| Abstract: | Widespread degradation of the sagebrush ecosystem in the western United States, including the invasion of cheatgrass, has prompted resource managers to consider a variety of approaches to restore and conserve habitats for sagebrush-associated species. One such approach involves the use of greater sage-grouse, a species of prominent conservation interest, as an umbrella species. This shortcut approach assumes that managing habitats to conserve sage-grouse will simultaneously benefit other species of conservation concern. The efficacy of using sage-grouse as an umbrella species for conservation management, however, has not been fully evaluated. We tested that concept by comparing: (1) commonality in land-cover associations, and (2) spatial overlap in habitats between sage-grouse and 39 other sagebrush-associated vertebrate species of conservation concern in the Great Basin ecoregion. Overlap in species‘ land-cover associations with those of sage-grouse, based on the ?? (phi) correlation coefficient, was substantially greater for sagebrush obligates (x??=0.40) than non-obligates (x??=0.21). Spatial overlap between habitats of target species and those associated with sage-grouse was low (mean ?? = 0.23), but somewhat greater for habitats at high risk of displacement by cheatgrass (mean ?? = 0.33). Based on our criteria, management of sage-grouse habitats likely would offer relatively high conservation coverage for sagebrush obligates such as pygmy rabbit (mean ?? = 0.84), but far less for other species we addressed, such as lark sparrow (mean ?? = 0.09), largely due to lack of commonality in land-cover affinity and geographic ranges of these species and sage-grouse. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70031080 |
| Citation Author: | Rowland, M. M.; Wisdom, M. J.; Suring, L. H.; Meinke, C. W. |
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| Citation End Page: | 335 |
| Citation Issue: | 3 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Biological Conservation |
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| Citation Number Of Pages: | 13 |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | Greater sage-grouse as an umbrella species for sagebrush-associated vertebrates; 2006; Article; Journal; Biological Conservation; Rowland, M. M.; Wisdom, M. J.; Suring, L. H.; Meinke, C. W. |
| Citation Start Page: | 323 |
| Citation Volume: | 129 |
| Citation Year: | 2006 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Greater sage-grouse as an umbrella species for sagebrush-associated vertebrates; 2006; Article; Journal; Biological Conservation; Rowland, M. M.; Wisdom, M. J.; Suring, L. H.; Meinke, C. W. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| URL (DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2005.10.048 |
| Date Other: | Sun, 1 Jan 2006 00:00 -0600 |
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