- Next Meeting: Tentatively, April 14, 2009 at 10 am in the Extension Conference room at the Wayne County Building in Loa. RSVP to Todd Black at 435-770-9302 or todd.black@usu.edu
Local Working Group (LWG) meetings are held quarterly. Unless otherwise noted the PARM LWG meets during the following months:
February meeting—at this meeting participants:
1-review and report on implemented actions and strategies for the previous year
2-discuss and plan lek count/search needs
3-schedule, coordinate and plan summer events
May/June summer field tour TBA
August meeting—at this meeting participants:
1-plan, discuss, and coordinate various actions and strategies
2-state wide/range wide sage-grouse issues
3-report on any LWG sage-grouse research
November meeting—at this meeting participants:
1-review and revise the LWG plan
2-schedule, coordinate and plan
To be placed on mailing list and or for specific meeting location and times please contact: Todd A. Black, CBC EXT Specialist, cell 435-770-9302 or todd.black@usu.edu
Sage-grouse Conservation Plan
A note about the PARM plan:. This is an adaptive plan, it will be reviewed annually and therefore is likely to be amended, changed, updated, and reported upon but it will not be ignored and just put on the shelf as a monumental accomplishment of those involved.
Sage-grouse Conservation Plan October 2006
Annual Reports and Research Results
- 2008 Annual Report of USU Research Activities
- 2007 Annual Report of USU Research Activities
- 2006-7 Accomplishment Report; Parker Mountain Section
- Thesis report by David K. Dahlgren (2006). Greater Sage-grouse Reproductive Ecology and Response to Experimental Management of Mountain Big Sagebrush on Parker Mountain, Utah. Utah State University
- Ph.D. Dissertation by R. Dwayne Elmore (2006). Recovery of the Utah Prairie Dog: public perception and cattle grazing as a management tool. Utah State University
- Thesis report by Renee Chi (2004). Greater Sage-grouse Reproductive Ecology and Tebuthiuron Manipulation of Dense Big Sagebrush on Parker Mountain. Utah State University
- BEHAVE Newsletter highlighting sheep grazing to enhance sage-grouse habitat (Feb. 2008) see page 2.
- Research needs by David Dahlgren (2008).
Minutes
The Effects of Strategic Intensive Sheep Grazing on Sage-grouse Brood-rearing Habitat
Efforts to improve sage-grouse brood-rearing habitat on Parker Mountain appear to have been successful. However, in recent years there has been increasing concern that the typical methods of managing sage-grouse habitats such as herbicides and mechanical treatments do not last long enough to be economically feasible. In 2006, PhD student Michael Guttery initiated an experiment on Parker Mountain to investigate the viability of using strategic intensive sheep grazing as an alternative method of managing sage-grouse brood-rearing habitat. Eight sets of paired-plots were established in areas known to be used by sage-grouse broods. Each plot was approximately 8 acres and within each set of paired-plots, one plot was randomly chosen to receive the grazing treatment while the other plot remained as an ungrazed control. During July 2006, vegetation measurements, sage-grouse pellet counts, and bird-dog surveys were conducted in all plots. Grazing treatments were conducted during October and November 2006 using a band of 1,000 local sheep. The band was split in half so that 2 plots could be grazed simultaneously. During the grazing experiment, sheep were fed a supplement to help the process the terpenes in the sagebrush.
Vegetation measurements, pellet counts, and bird-dog surveys were repeated in all plots during July 2007 and 2008. Measurements made in 2007 indicated that shrub cover was reduced from 27.3 % to 8.6% in grazed plots. Contrary to the expected results, forb and grass cover declined in grazed and control plots. This unexpected result is likely attributable to the severe drought during the summer of 2007. Despite the disappointing response by the forbs and grasses, sage-grouse use of grazed plots was considerably higher than in control plots.
Measurements made in 2008 showed that shrub cover in grazed plots increased from 8.6% in 2007 to 12.9% while remaining virtually unchanged in control plots. Additionally, coverage of forbs increased considerably over 2006 and 2007 values while grass coverage increased only slightly above 2007 values (see figure below).
Sage-grouse response to the grazing treatments has proven much more difficult to understand than the response of the vegetation. The 2 figures below demonstrate how variable and unpredictable grouse use has been. Surveys conducted with bird-dogs in late July have shown fairly consistent use of grazed plots while use of control plots has declined since the grazing treatment was applied in 2006. Surveys conducted by having 4 researchers walk each plot and count birds as the flush (area constrained surveys) have yielded much less consistent results. In 2007, area constrained surveys indicated considerably greater use of grazed plots than control plots. However, surveys in 2008 did not show a clear preference for either grazed or control plots.
These plots will be monitored again during the summer of 2009.
Ecology of Sage-grouse Broods
During 2007-2008 we captured 121 sage-grouse chicks from 23 broods and fitted them with radio transmitters. These chicks were tracked throughout the brood-rearing period. On average, 42% of chicks have survived to an age of 42 days. Of the 23 broods marked, only 2 broods during the 2 years are known to have been unsuccessful (i.e., all marked chicks died prior to reaching 42 days). However, only one chick was marked in each of these unsuccessful broods. One unexpected result of the study has been the discovery that sage-grouse chicks occasionally abandon their mother and join the brood of another hen. Currently, researchers are unable to explain the causes of this behavioral phenomenon; however, it is hoped that future research will lend insight into the factors influencing the behavior. Ph.D candidate David Dahlgren is in the process of conducting a detailed analysis of the first 2 years of brood ecology data (2005-2006). Michael Guttery will be continuing this study through 2009.
Gender Specific Survival of Sage-grouse Chicks
In an effort to better understand chick survival and sex ratios in sage-grouse (often assumed to be 2 females for each male in the breeding population), Michael Guttery began a new study in 2008 wherein genetic samples were collected from recently hatched sage-grouse chicks when they are marked with radio-transmitters. Egg shells from successful nests were also collected. Genetic analyses are currently being performed to determine the hatching sex-ratio (from hatched eggs) and the sex of marked chicks. It is necessary to perform both analyses since the chicks marked in a brood are not necessarily the same chicks that hatched. At this time, the sex of 62 of the 67 chicks marked with radio-transmitters in 2008 has been determined. Approximately 63% of the chicks marked were females. Thirty-five of these 62 chicks survived to an age of 42 days. Of the surviving chicks, approximately 57% were females.
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| Sage-grouse chick with radio transmitter |
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Bio
Michael Guttery is currently a Ph.D. student in the Wildland Resources Department at Utah State University. Michal received a B.S. degree in Natural Resources Management from the University of Tennessee-Martin in 2003. Michael then attended Mississippi State University where he received a M.S. degree in Forestry in 2006. Michael’s current research interests include reproductive ecology, evolutionary ecology, understanding public perceptions of sage-grouse and public lands grazing, and developing innovative methods of habitat management. Michael presently lives in northern Utah but still considers Tennessee to be his home. Michael can be contacted at micrgutt@gmail.com.
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| Michael Guttery |
Parker Mountain, PARM, Pointing Dogs, and Greater-Sage-grouse: A Unique Learning Relationship
By David Dahlgren
The Parker Mountain Adaptive Resource Management (PARM) Local Sage-grouse Working Groups was organized in 1997. Because of PARM’s strong interest in adaptive management, the group has placed a strong emphasis in learning more about the sage-grouse populations that inhabit the area and in particular their response to management actions. Thus, PARM has been able to build one of the longest standing data sets on greater sage-grouse (since 1998 to present) in Utah. We have radio-marked over 200 female sage-grouse and over 250 chicks. We hope to continue this research and more into the future. However, even with all that has taken place, more research needs to be done.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) has identified the need to obtain better information about male lek attendance rates as a means of developing new methods to better estimate sage-grouse population in Utah. Currently, UDWR protocol makes the assumption that male sage-grouse lek attendance rates are 0.75. Previous research conducted in other states reported both higher and lower rates. Additionally, UDWR protocol currently states a 2:1 female to male sex ratio within all populations. By knowing male lek attendance rates along with population level sex ratios, we might be able to estimate population levels with more confidence. This is a major research need in Utah, and throughout sage-grouse range.
Sage-grouse require large contiguous habitats of sagebrush to persist. Over the past decade, several hundred thousand acres of sagebrush have been managed for the purpose of enhancing these habitats for sage-grouse and other wildlife. However, not all sagebrush treatment will benefit sage-grouse. Typically only those treatments that have been implemented within large sagebrush contiguous tracts have proven to be beneficial. Thus, issues of scale and pattern are essential. Furthermore, exotic invasions (i.e. cheatgrass) are a serious concern in many low elevation sites. Thus, increased documentation of the impact of past and future treatments on sage-grouse will be critical to increasing manager’s knowledge of how to best conserve sage-grouse. Prescribed treatments in specific seasonal habitats need to be assessed on a population level to aid our adaptive management for the future.
Using pointing dogs may help. PARM and other local working groups have used pointing dogs to help assess sage-grouse response to management treatments. Recently, European researchers have used pointing dogs along with distance sampling to provide grouse densities across landscapes. Developing these methods for sage-grouse may be an important method for assessing the impact of sagebrush treatment on sage-grouse populations.
Bio
David Dahlgren graduated high school from Bismarck High, North Dakota.
During high school Dave conducted research on the evasive tactics of gallinaceous species when pursued by canines and high speed spherical objects…meaning he hunted upland birds a lot with his two springer spaniels.
Dave’s career aspirations were guided by his grandfather’s (Robert Dahlgren) career as a research biologist.
After high school, Dave moved to Idaho for junior college where he obtained an associates degree in 1998. That same year he began his undergraduate wildlife degree at Utah State University. He first wanted to pursue an emphasis is fisheries science, but found himself in a job banding song birds for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR). After obtaining his bachelors degree, he went to work for an environmental consulting firm in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2002, after a phone call and meeting with Dr. Terry Messmer, Dave began his graduate career at Utah State University.
Dave started field work on Parker Mountain, studying sage-grouse reproductive ecology and response to sagebrush management. He completed his M.S. degree and published his thesis and graduate research in 2005 and 2006, respectively. The research showed that sage-grouse brood preferred treated areas during the late brood-rearing period, and that Tebuthiuron (Spike) treatment was the most preferred.
Dave’s Masters degree sparked his interest in sage-grouse and research, and prompted a continuation of his graduate career. Dr. Messmer offered to keep Dave on for a PhD working on sage-grouse juvenile survival and more population level research. Dave has continued that research to the present. He plans to finish his graduate career (truly it has turned into a career) in December 2008. He also plans to publish his dissertation, and additional peer-reviewed articles from his doctoral research.
The lengthy graduate career got him to stick around long enough to get a girl to marry him. Finally, in June 2008 Dave married Lacey (Salisbury) after 3 years of her putting up with his summer field seasons and his fall excursions. He is now very thankful for that lengthy career.
Dave never thought he would get the chance to work with native grouse, and feels extremely lucky to have spent so much time in the field, learning, growing, and using his pointing dogs as part of his research.
