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Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. s TJffiied States Ecosystem disturbance and Department of Agriculture wildlife conservation in Forest Service western grasslands Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station A symposium proceedings Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 General Technical Report RM-GTR-285 Finch,DeborahM,Editor. 1996. Ecosystemdisturbanceandwildlifeconservationinwestern — grasslands A symposium proceedings. September 22-26, 1994; Albuquerque, NM. General Technical Report RM-GTR-285. Fort Collins, CO: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 82 p. Abstract: This publication is the result ofa half-day symposium, "Ecology, management, and sustainability of western grassland ecosystems" held at The Wildlife Society's First Annual Technical Conference, September 22-26, 1994 in Albuquerque, NM. The purpose ofthesymposiumwastoreviewandsynthesizeinformationaboutthestructure, function, and components of steppe and desert grassland ecosystems in the western United States with special emphasis on the ecological roles and requirements of wildlife species. This work, designed to draw attention to some wildlife topics that have been particularly neglected forwesterngrasslands, representsa cross-sectionofthepapersorallypresented at the symposium as well as some additional papers solicited afterwards. To provide a quality product, a minimum oftwo peer reviews were solicited for each manuscript, and authors were instructed to revise manuscripts based on editor's and referees' comments. Landmanagers,rangeconservationists,wildlifebiologists,ecologists,andprivatecitizens interested in sustaining the ecological health, productivity, and biological diversity of western grassland ecosystems should find this publication valuable. Keywords: steppe and desert grassland ecosystems, wildlife requirements, western grasslands, biological diversity, ecological health Acknowledgments: The editor thanks Bertie Weddell and Gale Wolters for helping to organize the original symposium session. The Wildlife Society (TWS) hosted the symposium, and the National Biological Service and the U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Experiment Station co-funded the publication. Appreciation is extended to Norm Scott for assistance in defraying the publication costs; Jim Fenwood for supplying the TWS working group charter; and Bertie Weddell, Chair (1994-95) of the working group, for ideas and inspiration. Editor's note: Each manuscript received peer review. To deliver symposium proceedings to readers as quickly as possible, manuscripts did not undergo full editing. Views expressed in each paper are those of the author and not necessarily those of the sponsoring organizations or the USDA Forest Service. Trade names are used for the information and convenience of the reader and do not imply endorsement or preferential treatment by the sponsoring organi- USDA zations or the Forest Service COVER PHOTOS: Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) blanketing a remnant of original Palouse prairie during a wet year near Pullman, Washington (by John Mitchell, USDA-FS). Insets: Pronghorn antelope (Antilocaptra americana) fawn, short-grass/sagebrush steppe, southeastern Wyoming (by Deborah Finch, USDA-FS) and Ornate box turtle (terrapene ornata), Rita Blanca National NM Grassland, near Clayton, (by Paulette Ford, USDA-FS). USDA Forest Service September 1996 General Technical Report RM-GTR-285 Ecosystem disturbance and wildlife conservation in western grasslands A symposium proceedings Editor: Deborah M. Finch, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station Albuquerque, New Mexico' Sponsors: The Wildlife Society's Working Group on Sustainable Use of Ecosystem Resources The Wildlife Society National Biological Service, Piedras Bancas Research Station USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station ' Headquarters is in Fort Collins, Colorado Contents Page Sustaining western grasslands and associated wildlife: An Introduction 1 Deborah M. Finch Geographic overview: Climate, phenology, and disturbance regimes in steppe and desert communities 3 B.J. Weddell Grazing effects on grassland ecosystems 13 Linda L. Wallace and Mel I. Dyer Ecology of fire in shortgrass prairie of the southern Great Plains 20 Paulette L Ford and Guy R. McPherson Evolution and management of the North American grassland herpetofauna 40 Norman J. Scott, Jr. Grassland bats and land management in the Southwest 54 Alice L. Chung-MacCoubrey Sparrow migration along a river corridor in desert grassland 64 Deborah M. Finch and Wang Yong Integrating livestock production and wildlife in a sagebrush-grass ecosystem 73 Michael L. Wolfe, Gregg E. Simonds, Rick Danvir, and William J. Hopkin Charter of the Working Group on Sustainable Use of Ecosystem Resources of The Wildlife Society, Inc 78 Approvedby The Wildlife Society, March 25, 1995 iii Sustaining western grasslands and An associated wildlife: introduction Deborah M. Finch1 This publication is the result of a half-day aimed at improving plant productivity, increasing symposium, "Ecology, management, and livestock weight and numbers, and solving prob- A sustainability of western grassland ecosystems," lems that affect economic return. scientific held at The Wildlife Society's First Annual Techni- foundation for maintaining and monitoring popu- cal Conference, September 22-26, 1994 in Albu- lations and communities of grassland wildlife, querque, NM. The symposium was sponsored by especially nongame species, in concert with com- The Wildlife Society's Working Group on Sustain- modity production is not well-established for most able Use of Ecosystem Resources and was orga- grassland ecosystems in western North America. nized by members Deborah Finch, Gale Wolters, This publication is designed to draw attention to and Bertie Weddell. The scope of this working some wildlife topics that have been particularly group is the assembly, study, and transfer of neglected for western grasslands. information pertaining to the conservation of The timing of this publication is especially wildlife through sustainable uses of ecosystem appropriate because: resources throughout the world. Its goals are to 1. Scientists are reporting ecosystem endanger- facilitate communication and exchange of informa- ment, species endangerment, and animal tion among members of The Wildlife Society population declines in many North American interested in applying the ecosystem management grasslands (Finch 1994;Knopf 1994; Flather et concept to wildlife conservation; enhance knowl- al. 1994; Noss et al. 1995; Samson and Knopf edge and technical capabilities of wildlife profes- 1996); sionals in the definition, assessment, and imple- mentation of sustainable uses of ecosystem re- 2. Land-managing agencies with an ecosystem sources; and increase public awareness and appre- management orientation such as Bureau of ciation of the effects of resource uses on wildlife Land Managment and U.S. Forest Service are and of the role of sustainable resource use in showing increasing interest, concern, and wildlife management. For more information about emphasis on nontraditional uses for grass- this working group, see its charter at the end of lands such as recreation, wildlife viewing, this volume. birdwatching, hunting, and fishing (e.g., Birds The purpose of the symposium was to review ofCimarron National Grassland, Cable et al. USDA and synthesize information about the structure, 1996; Forest Service 1996); function, and components of steppe and desert 3. Professional societies such as the Society of grassland ecosystems in the western United States Range Management as well as government with special emphasis on the ecological roles and and nongovernment organizations are flag- requirements of wildlife species. Western grass- ging rangeland health and rangeland wildlife lands under private and agency ownership have as topics of concern (USDA Forest Service, traditionally been managed primarily for livestock 1992; National Research Council 1994; and crop production. Applied scientific studies Krausmann 1996); and have heavily emphasized methods and analyses 4. Local ranching communities accustomed to using government lands for rearing livestock are expressing uneasiness about tighter ' ProjectLeader, U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forestand Range ExperimentStation, 2205 Columbia SE, permit restrictions and perceived threats to Albuquerque, NM 87106. their stockraising traditions and livelihoods. 1 Monitoring data and syntheses of existing infor- LITERATURE CITED mation are needed to address these shifts in values and resolve conflicting problems. This publication represents a cross-section of the Cable, T.T., S. Seltman, and K.J. Cook. 1996. Birds papers orally presented at the symposium as well of Cimarron National Grassland. USDA Forest as some additional papers solicited afterwards. Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range pEeaecrhrpeafpeerereswaprsiorrevtioeewdeitdobriyalarmeivnieiwmaunmdopfutblwioca- TEexcphenriicmaelnRteSptoarttioRn,M-FoGrTtRC-ol2l8inLs,jC0O.%Gpener•al Finch, D.M. 1992. Threatened, enuangerea, and tion. The publication begins with a review of vulnerable species of terrestrial vertebrates in climate, phenology, and disturbance factors in the Rocky Mountain Region. USDA Forest steppe and desert ecosystems by Bertie Weddell, Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range followed by an analysis of effects of grazing on Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. General grassland ecosystems by Linda Wallace and Mel Technical Report RM-215. 38 pp. Dyer. Paulette Ford and Guy McPherson review Flather, C.H., L.A. Joyce, CA. Bloomgarden. 1994. information on the ecology and role of fire in Species endangerment patterns in the United short-grass prairie, especially in relation to how States. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain fire affects vegetation, arthropods, birds, and Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort mammals. Collins, CO. General Technical Report RM-241. Three papers review the literature on wildlife 42 pp. topics of special interest. Norm Scott provides a Knopf, F.L. 1994. Avian assemblages on altered comprehensive synthesis of information on the grasslands. Studies in Avian Biology No. evolutionary ecology and current status of reptiles 15:247-257. and amphibians inhabiting North American Krausman, P., ed. 1996. Rangeland Wildlife. Soci- grasslands. Habitat and roost requirements ofbat ety for Range Management. Denver, CO. species using southwestern grasslands are summa- National Research Council. 1994. Rangeland rized by Alice Chung-MacCoubrey. Deborah Finch Health. New Methods to Classify, Inventory, and Wang Yong supply an original analysis com- and Monitor Rangelands. National Academy paring the population trends, migration, and Press, Washington, D.C. 180 pp. stopover habitat use of grassland-breeding spar- Noss, R.F., E.T. LaRoe HL and J.M. Scott. 1995. rows to emberizids thatbreed in other habitats. Endangered ecosystems of the United States: A The volume ends with a paper by Mike Wolfe preliminary assessment of loss and degradation. highlighting a progressive ecosystem management Biological Report 28. U.S. Dept. of Interior, approach used by an experimental ranch in Utah. National Biological Service, Washington, DC. Managing for wildlife and livestock production, Samson, F.B. and F.L. Knopf. 1996. Prairie Conser- the ranch successfully demonstrates methods for vation. Preserving North America's Most En- achieving economic return while maintaining and dangered Ecosystem. Island Press. Covelo, CA. enhancing land health and biological diversity. In 352 pp. summary, this publication should be of value to USDA Forest Service. 1992. Change on the Range: New Perspectives for Rangeland Research in the land managers, range conservationists, wildlife biologists, ecologists, and private citizens inter- 90's. Forest Environment Research, Washington, DC. 13 pp. ested in sustaining the ecological health, produc- USDA Forest Service. 1996. National Grassland tivity, and biological diversity of western grass- Management Review Action Plan. U.S. Depart- land ecosystems. ment of Agriculture, Forest Service. Washington Office, Washington, D.C. 2