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1,606 results for “Prairie”

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Resources do not limit compensatory response of a tallgrass prairie plant community to the loss of a dominant species

The effect of species loss on ecosystem productivity is determined by both the functional contribution of the species lost, and the response of the remaining species in the community. According to the mass-ratio hypothesis, the loss of a dominant plant species, which has a larger proportionate contribution to productivity, is expected to exert an overwhelming effect on this important ecosystem function. However, via competitive release, loss of a dominant species can provide the opportunity for other plant species to establish, thrive and become abundant in the community, potentially compensating for the function lost. Furthermore, if resource limitation is removed, then compensatory response of function to the loss of a dominant species should be greater and more rapid than if resources are more limiting. To evaluate how resources may limit compensation of aboveground productivity to the loss of a dominant plant species, we experimentally removed the C4 perennial tallgrass, Andropogon gerardii, from intact plant communities. We added water for four years, as well as nitrogen in the fourth year, to test the effect of resource limitation on the compensatory response. Overall, aboveground biomass production increased in the remaining community with both water and nitrogen addition. However, this increase in biomass production was not sufficient to fully compensate for the loss of A. gerardii, indicating water and nitrogen were not limiting short-term compensation in this community. Following the removal of the dominant species, there was a reordering of species abundances in the community, rather than changes in species richness. The C4 grass Bouteloua curtipendula was the most responsive species, increasing by 57.9% in abundance with water addition and 91.0% with both water and nitrogen addition. Despite this dramatic increase in abundance, its short stature and lower per capita biomass production prevented this species from compensating for the loss of A. gerardii. Our results suggest that short-term compensation after the loss of a dominant plant species can be hastened by increased resource availability, but ultimately full compensation appears to be limited by the presence and abundance of species in the remaining community that possess traits that allow them compensate for the species lost.

opencc-zeroJul 2021View details →

dryad36/100

Data from: Demographic effects of a megafire on a declining prairie grouse in the mixed-grass prairie

Recent studies have documented benefits of small, prescribed fire and wildfire for grassland-dependent wildlife, such as lesser prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicintus), but wildlife demographic response to the scale and intensity of megafire (wildfire > 40,000 ha) in modern fragmented grasslands remains unknown. Limited available grassland habitat makes it imperative to understand if increasing frequency of megafires could further reduce already declining lesser prairie-chicken populations, or if historical evolutionary interactions with fire make lesser prairie-chickens resilient. To evaluate lesser prairie-chicken demographic response to megafires, we compared lek counts, nest density, and survival rates of adults, nests, and chicks before (2014–2016) and after (2018–2020) a 2017 megafire in the mixed-grass prairie of Kansas, USA (Starbuck fire ~254,000 ha). There was a 67% decline in attending males on leks post-fire and a 46% decline in occupied leks post-fire. Despite population declines as indicated by lek counts, adult female breeding season survival (Ŝ) was similar pre- (Ŝ = 0.65 ± 0.08 [SE]) and post-fire (0.61 ± 0.08), as was chick survival (pre-fire: 0.23 ± 0.07; post-fire: 0.27 ± 0.11). Nest survival appeared lower post-fire (pre-fire: 0.38 ± 0.06; post-fire: 0.20 ± 0.06), but did not differ at the 95% confidence interval. Nest density of marked females declined 73% in areas burned by megafire. Although lesser prairie-chickens persisted in the study area and we documented minimal effects on most demographic rates, reduced lesser prairie-chicken abundance and reproductive output suggests full recovery may take >3 years. Increased propensity for megafire resulting from suppression of smaller fires, compounded by climate change and woody encroachment, may impose a short-term (3-5 year) threat to already declining lesser prairie-chicken populations.

opencc-zeroNov 2022View details →

dryad36/100

Post-translocation dynamics of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus): A successful conservation and human-wildlife conflict mitigation tool

Prairie dogs have declined by 98% throughout their range in the grasslands of North America. Translocations have been used as a conservation tool to reestablish colonies of this keystone species and to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. Understanding the behavioral responses of prairie dogs to translocation is of utmost importance to enhance the persistence of the species and for species that depend on them, including the critically endangered black-footed ferret. In 2017 and 2018, we translocated 658 black-tailed prairie dogs on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation in central South Dakota, USA, a black-footed ferret recovery site. Here, we describe and evaluate the effectiveness of translocating prairie dogs into augered burrows and soft released within presumed coteries to reestablish colonies in previously occupied habitat. We released prairie dogs implanted with passive integrated transponders (PIT tags) and conducted recapture events approximately 1-month and 1-year post-release. We hypothesized that these methods would result in a successful translocation and that prairie dogs released as coteries would remain close to where they were released because of their highly social structure. In support of these methods leading to a successful translocation, 69% of marked individuals were captured 1-month post-release, and 39% were captured 1-year post-release. Furthermore, considerable recruitment was observed with 495 unmarked juveniles captured during the 1-year post-release trapping event, and the reestablished colony had more than doubled in area by 2021. Contrary to our hypothesis, yet to our knowledge a novel finding, there was greater initial movement within the colony 1-month post-release than expected based on recapture locations compared to published average territory size; however, 1-year after release most recaptured individuals were captured within the expected territory size when compared to capture locations 1-month post-release. This research demonstrates that while translocating prairie dogs may be socially disruptive initially, it is an important conservation tool.

opencc-zeroJan 2023View details →

dryad36/100

Lesser prairie-chicken habitat selection and survival relative to a wind energy facility located in a fragmented landscape

The overlap of renewable wind energy with the range of lesser prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) raises concern of population declines and habitat loss. Lesser prairie-chickens are adversely affected by landscape change, however, it is unclear how this species may respond to wind energy development. Therefore, managers and wind energy developers are currently tasked with making management or siting recommendations of future wind energy facilities based on lesser prairie-chicken behavioral responses to other forms of anthropogenic development or responses of other grouse species to wind energy development. The current strategy of siting wind turbines in cultivated cropland within lesser prairie-chicken range has not been evaluated for its effectiveness at minimizing potential adverse impacts. We captured 60 female and 66 male lesser prairie-chicken from leks located along a gradient from wind turbines in southern Kansas, USA, from 2017–2021. Over the study period, we collected lesser prairie-chicken location data and demographic information to evaluate resource selection, movements, and demography relative to environmental predictors and metrics associated with the wind energy facility. Lesser prairie-chickens used habitats in close proximity to wind turbines, provided that turbine density was low; however, avoidance associated with cultivated cropland appeared to be more predictive than the presence of wind turbines. We observed movement between turbines suggesting that wind turbines did not act as a barrier to local movements. We did not detect an influence of wind turbines on nest success or individual survival during breeding or non-breeding periods, a relationship that is consistent among multiple grouse species using habitats near wind energy infrastructure. Additional research is necessary to evaluate impacts associated with wind energy development in intact lesser prairie-chicken habitats, but placing wind turbines in cultivated croplands or other fragmented landscapes appears to be an important siting measure when considering wind energy facility siting across the lesser prairie-chicken range.

opencc-zeroMay 2023View details →

dryad36/100

Early-life sleep disruption impairs subtle social behaviours in prairie voles: a pose-estimation study

Early life sleep disruption (ELSD) has been shown to have long-lasting effects on social behaviour in adult prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), including impaired expression of pair bonding during partner preference testing. However, due to the limitations of manual behaviour tracking, the effects of ELSD across the time course of pair bonding have not yet been described, hindering our ability to trace mechanisms. Here, we used pose estimation to track prairie voles during opposite-sex cohabitation, the process leading to pair bonding. Male-female pairs were allowed to interact through a mesh divider in the home cage for 72 h, providing variables of body direction, distance-to-divider and locomotion speed. We found that control males displayed periodic patterns of body orientation towards females during cohabitation. In contrast, ELSD males showed reduced duration and ultradian periodicity of these body orientation behaviours towards females. Furthermore, in both sexes, ELSD altered spatial and temporal patterns of locomotion across the light/dark cycles of the 72-h recordings. This study allows a comprehensive behavioural assessment of the effects of ELSD on later life sociality and highlights subtle prairie vole behaviours. Our findings may shed light on neurodevelopmental disorders featuring sleep disruption and social deficits, such as autism spectrum disorders.

opencc-zeroJul 2023View details →

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