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Synopsis: This study examined the effect of road improvement and environmental variables on exotic and native plant diversity in roadside verges and adjacent semi-arid grassland, shrubland, and woodland communities of southern Utah. Researchers measured the cover of exotic and native species in roadside verges and both the richness and cover of exotic and native species in adjacent interior communities (50 meters beyond the edge of the road) along 42 roads stratified by level of road improvement (paved, improved surface, graded, and four-wheel drive track). Exotic species richness and cover were more than 50% greater, and the richness of native species 30% lower, at patch interiors adjacent to paved roads than those...
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Synopsis: This study monitored the response of a species of pine bark beetle, Trypodendron lineatum, to direct and indirect measures of habitat availability in a forest subjected to various levels of harvest intensities. Four stand types (conifer dominated, mixed, deciduous dominated, and deciduous dominated with conifer understory) were treated with four levels of harvest intensity (unharvested, 50%, 80%, and 90% harvested). Prior to harvest, the pine bark beetle was most abundant in stands with many host trees (conifer dominated stands). In the first and second summers after harvest, pine beetle abundance increased exponentially with percent spruce cover and the number of spruce stumps in the stand. Beetles were...
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Synopsis: This model is based around Native Prairie Cover types, and Soil Texture. Native Prairie Class (NPC) is derived from the Native Prairie Vegetation Baseline Inventory developed by AlbertaEnvironment. Class I is comprised of greater than 75% native prairie components (i.e. shrubs, graminoids, riparian areas, lakes, wetlands, and trees), Class 2 is 50 - 75%, Class 3 is 25 - 50%, Class 4 is 1 - 25%, and Class 5 is no native prairie components. Native prairie is probably the most important and limiting factor for ferruginous hawks. Although hawks have been found in areas that were primarily under cultivation), they were in close proximity to prairie in good condition. Overall NPC was selected over its individual...
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Conclusions: Nest predators with different home-range sizes and habitat affinities responded to landscape configuration in different ways. Influence of landscape structure varied across scale. Thresholds/Learnings: Herbaceous cover was negatively associated with predation in roadsides whereas the proximity of woody cover was positively associated with predation rates. Synopsis: This study evaluated the influence of habitat structure and spatial configuration on nest predation in central Iowa. In a multi-scale analysis of 10 artificial ground nests along 136 roadsides across six watersheds, researchers found that predation was affected by the surrounding landscape mosaic. Nest predators with different home-range...
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Conclusions: Emigration rates are closely tied to edge structure. Low contrast edges promote edge permeability Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: The behavior of two butterfly species, one habitat specialist and one habitat generalist, were tracked at four prairie edges to determine the extent to which edge structure affects emigration. The specialist species responded strongly to all edges, and was particularly affected by edge density. The generalist species responded strongly only to high contrast edges. Emigration rates are closely tied to edge structure. Therefore, promoting low contrast edges in conservation planning may positively influence edge permeability and species richness in highly fragmented landscapes.
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Synopsis: A simulation model, modified from percolation theory, was empirically tested to determine if population distribution patterns correlated with different landscape patterns, for different species across a landscape. Using two grasshopper species in a short-grass prairie of north-central Colorado, the experiment found that the threshold for population aggregation (random to clumped distribution) was differentially affected by dispersal ranges and habitat specialization for habitat generalists and habitat specialists, respectively. Habitat generalists aggregated differentially depending on dispersal abilities. Generalist species with good dispersal abilities aggregated when <35% of the landscape consisted...
Conclusions:Area requirements for wetland birds species vary depending on the degree of landscape heterogeneity and landscape pattern.Thresholds/Learnings:Black terns required 6.5 ha of suitable wetland habitat for nesting and foraging in heterogeneous landscapes, but required 15.4-32.6 ha in homogenous landscapes
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Conclusions: Areas for roosting are likely the most limiting factor for the Western Small-footed Myotis. Unlike various other bats, this myotis does not roost in trees, but rather under rocks, and in holes and crevices found in rock outcrops within cliffs and coulees. Summer roosts can be found in cavities within cliffs, boulders, vertical banks, the ground, and talus slopes. Distance to water was also a significant factor affecting habitat suitability Thresholds/Learnings: Habitat for western small-footed myotis bats is ideally located within 1000m of water. Habitat located >3000m from water is deemed unsuitable. Synopsis: Areas for roosting are likely the most limiting factor for the Western Small-footed Myotis....
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Conclusions: Four plant species have been tested in the majority of field evaluations, while plants native to the test area and perennial plants are particularly underrepresented. Native plants useful in restoration of rare ecosystems can increase natural enemy abundance and provide ecosystem services as much as widely recommended non-natives. Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: The intentional provision of flowering plants and plant communities in managed landscapes to enhance natural enemies is termed habitat management and is a relatively new but growing aspect of conservation biology. The focus of most habitat management research has been on understanding the role of these plant-provided resources on natural enemy...
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Synopsis: This study evaluated the effects of landscape management on the spread of mountain pine beetle colonization in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Researchers used annual aerial survey data and geo-referenced locations of colonized trees that were cut and removed to assess if the area colonized and the spatial extent of pine beetles differed between monitoring and management zones. Pine beetles were allowed to follow their natural course in the monitoring zone, while an extensive eradication program involving cutting and burning colonized trees was established in the management zone. Management resulted in no detectable effect on the scale of the zone. However, at the sub-zone scale, the area affected...
Conclusions:Influx of woody vegetation associated with fragmentation correlates with decline in grassland bird speciesThresholds/Learnings:When native grassland cover dropped below 60% at one site, and 30-40% at another site, the arrangement or habitat patches became more important to the survival of populations than habitat amount alone
Conclusions:Swift foxes are typically found in open flat prairies, where visibility and prey availability are high. They prefer short or mixed grass unfragmented prairies that are predominately flat with sparse vegetation that allows them easy mobility and high visibility when it comes to eluding and detecting predators. Forest, coulees, steep slopes, broad agricultural areas, and dense shrubs are usually avoided because they often function as barriers between populations. *Note that this study generated landscape level models with coarse variables, and the thresholds and values used may not be directly applicable to other areas or for site-specific analysis.Thresholds/Learnings:75-100% grassland cover were deemed...
Conclusions:The effects of adjacent land-use on wetland sediment and water quality can extend over comparatively large distances. As such, sustaining high wetland water quality will not be achieved merely through the creation of narrow buffer zones between wetlands and more intensive land-uses, but rather by maintaining a heterogeneous regional landscape containing relatively large areas of natural forest and wetlands.Thresholds/Learnings:Water nitrogen and phosphorous levels were negatively correlated with forest cover at 2250m from the wetland edge. Sediment phosphorous levels were negatively correlated with wetland size and forest cover at 4000m from the wetland edge, and positively correlated with the proportion...
Conclusions:Higher percentages of forest cover within the watershed and within a 30m buffer were related to healthy fish communities and water quality, while near stream grasslands and urban land cover in the watershed contributed negatively to the health of fish communities and water quality.Thresholds/Learnings:High percentages of forest cover within a 30m riparian buffer were related to healthy fish communities and water quality. Fish density increased with increase in the average length of riparian vegetation without gaps (>30m).
Conclusions:Patch area was shown to be an important determinant of species richness irrespective of habitat heterogeneity. Isolation in space was also a significant factors in determining the degree of species richness in a grassland landscape.Thresholds/Learnings:
Conclusions:Random camping and off-highway vehicles have impacted water quality in the Ghost-Waiparous basin of Alberta. Sediment loading coefficients in the lower regions of the Waiparous and Ghost rivers were much greater than would be expected in rivers draining a similar forested environment in the upper foothills of southern Alberta and were even greater than loading coefficients in streams draining agricultural lands at lower elevations where sediment erosion is a common problem.Thresholds/Learnings:
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Conclusions: Soil texture, native prairie and grassland cover, and proximity to linear disturbances affect habitat suitability for burrowing owls. Native prairie coverage was considered the most critical variable in determining the most suitable habitat. The higher the percentage of native prairie, the more suitable it is for burrowing owl habitat.*Note that this study generated landscape level models with coarse variables, and the thresholds and values used may not be directly applicable to other areas or for site-specific analysis. Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: This report provides information on the habitat suitability requirements of the burrowing owl. Due to limited available data, the model that this...
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Conclusions: Seismic cutline proportion did not explain landscape use by grizzly bears, but secondary effects of cutlines on landscape structure did. Declining use was mainly associated with increasing proportions of closed forest, and increasing variation of inter-patch distances, while use was mainly increasing with increasing mean patch size. Thresholds/Learnings: Bears appear to use areas more when landscape patches tend to be larger, and mean patch size is generally reduced with additional seismic cutlines. Also, bears appear to use areas more when landscape patches are consistently spaced, and the spacing between landscape patches becomes more variable with additional seismic cutlines. Synopsis: This study...
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Synopsis: Resource managers confronted with preserving ecosystems for prairie wetland birds in fragmented landscapes require landscape studies that direct conservation efforts over broad geographic regions. We investigated the role of local and landscape factors affecting habitat suitability by integrating remotely sensed wetland and land-cover data with wetland bird habitat models. We linked habitat models with locations of easement and fee-title wetlands to evaluate spatial location and extent of protected, suitable habitat. We also simulated impacts of the loss of small wetlands on suitability of larger wetlands for mobile species that use multiple wetlands. Lastly, we evaluated the efficacy of waterfowl habitat...
map background search result map search result map Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum ciliolabrum) Butterfly responses to habitat edges in highly fragmented prairies of central Iowa. Maximizing ecosystem services from conservation biological control: The role of habitat management Ferruginous Hawk. Critical thresholds in species responses to landscape structure. Seismic cutlines, changing landscape metrics, and grizzly bear landscape use in Alberta Effects of landscape structure on nest predation on roadsides of a mid-western agroecosystem: a multi-scale analysis. Distribution of bark beetle, Trypodendron lineatum in a harvested landscape Effect of management on spatial spread of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) in Banff National Park. A landscape approach to conserving wetland bird habitat in the prairie pothole region of eastern South Dakota. Roads as conduits for exotic plant invasions in a semi-arid landscape. Burrowing Owl Seismic cutlines, changing landscape metrics, and grizzly bear landscape use in Alberta Effect of management on spatial spread of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) in Banff National Park. Distribution of bark beetle, Trypodendron lineatum in a harvested landscape A landscape approach to conserving wetland bird habitat in the prairie pothole region of eastern South Dakota. Butterfly responses to habitat edges in highly fragmented prairies of central Iowa. Effects of landscape structure on nest predation on roadsides of a mid-western agroecosystem: a multi-scale analysis. Roads as conduits for exotic plant invasions in a semi-arid landscape. Critical thresholds in species responses to landscape structure. Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum ciliolabrum) Maximizing ecosystem services from conservation biological control: The role of habitat management