We developed multi-scale habitat suitability models for black-tailed prairie dogs (BTPD) in the southwestern Great Plains, corresponding to the western region of the Great Plains LCC. We used long-term (10-yr), high-resolution datasets on BTPD colony boundary locations collected at 7 study areas distributed across the region to develop resource selection functions based on colony locations and expansion patterns. Models are based on (1) soil maps and associated Ecological Sites (NRCS SSURGO database), (2) a topographic wetness index based upon water runoff and solar insolation patterns (TWIsi) that tests a priori hypotheses for topographic controls on BTPD, and (3) broad climatic gradients in temperature and mean annual precipitation. We show that BTPD habitat suitability is positively associated with soil organic matter, pH, clay content and depth to a restricted layer as well as TWIsi. BTPD habitat suitability is negatively associated with slope and soil sand content. The negative influence of slope is stronger on soils with high organic matter content. The positive influence of TWIsi is greater for soils with low sand content. Habitat suitability is positively associated with soil clay for areas with mean annual precipitation of 400 – 500 mm, but where mean annual precipitation declines to 350 mm, habitat suitability becomes negatively associated with soil clay content. Resulting models and map products provide a basis for land managers to compare and prioritize areas of conservation importance for BTPD and evaluate habitat for a suite of associated species of concern at scales from pastures to broad landscapes. We also provide the first assessment BTPD habitat suitability relative to Ecological Site Descriptions, which is essential for incorporating BTPD into associated state and transition models being developed and used by NRCS, USFS and BLM. We present the relative value of different Ecological Sites for BTPD in each of 3 regions based on Major Land and Resource Areas (MLRAs): MLRAs 67B/69 (eastern CO), MLRAs 72/77A (southwestern KS), and MLRAs 77A/B (northeast NM; OK and TX panhandles). Models and maps have immediate utility for land managers in the GPLCC and provide a tool for evaluation of plague mitigation strategies and future BTPD and plague management in response to climate change.
