave Desert. Two prevalent and ecologically significant regimes include one with frequent fires of low to moderate severity and another with infrequent fire of high severity. Areas with high fire frequency are currently limited in extent (<1% total area). However, cover of invasive grasses can remain high decades after a burn of high or moderate severity, so grass-fire cycles could develop in areas where there may be expectations of infrequent fire as well as those with relatively high fire frequency.
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32
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Paolini KE, Modlin M, Suazo AA, Pilliod DS, Arkle RS, Vierling KT, Holbrook JD. Harvester ant seed removal in an invaded sagebrush ecosystem: Implications for restoration. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:13731-13741. [PMID: 33391676 PMCID: PMC7771150 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A better understanding of seed movement in plant community dynamics is needed, especially in light of disturbance-driven changes and investments into restoring degraded plant communities. A primary agent of change within the sagebrush-steppe is wildfire and invasion by non-native forbs and grasses, primarily cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Our objectives were to quantify seed removal and evaluate ecological factors influencing seed removal within degraded sagebrush-steppe by granivorous Owyhee harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex salinus Olsen). In 2014, we sampled 76 harvester ant nests across 11 plots spanning a gradient of cheatgrass invasion (40%-91% cover) in southwestern Idaho, United States. We presented seeds from four plant species commonly used in postfire restoration at 1.5 and 3.0 m from each nest to quantify seed removal. We evaluated seed selection for presented species, monthly removal, and whether biotic and abiotic factors (e.g., distance to nearest nest, temperature) influenced seed removal. Our top model indicated seed removal was positively correlated with nest height, an indicator of colony size. Distance to seeds and cheatgrass canopy cover reduced seed removal, likely due to increased search and handling time. Harvester ants were selective, removing Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides) more than any other species presented. We suspect this was due to ease of seed handling and low weight variability. Nest density influenced monthly seed removal, as we estimated monthly removal of 1,890 seeds for 0.25 ha plots with 1 nest and 29,850 seeds for plots with 15 nests. Applying monthly seed removal to historical restoration treatments across the western United States showed harvester ants can greatly reduce seed availability at degraded sagebrush sites; for instance, fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) seeds could be removed in <2 months. Collectively, these results shed light on seed removal by harvester ants and emphasize their potential influence on postfire restoration within invaded sagebrush communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E. Paolini
- Haub School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of WyomingLaramieWYUSA
| | - Matthew Modlin
- Department of Fish and Wildlife SciencesUniversity of IdahoMoscowIDUSA
| | - Alexis A. Suazo
- Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Fire SciencesUniversity of IdahoMoscowIDUSA
| | - David S. Pilliod
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science CenterBoiseIDUSA
| | - Robert S. Arkle
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science CenterBoiseIDUSA
| | - Kerri T. Vierling
- Department of Fish and Wildlife SciencesUniversity of IdahoMoscowIDUSA
| | - Joseph D. Holbrook
- Haub School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of WyomingLaramieWYUSA
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33
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Using native grass seeding and targeted spring grazing to reduce low-level Bromus tectorum invasion on the Colorado Plateau. Biol Invasions 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02397-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractReducing invasive species abundance near the leading edge of invasions is important for maintaining diverse, high-functioning ecosystems, but it can be hard to remove invasives present at low levels within desirable plant communities. Focusing on an invasive annual grass, Bromus tectorum, near the edge of its range in the southern Colorado Plateau, we used an observational study to ask what plant community components were associated with lower levels of B. tectorum, and a manipulative experiment to ask if targeted spring grazing or seeding native competitors were effective for reversing low-level invasion. The observational study found that higher C3 perennial grass cover and shrub cover were associated with lower B. tectorum abundance, and adult Poa fendleriana and Pascopyrum smithii plants had the fewest B. tectorum individuals within 50 cm. Our manipulative experiment used a randomized, hierarchical design to test the relative effectiveness of seeding native perennial grasses using different spatial planting arrangements, seeding rates, seed enhancements, and targeted spring grazing. Two years after seeding, seeded species establishment was 36% greater in high seed rate than unseeded plots, and high rate plots also had lower B. tectorum cover. One season after targeted spring grazing (a single, 2-week spring-grazing treatment 17 months post-seeding), grazed paddocks displayed trends towards higher seeded species densities and lower B. tectorum biomass in certain seeding treatments, compared to ungrazed paddocks. Results suggest high rate native grass seedings may be effective and short-duration spring grazing should be further evaluated as potential tools for preventing ecosystem conversion along invasion fronts.
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34
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Nagy RC, Fusco EJ, Balch JK, Finn JT, Mahood A, Allen JM, Bradley BA. A synthesis of the effects of cheatgrass invasion on US Great Basin carbon storage. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily J. Fusco
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology University of Massachusetts Amherst MA USA
| | - Jennifer K. Balch
- Earth Lab University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
- Department of Geography University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - John T. Finn
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst MA USA
| | - Adam Mahood
- Earth Lab University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
- Department of Geography University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - Jenica M. Allen
- Miller Worley Center for the Environment Mount Holyoke College South Hadley MA USA
| | - Bethany A. Bradley
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology University of Massachusetts Amherst MA USA
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst MA USA
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35
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Katzner TE, Carlisle JD, Poessel SA, Thomason EC, Pauli BP, Pilliod DS, Belthoff JR, Heath JA, Parker KJ, Warner KS, Hayes HM, Aberg MC, Ortiz PA, Amdor SM, Alsup SE, Coates SE, Miller TA, Duran ZK. Illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Todd E. Katzner
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Jay D. Carlisle
- Intermountain Bird Observatory, Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Sharon A. Poessel
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Eve C. Thomason
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
- Raptor Research Center Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Benjamin P. Pauli
- Biology Department Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona Minnesota USA
| | - David S. Pilliod
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - James R. Belthoff
- Raptor Research Center Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Julie A. Heath
- Raptor Research Center Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Kristina J. Parker
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | | | - Heather M. Hayes
- Intermountain Bird Observatory, Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Madeline C. Aberg
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Patricia A. Ortiz
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Sandra M. Amdor
- Raptor Research Center Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Steven E. Alsup
- Raptor Research Center Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Stephanie E. Coates
- Intermountain Bird Observatory, Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Tricia A. Miller
- Conservation Science Global West Cape May New Jersey USA
- Division of Forestry & Natural Resources, West Virginia University Morgantown West Virginia USA
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36
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Land-Use Type as a Driver of Large Wildfire Occurrence in the U.S. Great Plains. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12111869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Wildfire activity has surged in North America’s temperate grassland biome. Like many biomes, this system has undergone drastic land-use change over the last century; however, how various land-use types contribute to wildfire patterns in grassland systems is unclear. We determine if certain land-use types have a greater propensity for large wildfire in the U.S. Great Plains and how this changes given the percentage of land covered by a given land-use type. Almost 90% of the area burned in the Great Plains occurred in woody and grassland land-use types. Although grassland comprised the greatest area burned by large wildfires, woody vegetation burned disproportionately more than any other land-use type in the Great Plains. Wildfires were more likely to occur when woody vegetation composed greater than 20% of the landscape. Wildfires were unlikely to occur in croplands, pasture/hay fields, and developed areas. Although these patterns varied by region, wildfire was most likely to occur in woody vegetation and/or grassland in 13 of 14 ecoregions we assessed. Because woody vegetation is more conducive to extreme wildfire behaviour than other land-use types in the Great Plains, woody encroachment could pose a large risk for increasing wildfire exposure. Regional planning could leverage differential wildfire activity across land-uses to devise targeted approaches that decrease human exposure in a system prone to fire.
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37
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The effects of fire on the thermal environment of sagebrush communities. J Therm Biol 2020; 89:102488. [PMID: 32364967 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.102488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Thermal heterogeneity provides options for organisms during extreme temperatures that can contribute to their fitness. Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) communities exhibit vegetation heterogeneity that creates thermal variation at fine spatial scales. However, fire can change vegetation and thereby variation within the thermal environment of sagebrush communities. To describe spatial and temporal thermal variation of sagebrush communities following wildfire, we measured black bulb temperature (Tbb) at 144 random points dispersed within unburned and burned communities, for 24-h at each random point. We observed a wide thermal gradient in unburned (-7.3° to 63.3 °C) and burned (-4.6° to 64.8 °C) sagebrush communities. Moreover, unburned and burned sagebrush communities displayed high thermal heterogeneity relative to ambient temperature (Tair). Notably, Tbb varied by 47 °C in both unburned and burned communities when Tair was 20 °C. However, fire greatly reduced the buffering capacity and thermal refuge of Wyoming big sagebrush (A. tridentata wyomingensis) communities during low and high Tair. Furthermore, fire increased Tbb in Wyoming big sagebrush and mountain big sagebrush (A. t. vaseyana) during the mid-day hours. These results demonstrate how fire changes the thermal environment of big sagebrush communities and the importance of shrub structure which can provide thermal refuge for organisms in burned communities during extreme low and high Tair.
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38
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Ellsworth LM, Kauffman JB, Reis SA, Sapsis D, Moseley K. Repeated fire altered succession and increased fire behavior in basin big sagebrush–native perennial grasslands. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. Ellsworth
- Fisheries and Wildlife Department Oregon State University 104 Nash Hall Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - J. Boone Kauffman
- Fisheries and Wildlife Department Oregon State University 104 Nash Hall Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Schyler A. Reis
- Fisheries and Wildlife Department Oregon State University 104 Nash Hall Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - David Sapsis
- California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Fire and Resource Assessment Program PO Box 944246 Sacramento California 94244 USA
| | - Kendra Moseley
- United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service 430 G Street, #4164 Davis California 95616 USA
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39
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Bishop TBB, Nusink BC, Lee Molinari R, Taylor JB, St. Clair SB. Earlier fall precipitation and low severity fire impacts on cheatgrass and sagebrush establishment. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tara B. B. Bishop
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
- Southwest Biological Science Center U.S. Geological Survey Moab Utah USA
| | - Baylie C. Nusink
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
| | - Rebecca Lee Molinari
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
| | - Justin B. Taylor
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
| | - Samuel B. St. Clair
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
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40
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Ricca MA, Coates PS. Integrating Ecosystem Resilience and Resistance Into Decision Support Tools for Multi-Scale Population Management of a Sagebrush Indicator Species. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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41
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Reaser JK, Simpson A, Guala GF, Morisette JT, Fuller P. Envisioning a national invasive species information framework. Biol Invasions 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-02141-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
AbstractWith a view toward creating a national Early Detection and Rapid Response Program (EDRR) program, the United States National Invasive Species Council Management Plan for 2016–2018 calls for a series of assessments of federal EDRR capacities, including the evaluation of “relevant federal information systems to provide the data and other information necessary for risk analyses/horizon scanning, rapid specimen identification, and rapid response planning.” This paper is a response to that directive. We provide an overview of information management needs for enacting EDRR and discuss challenges to meeting these needs. We then review the history of relevant US policy directives for advancing invasive species information systems and provide an overview of federal invasive species information system capacities, including current gaps and inconsistencies. We conclude with a summary of key principles and needs for establishing a national invasive species information framework. Our findings are consistent with earlier studies and, thus, emphasize the need to act on long-recognized needs. As a supplement to this paper, we have cataloged federal invasive species databases and information tools identified through this work.
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42
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Wood DJA, Seipel T, Irvine KM, Rew LJ, Stoy PC. Fire and development influences on sagebrush community plant groups across a climate gradient in northern Nevada. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David J. A. Wood
- U.S. Geological Survey Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center Bozeman Montana 59715 USA
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences Montana State University Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
| | - Tim Seipel
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences Montana State University Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
| | - Kathryn M. Irvine
- U.S. Geological Survey Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center Bozeman Montana 59715 USA
| | - Lisa J. Rew
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences Montana State University Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
| | - Paul C. Stoy
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences Montana State University Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
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43
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Barker BS, Pilliod DS, Rigge M, Homer CG. Pre‐fire vegetation drives post‐fire outcomes in sagebrush ecosystems: evidence from field and remote sensing data. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brittany S. Barker
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center US Geological Survey Boise Idaho 83706 USA
- Integrated Plant Protection Center and Department of Horticulture Oregon State University 2040 Cordley Hall Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - David S. Pilliod
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center US Geological Survey Boise Idaho 83706 USA
| | - Matthew Rigge
- Earth Resources Observation and Science Center AFDS, contractor to the US Geological Survey Sioux Falls South Dakota 57198 USA
| | - Collin G. Homer
- Earth Resources Observation and Science Center US Geological Survey Sioux Falls South Dakota 57198 USA
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44
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Fire, livestock grazing, topography, and precipitation affect occurrence and prevalence of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) in the central Great Basin, USA. Biol Invasions 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-02120-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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45
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Chambers JC, Brooks ML, Germino MJ, Maestas JD, Board DI, Jones MO, Allred BW. Operationalizing Resilience and Resistance Concepts to Address Invasive Grass-Fire Cycles. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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46
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Mahood AL, Balch JK. Repeated fires reduce plant diversity in low-elevation Wyoming big sagebrush ecosystems (1984-2014). Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Adam L. Mahood
- Department of Geography; University of Colorado Boulder; GUGG 110, 260 UCB Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
| | - Jennifer K. Balch
- Department of Geography; University of Colorado Boulder; GUGG 110, 260 UCB Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
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47
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Shriver RK, Andrews CM, Pilliod DS, Arkle RS, Welty JL, Germino MJ, Duniway MC, Pyke DA, Bradford JB. Adapting management to a changing world: Warm temperatures, dry soil, and interannual variability limit restoration success of a dominant woody shrub in temperate drylands. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:4972-4982. [PMID: 29964360 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Restoration and rehabilitation of native vegetation in dryland ecosystems, which encompass over 40% of terrestrial ecosystems, is a common challenge that continues to grow as wildfire and biological invasions transform dryland plant communities. The difficulty in part stems from low and variable precipitation, combined with limited understanding about how weather conditions influence restoration outcomes, and increasing recognition that one-time seeding approaches can fail if they do not occur during appropriate plant establishment conditions. The sagebrush biome, which once covered over 620,000 km2 of western North America, is a prime example of a pressing dryland restoration challenge for which restoration success has been variable. We analyzed field data on Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush) restoration collected at 771 plots in 177 wildfire sites across its western range, and used process-based ecohydrological modeling to identify factors leading to its establishment. Our results indicate big sagebrush occurrence is most strongly associated with relatively cool temperatures and wet soils in the first spring after seeding. In particular, the amount of winter snowpack, but not total precipitation, helped explain the availability of spring soil moisture and restoration success. We also find considerable interannual variability in the probability of sagebrush establishment. Adaptive management strategies that target seeding during cool, wet years or mitigate effects of variability through repeated seeding may improve the likelihood of successful restoration in dryland ecosystems. Given consistent projections of increasing temperatures, declining snowpack, and increasing weather variability throughout midlatitude drylands, weather-centric adaptive management approaches to restoration will be increasingly important for dryland restoration success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert K Shriver
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Arizona
| | - Caitlin M Andrews
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Arizona
| | - David S Pilliod
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Boise, Idaho
| | - Robert S Arkle
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Boise, Idaho
| | - Justin L Welty
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Boise, Idaho
| | - Matthew J Germino
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Boise, Idaho
| | - Michael C Duniway
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Moab, Utah
| | - David A Pyke
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - John B Bradford
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Arizona
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48
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Jones MO, Allred BW, Naugle DE, Maestas JD, Donnelly P, Metz LJ, Karl J, Smith R, Bestelmeyer B, Boyd C, Kerby JD, McIver JD. Innovation in rangeland monitoring: annual, 30 m, plant functional type percent cover maps for U.S. rangelands, 1984–2017. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew O. Jones
- Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula Montana 59812 USA
- W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - Brady W. Allred
- Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula Montana 59812 USA
- W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - David E. Naugle
- W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - Jeremy D. Maestas
- Natural Resources Conservation Service West National Technology Support Center Portland Oregon 97232 USA
| | - Patrick Donnelly
- Intermountain West Joint Venture United States Fish and Wildlife Service 32 Campus Drive, Forestry Building 302 Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - Loretta J. Metz
- Resource Assessment Division USDA‐Natural Resources Conservation Service Temple Texas 76502 USA
| | - Jason Karl
- Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Fire Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho 83844 USA
| | - Rob Smith
- Department of Computer Science College of Humanities and Sciences University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - Brandon Bestelmeyer
- Jornada Experimental Range USDA Agricultural Research Service P.O. Box 30003, MSC 3JER, NMSU Las Cruces New Mexico 88003 USA
| | - Chad Boyd
- Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center USDA Agricultural Research Service 67826‐A Hwy. 205 Burns Oregon 97720 USA
| | - Jay D. Kerby
- The Nature Conservancy 67826‐A Hwy. 205 Burns Oregon 97720 USA
| | - James D. McIver
- Eastern Oregon Agriculture Research Center Oregon State University 372 S 10th Street Union Oregon 97883 USA
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49
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Bradley BA, Curtis CA, Fusco EJ, Abatzoglou JT, Balch JK, Dadashi S, Tuanmu MN. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) distribution in the intermountain Western United States and its relationship to fire frequency, seasonality, and ignitions. Biol Invasions 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-017-1641-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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50
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Pilliod DS, Welty JL, Arkle RS. Refining the cheatgrass-fire cycle in the Great Basin: Precipitation timing and fine fuel composition predict wildfire trends. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:8126-8151. [PMID: 29043061 PMCID: PMC5632665 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Larger, more frequent wildfires in arid and semi-arid ecosystems have been associated with invasion by non-native annual grasses, yet a complete understanding of fine fuel development and subsequent wildfire trends is lacking. We investigated the complex relationships among weather, fine fuels, and fire in the Great Basin, USA. We first modeled the annual and time-lagged effects of precipitation and temperature on herbaceous vegetation cover and litter accumulation over a 26-year period in the northern Great Basin. We then modeled how these fine fuels and weather patterns influence subsequent wildfires. We found that cheatgrass cover increased in years with higher precipitation and especially when one of the previous 3 years also was particularly wet. Cover of non-native forbs and native herbs also increased in wet years, but only after several dry years. The area burned by wildfire in a given year was mostly associated with native herb and non-native forb cover, whereas cheatgrass mainly influenced area burned in the form of litter derived from previous years' growth. Consequently, multiyear weather patterns, including precipitation in the previous 1-3 years, was a strong predictor of wildfire in a given year because of the time needed to develop these fine fuel loads. The strong relationship between precipitation and wildfire allowed us to expand our inference to 10,162 wildfires across the entire Great Basin over a 35-year period from 1980 to 2014. Our results suggest that the region's precipitation pattern of consecutive wet years followed by consecutive dry years results in a cycle of fuel accumulation followed by weather conditions that increase the probability of wildfire events in the year when the cycle transitions from wet to dry. These patterns varied regionally but were strong enough to allow us to model annual wildfire risk across the Great Basin based on precipitation alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S. Pilliod
- Snake River Field StationU.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science CenterBoiseIDUSA
| | - Justin L. Welty
- Snake River Field StationU.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science CenterBoiseIDUSA
| | - Robert S. Arkle
- Snake River Field StationU.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science CenterBoiseIDUSA
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