Greater Sage-Grouse in Wyoming An Umbrella for Sagebrush-Dependent Wildlife

By Scott Gamo, Jason D. Carlisle, Jeffrey L. Beck, Juliette A. C. Bernard, and Mollie E. Herget

odern conservation is increasingly reliant manage the landscape for the continuing needs of on efforts to conserve surrogate species our nation’s human population. Because of this M to provide benefits for multiple species. effort, and the large expanse of land it affects, the In Wyoming, it’s becoming clear that the greater sage-grouse may well serve as an umbrella species sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter for other sagebrush-dependent wildlife (Rich and sage-grouse) could be the perfect surrogate. Altman 2001, Rowland et al. 2006).

Courtesy of Scott Gamo In November 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Laying the Groundwork Scott Gamo is a Staff Service (FWS) issued its annual review of candidate Umbrella species are essentially surrogate species Terrestrial Biologist species and determined that although sage-grouse whose protection may provide conservation benefits with the Wyoming face “imminent” threat from factors such as habi- to many other animals. In Wyoming, protecting Game and Fish Department and tat fragmentation, fire cycles, invasive plants, and sage-grouse as an umbrella species is particularly a Ph.D. student in energy development, the species is “warranted, but relevant since the state’s sagebrush the Department of precluded” from listing at this time (FWS 2012). As provide not only to sage-grouse but also Science and Management sage-grouse range extends across 11 western states, to nearly 450 species of mammals, birds, amphib- at the University of a listing would affect a large portion of the U.S. and ians, reptiles, and fish, most of which are classified Wyoming. overlap with extractive and renewable industries, as non-game species (WGFD). Approximately 6 agriculture, and other land uses. In response to percent, or 25, of the sagebrush-associated species these concerns, Wyoming has developed a strat- are species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) egy to conserve the grouse and, at the same time, “whose conservation status warrants increased management attention, and funding, as well as consideration in conservation, land use, and development planning” (WGFD 2010).

The idea of sage-grouse as an umbrella species first arose in 2001 (Rich and Altman 2001). Subsequent research- ers began testing this idea for other sagebrush-dependent species (Rowland et al. 2006, Hanser and Knick 2011). Their work suggested that this eco- logical theory may have merit. Some researchers have suggested that sage- grouse meet the criteria of an umbrella The sage-grouse can serve as an umbrella species with the exception of legal or species for mule deer, regulatory status (Hanser and Knick pronghorn, reptiles, 2011). We propose that sage-grouse pygmy rabbits, many may be an effective umbrella species in bird species, and other sagebrush-dependent Wyoming because its habitat overlaps wildlife. Wyoming’s many other species that are dependent sage-grouse protections on sagebrush communities. may benefit nearly 450 other species, most of which are non-game. Umbrella species require large amounts Credit: Jaimel Blajszczak /WGFD of habitat if the species has a large

56 The Wildlife Professional, Spring 2013 © The Wildlife Society home range or is migratory (Rich and Altman 2001). The first step in modeling habitat for any animal is determining biologically meaningful areas (Fedy et al. 2012). For sage-grouse, those areas are distinct seasonal that occur across large landscapes based on requirements for the following three key life stages:

• Breeding. Breeding—which includes lekking, nesting, and early brood-rearing—occurs from spring to early summer, when grouse require habitats composed of sagebrush with an under- story of forbs and grasses used for food and cover. • Late brood-rearing. Late summer brood- rearing begins two to six weeks after hatching (Thompson et al. 2006, Hagen et al. 2007), when habitat requirements include plant communi- ties with high herbaceous cover in mesic habitats Credit: Troy Gerhardt/WGFD (Johnson and Boyce 1990, Drut et al. 1994). In On a map of Wyoming, hatching shows where sage-grouse core population areas (home to 82 xeric big sagebrush communities, late brood- percent of the species’ population) overlap winter range for mule deer (in blue) and pronghorn (in red). Minimizing surface disturbances in core areas will likely benefit these ungulates. rearing habitat is similar in vegetative structure to that used by grouse for nesting and early brood rearing (Kirol et al. 2012). of the sage-grouse population within the state • Wintering. Wintering habitat requirements are (WGFD Cheyenne, unpublished data). Most core influenced by snow depth and sagebrush height, areas occur in the sagebrush basins in the western because sage-grouse rely heavily on sagebrush and central portions of the state, with a few in the that protrudes above the snow for food and shel- northeast as well. ter (Schroeder et al. 1999). The Wyoming governor’s 2008 Executive Order Road to Regulation for Sage-Grouse, or SGEO, provided a process for In 2007, in response to concerns of potential listing protecting sage-grouse within the mapped areas, Co-author of the sage-grouse, then Wyoming Governor Dave and a revised SGEO issued in 2011 further refined Affiliations Freudenthal held a forum with representatives core-area boundaries. The implementation team Jason D. Carlisle is of state and federal agencies, non-governmental focused on the protocols, rules, and processes to a Ph.D. student in the Program in organizations, and industries. As a result, a team use in implementing the SGEO within the core at the University of was created to develop a regulatory mechanism for population areas. In early 2012, a Bureau of Land Wyoming. the protection and conservation of the sage-grouse Management Instruction Memorandum (BLM IM) Jeffrey L. Beck is an within Wyoming. First, however, an area had to laid out guidelines for sage-grouse conservation that Assistant Professor be designated in which that regulatory mechanism closely paralleled those in Wyoming’s SGEO. in Ecosystem Science and Management could be implemented. This area designation was a at the University of key ingredient to provide support for sage-grouse to Contained within the Wyoming SGEO and the BLM Wyoming. serve as an umbrella species. IM are protective stipulations for sage-grouse, Juliette A. C. based upon their biological needs, and a GIS-based Bernard is a visiting To produce a sage-grouse core protection area procedure for determining levels of anthropo- MS student at the University of map for Wyoming, the governor’s sage-grouse genic on the landscape within the core Wyoming. team utilized sage-grouse density mapping data population areas (State of Wyoming 2011). These Mollie E. Herget is and also noted areas of major energy develop- disturbances consist of roads, well pads, pipelines, an MS student in ment such as those in southwest and northeast mine pits, and other such surface alterations. the Department of Wyoming. Based on these data, the team created a Per direction of the SGEO, such disturbances are Ecosystem Science and Management map of 31 core population areas, which cover ap- threshold limited, thus effectively minimizing an- at the University of proximately 24 percent of the surface land area of thropogenic activities and disturbances within the Wyoming. Wyoming and include approximately 82 percent core population area boundaries.

© The Wildlife Society www.wildlife.org 57 For example, within sage-grouse core population quirements are similar to sage-grouse, that species areas, the number of surface disturbances is not will be protected within core areas established for to exceed an average density of one per 2.6 square sage-grouse. The overlap between sage-grouse core kilometers (640 acres) across the disturbance analysis areas in Wyoming (the umbrella) and the predicted area defined in the SGEO (State of Wyoming 2011). spatial distribution of 11 sagebrush-inhabiting Total accumulation of surface area affected (both SGCN species—two reptiles, two mammals, and sev- existing and proposed) within an analysis area should en birds including the greater sage-grouse (Keinath not exceed 5 percent. In addition, surface distur- et al. 2010)—suggests that sagebrush-obligate bances may not occur within 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) of species with restricted distributional ranges (such any active or occupied sage-grouse lek. Outside of the as the pygmy rabbit [Brachylagus idahoensis]) core areas there is greater flexibility and less stringent are likely to receive the most conservation benefit application of conservation measures, which provides under the core area umbrella (J.D. Carlisle and A.D. industry incentive to develop outside of core areas. Chalfoun, unpublished data).

For example, 47 percent of the predicted distri- Distribution (%) in Greater Common Name Scientific Name Sage-grouse Core Areas bution of the sage sparrow (Amphispiza belli) in Wyoming coincides with the sage-grouse core Birds population areas (J.D. Carlisle and A.D. Chalfoun, Brewer’s sparrow Spizella breweri 36% unpublished data). Thus, the sage sparrow will Burrowing owl Athene cunicularia 30% likely benefit from the protection afforded by Ferruginous hawk Buteo regalis 37% sage-grouse core population areas. Other species Greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus 33% whose range overlaps sage-grouse core population Sage sparrow Amphispiza belli 47% areas in Wyoming by at least 40 percent (see chart) include the pygmy rabbit, greater short-horned Sage thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus 41% lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi), sage thrasher Short-eared owl Asio flammeus 20% (Oreoscoptes montanus), and sagebrush vole (Lem- Mammals miscus curtatus). Some non-game species with less Pygmy rabbit Brachylagus idahoensis 48% overlap—such as the short-eared owl (Asio flam- Sagebrush vole Lemmiscus curtatus 40% meus), whose predicted distribution overlaps core Reptiles population areas by only 20 percent—may not be afforded as much potential benefit. Greater short- Phrynosoma hernandesi 46% horned lizard A Boon to Ungulates? Northern sagebrush Sceloporus graciosus 33% lizard The sage-grouse umbrella could yield substantial

Credit: J.D. Carlisle and A.D. Chalfoun, unpublished data; Keinath et al. 2010 benefits to ungulates in Wyoming. The state pro- vides habitat to some of the largest populations of Distribution models have shown that ungulates in North America including elk (Cervus 11 of Wyoming’s Opening the Umbrella elaphus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Rocky species of greatest Because sage-grouse core population areas occur as Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), Shiras conservation need— separate units across a larger landscape, they have moose (Alces alces shirasi), and more than 500,000 including seven birds, two mammals, and high potential for overlapping habitat used by other pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). Approximate- two reptiles—have a groups of animals such as songbirds, small mam- ly 45 percent of Wyoming’s crucial winter range (a significant percentage mals, and ungulates. Based upon this wide-ranging sensitive seasonal habitat) for pronghorn and up- of their population overlap, high public support for continued existence wards of double that amount for remaining seasonal within the state’s sage-grouse core of sage-grouse, and the regulatory protocol applied habitats overlap with sage-grouse core population population areas. within the large expanse of core population areas, areas. By comparison, in the Great Basin ecoregion, the sage-grouse can serve as an effective umbrella sage-grouse habitat overlaps with 50 percent of species for other species that occur within the sage- pronghorn habitat (Rowland et al. 2006). brush steppe of Wyoming. Many mule deer herds in Wyoming are migratory To the extent that a species’ spatial distribution and utilize sagebrush basins for wintering habitat overlaps core protected areas and its biological re- as they move across a gradient from high-elevation

58 The Wildlife Professional, Spring 2013 © The Wildlife Society A male sage-grouse fans his feathers on sagebrush habitat not far from a line of drilling wells near Pinedale, Wyoming (far left). Biologists who net and collar the birds for study (left) have helped the state establish core sage-grouse areas that limit land-surface disturbances and densities in order to minimize impacts to sage-grouse.

Credit: Mark Gocke Credit: Mark Gocke summer habitats (Sawyer et al. 2006, 2009). around mines, cabins, and hunting camps was Although mule deer tend to use mountain slopes minimal, caribou came much closer to these areas and drainages for parturition areas, approximately than during periods of high human activity (Polfus 33 percent of crucial winter ranges for mule deer et al. 2011). Such findings suggest that management in the state are encompassed in sage-grouse core strategies to reduce development and activity levels population areas. Thus, a large portion of critical should benefit ungulates on winter ranges where mule deer habitat falls under sage-grouse protec- they overlap sage-grouse core areas. tive management. Because sage-grouse core area designations provide Surface disturbances such as roads, oil and gas well habitat for other sagebrush-dependent species— pads, and other man-made features and activities including passerine birds, reptiles, small mammals, are known to impact mule deer (Sawyer et al. 2006, and ungulates—sage-grouse fit the requirements 2009), pronghorn (Beckman et al 2012), and elk of an umbrella species as defined by Noss (1990). (C.B. Buchanan and J.L. Beck, unpublished data). We therefore believe that the management of For example, elk calves were displaced by simu- sage-grouse as an umbrella species within the core lated mining activity in Idaho (Kuck et al. 1985), population area framework shows promise and de- and research on arctic caribou (Rangifer tarandus) serves thorough evaluation. Minimizing the number and woodland caribou (R. t. caribou) has shown and scale of anthropogenic disturbances should that caribou tend to avoid industrial activity such result in a higher probability of continued use of as roads, communities, human camps, and mines these habitats by sage-grouse, non-game species, (Cameron et al. 2005, Vols et al. 2006, Sorensen and ungulates alike. Thus, the State of Wyoming has et al. 2007, Polfus et al. 2011). Presumably, then, not only created areas of higher protection for sage- the restrictions placed on development and other grouse, but likely provided additional protections anthropogenic activities in sage-grouse core popu- for a suite of other wildlife species. lation areas in Wyoming should yield benefits to large, mobile ungulates. In Wyoming, as landscapes continue to be subjected to ever-increasing pressures to provide extractive Those benefits may vary, however, depending on and renewable resources, effective means of conserv- the level of human activity. For example, research- ing wildlife species must be continuously evaluated. ers found that piping oil and gas waste fluids We are hopeful that the intense focus on the conser- through pipelines, rather than trucking the mate- vation of an umbrella species such as the sage-grouse rial out of winter range, reduced truck traffic and will also ultimately bestow benefits on familiar and Go to news. wildlife.org/twp resulted in greater use of these areas by mule deer not-so-familiar co-occurring species. for a complete (Sawyer et al. 2009). Thus, reduced truck traffic bibliography. lessened negative impacts on wintering mule deer. This article has been reviewed by subject-matter experts. Another study found that when human activity

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