Improving ungulate habitat in a region undergoing rapid energy development: consequences for songbirds and small mammals
| dc.contributor.author | Bombaci, Sara Petrita, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Pejchar, Liba, advisor | |
| dc.contributor.author | Wilson, Kenneth R., committee member | |
| dc.contributor.author | Paschke, Mark, committee member | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2007-01-03T07:18:55Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2007-01-03T07:18:55Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2014 | |
| dc.description | Zip file contains data spreadsheet. | |
| dc.description.abstract | Habitat manipulation intended to mitigate the impact of energy development on game animals is well underway in the western U.S. Yet, the consequences of these actions for other species are not well understood. A habitat manipulation experiment was established in the Piceance Basin, a region of Colorado undergoing rapid energy development, to evaluate alternative methods (i.e. chaining, hydro-axe, and roller-chop treatments) for reducing pinyon-juniper woodlands to promote mule deer habitat. I use this experimental design to additionally test the initial effects of these treatments on birds and small mammals, and to evaluate selection of habitat components in treatments by birds and small mammals. I found lower bird species occupancy in all treatment plots compared to control plots; however the strength of this response varied by bird guild. I found a positive relationship between bird species occupancy and percent tree cover and a negative relationship between bird species occupancy and percent grass and forb cover. I found no evidence of differences in small mammal species occupancy or density between controls and treatments. I found a positive relationship between small mammal species occupancy and percent grass and forb cover. Species richness did not significantly differ between control and treatment plots for birds or small mammals. My approach and research findings can be used to inform habitat management and multiple-species conservation objectives in pinyon-juniper and sage-steppe ecosystems undergoing energy development. Specifically, I have identified that recently developed roller-chop and hydro-axe treatments have similar impacts to woodland bird guilds as traditional chaining treatments. I have also identified species that are sensitive to habitat mitigation treatments, and thus should be monitored if woodland reduction continues to be used as a habitat mitigation strategy. Since all bird guilds were positively associated with tree cover, woodland reduction strategies that promote landscape heterogeneity by leaving standing trees to provide structure for birds may have fewer impacts than those that clear large contiguous patches of woodland. This approach has the potential to increase the conservation value of habitat mitigation treatments for pinyon-juniper obligates as well as shrubland and grassland species. | |
| dc.format.medium | born digital | |
| dc.format.medium | masters theses | |
| dc.format.medium | ZIP | |
| dc.format.medium | XLSX | |
| dc.identifier | Bombaci_colostate_0053N_12577.pdf | |
| dc.identifier | BombaciSupplementalFiles.zip | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10217/86001 | |
| dc.language | English | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.publisher | Colorado State University. Libraries | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | 2000-2019 | |
| dc.rights | Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright. | |
| dc.subject | woodland reduction | |
| dc.subject | birds | |
| dc.subject | energy development | |
| dc.subject | habitat mitigation | |
| dc.subject | Pinyon-juniper woodlands | |
| dc.subject | small mammals | |
| dc.title | Improving ungulate habitat in a region undergoing rapid energy development: consequences for songbirds and small mammals | |
| dc.type | Text | |
| dcterms.rights.dpla | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Colorado State University | |
| thesis.degree.level | Masters | |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Science (M.S.) |