Habitat selection by mountain plovers in shortgrass steppe

Much of the breeding range for the mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) occurs in shortgrass steppe and mixed-grass prairie in the western Great Plains of North America. Studies of mountain plovers in shortgrass steppe during the 1970s and 1990s were focused in Weld County, Colorado, which was considered a key breeding area for the species. These studies, however, did not include habitats influenced by black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) or prescribed fire. The role of these 2 rangeland disturbance processes has increased substantially over the past 15 years. During 2008–2009, I used radial distance point count surveys to estimate mountain plover densities early in the nesting season in 4 habitats on public lands in Weld County, Colorado. All 4 habitats were grazed by cattle during the growing season at moderate stocking rates but had different additional disturbances consisting of 1) dormant-season prescribed burns, 2) active black-tailed prairie dog colonies, 3) black-tailed prairie dog colonies affected by epizootic plague in the past 1–2 years, and 4) rangeland with no recent history of fire or prairie dogs. Mountain plover densities were similar on active black-tailed prairie dog colonies ( = 6.8 birds/km², 95% CI = 4.3–10.6) and prescribed burns ( = 5.6 birds/km², 95% CI = 3.5–9.1). In contrast, no plovers were detected at randomly selected rangeland sites grazed by cattle but lacking recent disturbance by prairie dogs or fire, even though survey effort was highest for this rangeland habitat. Mountain plover densities were intermediate (2.0 birds/km², 95% CI = 0.8–5.0) on sites where black-tailed prairie dogs had recently been extirpated by plague. These findings suggest that prescribed burns and active black-tailed prairie dog colonies may enhance breeding habitat for mountain plovers in shortgrass steppe and illustrate the potential for suppressed or altered disturbance processes to influence habitat availability for declining wildlife species. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.     

Prairie dog towns as islands: applications of island biogeography and landscape ecology for conserving nonvolant terrestrial vertebrates

Aim To evaluate the utility of island biogeography theory as a model for understanding and conserving native communities of nonvolant terrestrial vertebrates at prairie dog towns. Location Oklahoma Panhandle, USA. Methods We surveyed mammal, reptile and amphibian communities on 36 black‐tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) towns during the summers and falls of 1997 to 1999. We used a Geographic Information System (GIS) to characterize the landscape within 10 km of each town. We used Principal Components Analysis (PCA), Correlation Analysis, and Linear Regression to test for patterns in species richness relative to area and isolation of towns, local habitat characteristics, and characteristics of the adjacent landscape. Results Species richness was not significantly correlated with town size, town isolation, or local habitat characteristics. On the other hand, species richness was significantly correlated with characteristics of the landscape within 10 km of the focal town. In addition, species richness of mammals at prairie dog towns during the summer increased in a northerly direction, while richness of mammals at towns during fall increased to the west. Main conclusions These results, albeit contrary to traditional island biogeography theory, are consistent with an emerging view that communities on relatively small islands are strongly influenced by characteristics of the adjacent landscape (or seascape). We recommend that to the extent possible, networks of reserves for prairie dogs and their associated species should include clusters of large towns (i.e. larger than those studied here), as well as large but isolated towns, and that conservation efforts should include management of the intervening matrix of anthropogenic habitats.     

Effects of habitat fragmentation and black-tailed prairie dogs on urban avian diversity

Urbanization and habitat fragmentation have the potential to influence bird communities. In addition, these phenomena, as well as ongoing lethal control measures, have also greatly reduced the range of the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) since the beginning of the 20th century. Although prairie dogs are highly interactive species that can influence avian communities, few studies have investigated whether these interactions persist in urban settings. Our goal was to investigate the relative impacts of habitat fragmentation and prairie dogs on bird communities within an urban matrix. We performed bird surveys on 20 habitat fragments (10 colonized by prairie dogs, 10 uncolonized by prairie dogs) distributed throughout the Denver metropolitan area, and calculated Shannon–Weiner diversity and richness of all birds and native species, as well as total counts of grassland birds and raptors. Diversity, richness, and counts of many species increased with increasing fragment connectivity, and decreased on fragments isolated for longer periods of time. Avian diversity and richness did not differ between fragments with and without prairie dogs, suggesting that this element of the ecological role of prairie dogs is not fully retained in urban habitat. Future studies of the role of prairie dogs as keystone species in urban systems should include other taxa as well as consider the influence of the urban matrix surrounding prairie dog habitat. Our results emphasize that conservation of urban avian diversity should focus on landscape connectivity as well as local habitat features.     

High prevalence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Yersinia pestis</Emphasis> in black-tailed prairie dog colonies during an apparent enzootic phase of sylvatic plague

Sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis) was introduced into North America over 100 years ago. The disease causes high mortality and extirpations in black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus), which is of conservation concern because prairie dogs provide habitat for the critically endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes). Our goal was to help elucidate the mechanism Y. pestis uses to persist in prairie ecosystems during enzootic and epizootic phases. We used a nested PCR protocol to assay for plague genomes in fleas collected from prairie dog burrows potentially exposed to plague in 1999 and 2000. No active plague epizootic was apparent in the 55 prairie dog colonies sampled in 2002 and 2003. However, 63% of the colonies contained plague-positive burrows in 2002, and 57% contained plague-positive burrows in 2003. Within plague-positive colonies, 23% of sampled burrows contained plague-positive fleas in 2002, and 26% contained plague-positive fleas in 2003. Of 15 intensively sampled colonies, there was no relationship between change in colony area and percentage of plague-positive burrows over the two years of the study. Some seasonality in plague prevalence was apparent because the highest percentages of plague-positive colonies were recorded in May and June. The surprisingly high prevalence of plague on study area colonies without any obvious epizootic suggested that the pathogen existed in an enzootic state in black-tailed prairie dogs. These findings have important implications for the management of prairie dogs and other species that are purported to be enzootic reservoir species.     

The role of dietary fatty acids in the evolution of spontaneous and facultative hibernation patterns in prairie dogs

The white-tailed prairie dog is a spontaneous hibernator which commences deep torpor bouts during early fall while the black-tailed prairie dog is a facultative hibernator that will only enter shallow torpor when stressed by cold and food deprivation. Plant oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) enhance the duration and depth of mammalian torpor. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that black-tailed prairie dogs sampled in the field have less PUFAs in their diets and that the enhancement of torpor bouts by this species on a diet higher in PUFA is less profound than that by white-tailed prairie dogs. Individuals of both species fed a high PUFA diet: (1) entered torpor earlier, (2) had lower torpor body temperatures and (3) had longer bouts of torpor, compared to those on a low PUFA diet. However, the magnitude of this change was similar for both species. Additionally, the PUFA compositions of white adipose tissue (WAT) samples taken from individuals in the field were identical, indicating that diet PUFA contents for these two species were also equivalent. Therefore, while high PUFA diets can enhance hibernation by these species, it does not appear to explain the differences between spontaneous and facultative strategies. The rate of lipid peroxidation during torpor, however, was significantly higher in the WAT from white-tailed prairie dogs. Ancestral prairie dog species are spontaneous hibernators. Natural selection may have favored shallow, facultative hibernation with lower lipid peroxidation rates in the black-tailed prairie dogs as they radiated from the Rocky Mountains into the Great Plains. Accepted: 12 September 2000     

Disturbance regimes and mountain plover habitat in shortgrass steppe: Large herbivore grazing does not substitute for prairie dog grazing or fire

Restoring historical disturbance regimes to enhance habitat for grassland birds can conflict with livestock production goals and has been controversial because of uncertainty in the frequency and pattern of different disturbances prior to European settlement. We studied nesting habitat for the mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) in relation to prescribed fire, grazing by large herbivores (cattle), and grazing by black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in the shortgrass steppe of northeastern Colorado. Breeding mountain plovers primarily occurred on black-tailed prairie dog colonies or areas burned during the previous dormant season. Vegetation surrounding mountain plover nests and foraging locations was characterized by a fine-scale mosaic of prostrate (<4 cm tall) vegetated patches interspersed with >35% bare soil in a given square meter, with this fine-scale pattern distributed over a broad (>100-m radius) area. Mountain plovers rarely occupied grassland lacking prairie dogs or recent fire, but those that did selected sites with similar vegetation height and bare soil exposure as sites on burns and prairie dog colonies. Vegetation structure at mountain plover-occupied sites was also similar to random sites on burns and prairie dog colonies, but differed substantially from sites managed only with cattle. Intensive cattle grazing at twice the recommended stocking rate during spring (Mar–May) or summer (May–Oct) for 6 years produced significantly less bare soil than burns and prairie dog colonies, particularly following years with average or above-average precipitation. Thus, intensive cattle grazing did not substitute for prairie dog grazing or fire in terms of effects on vegetation structure and mountain plover habitat. Both prescribed burning and increased size and distribution of black-tailed prairie dog colonies appear to be effective and complementary means to manage for mountain plover breeding habitat in shortgrass steppe. Provision of mountain plover habitat has tradeoffs with traditional management for livestock production. Thus, managers need to clearly define desired outcomes for management to provide multiple ecosystem goods and services. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.     

Mark-Resight Methodology for Estimating Population Densities for Prairie Dogs

Abstract: Accurate assessments of local population size of the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) are essential because of their overall decline and importance to prairie ecosystems. We describe the use of mark-resight methodology to estimate black-tailed prairie dog population size and density. Study colonies include isolated urban habitat fragments in Denver, Colorado, USA, and unfragmented control colonies in the Pawnee National Grassland, USA. We compare results from various mark-resight estimators to those derived from linear transformations of visual counts of active prairie dogs. Our results suggest that mark-resight methods are feasible in both urban and rural systems, and reveal extremely high densities for isolated prairie dogs in urban sites. Our methodology can be used to obtain reliable, unbiased estimates of local population size and density.     

Prairie Dogs: An Ecological Review and Current Biopolitics

ABSTRACT In recent years, people have interpreted scientific information about the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) in various, and sometimes conflicting, ways. Political complexity around the relationship among black-tailed prairie dogs, agricultural interests, and wildlife has increased in recent years, particularly when prairie dogs occur on publicly owned lands leased to private entities for livestock grazing. Some have proposed that estimates of prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) numbers from 1900 are inflated, that prairie dog grazing is not unique (other grazers have similar affects on vegetation), and that prairie dogs significantly reduce carrying capacity for livestock and wildlife. We address all these issues but concentrate on the degree of competition between prairie dogs and ungulates because this motivates most prairie dog control actions. We conclude that the available information does not justify holding distribution and numbers of prairie dogs at a level that is too low to perform their keystone ecological function. We further conclude that it is especially important that prairie dogs be sufficiently abundant on public lands to perform this function.     

Duration of Plague (Yersinia pestis) Outbreaks in Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) Colonies of Northern Colorado

Plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, triggers die-offs in colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus), but the time-frame of plague activity is not well understood. We document plague activity in fleas from prairie dogs and their burrows on three prairie dog colonies that suffered die-offs. We demonstrate that Y. pestis transmission occurs over periods from several months to over a year in prairie dog populations before observed die-offs.     

Anthropogenic and Natural Disturbance Differentially Affect Sagebrush Bird Habitat Use

North American sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)-obligate birds are experiencing steep population declines due in part to increased disturbance, mainly human-caused, across their range. At the eastern edge of the sagebrush steppe, this issue may potentially be exacerbated because of natural disturbance by black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Our goal was to compare local and landscape models of habitat use by greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), Brewer's sparrow (Spizella breweri), and sage thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus) with models including effects of natural (i.e., prairie dog) and anthropogenic disturbance. We used a combination of field data collection, and state and national datasets for the Thunder Basin National Grassland, eastern Wyoming, USA, to understand the factors that influence lek attendance by sage-grouse and habitat use by 2 passerines in this system. For all 3 species, models including big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) cover at local and landscape scales were the most competitive among univariate models, supporting the paradigm that sagebrush is key for these species. Models including anthropogenic disturbance (well density, road density) explained more variation than models of prairie dog disturbance alone for 2 of the 3 species, but long-term disturbance by prairie dogs did reduce abundance of Brewer's sparrows. Although long-term prairie dog disturbance has the potential to reduce sagebrush cover for sagebrush-obligate birds, such events are likely rare because outbreaks of plague (Yersina pestis) and lethal control on borders with private land reduce prairie dog disturbance. Conversely, anthropogenic disturbance is slated to increase in this system, suggesting potentially accelerated declines for sagebrush birds into the future. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.     

Selenium protects the hyperaccumulator Stanleya pinnata against black-tailed prairie dog herbivory in native seleniferous habitats

Elemental hyperaccumulation in plants is hypothesized to represent a plant defense mechanism. The objective of this study was to determine whether selenium (Se) hyperaccumulation offers plants long-term protection from the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus). Prairie dogs are a keystone species. The hyperaccumulator Stanleya pinnata (prince's plume) co-occurs with prairie dogs in seleniferous areas in the western United States. Stanleya pinnata plants pretreated with high or low Se concentrations were planted on two prairie dog towns with different levels of herbivory pressure, and herbivory of these plants was monitored over 2 years. Throughout this study, plants with elevated Se levels suffered less herbivory and survived better than plants with low leaf Se concentrations. This study indicates that the Se in hyperaccumulator S. pinnata protects the plant in its natural habitat from herbivory by the black-tailed prairie dog. The results from this study support the hypothesis that herbivory by prairie dogs or similar small mammals has been a contributing selection pressure for the evolution of plant Se hyperaccumulation in North America. This study is the first to test the ecological significance of hyperaccumulation over a long period in a hyperaccumulator's natural habitat.     

Abundance of Diurnal Raptors in Relation to Prairie Dog Colonies: Implications for Bird-Aircraft Strike Hazard

Abstract: Some diurnal raptors are frequently observed at prairie dog (Cynomys sp.) colonies. As a result, some military installations have conducted prairie dog control activities to reduce the bird-aircraft strike hazard (BASH) potential of low-flying aircraft. To evaluate the validity of this management strategy, we assessed raptor associations with prairie dog colonies at 2 short-grass prairie study areas: southern Lubbock County, Texas, USA, and Melrose Bombing and Gunnery Range in east-central New Mexico, USA. We quantified diurnal raptors (i.e., Falconiformes) at plots occupied (colony plots) and unoccupied (noncolony plots) by black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) at both sites throughout 2002. We compared the number of individual birds of a given species at colony and noncolony plots within each study area by season. Ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) and northern harriers (Circus cyaneus) were more abundant at colony plots, whereas Swainson's hawks (B. swainsoni) and American kestrels (Falco sparverius) were more abundant at noncolony plots. Red-tailed hawk (B. jamaicensis) abundance did not differ between the 2 plot types. Our results suggest prairie dog control as a method of reducing BASH potential may be effective at some sites but may be ineffective or even increase the BASH potential at others. Thus, bird-avoidance models assessing the BASH potential should be conducted on a site-specific basis using information on relative and seasonal abundances of individual raptor species and the relative strike risks they pose to aircraft.     

Ecosystem engineering varies spatially: a test of the vegetation modification paradigm for prairie dogs

Colonial, burrowing herbivores can be engineers of grassland and shrubland ecosystems worldwide. Spatial variation in landscapes suggests caution when extrapolating single‐place studies of single species, but lack of data and the need to generalize often leads to ‘model system’ thinking and application of results beyond appropriate statistical inference. Generalizations about the engineering effects of prairie dogs (Cynomys sp.) developed largely from intensive study at a single complex of black‐tailed prairie dogs C. ludovicianus in northern mixed prairie, but have been extrapolated to other ecoregions and prairie dog species in North America, and other colonial, burrowing herbivores. We tested the paradigm that prairie dogs decrease vegetation volume and the cover of grasses and tall shrubs, and increase bare ground and forb cover. We sampled vegetation on and off 279 colonies at 13 complexes of 3 prairie dog species widely distributed across 5 ecoregions in North America. The paradigm was generally supported at 7 black‐tailed prairie dog complexes in northern mixed prairie, where vegetation volume, grass cover, and tall shrub cover were lower, and bare ground and forb cover were higher, on colonies than at paired off‐colony sites. Outside the northern mixed prairie, all 3 prairie dog species consistently reduced vegetation volume, but their effects on cover of plant functional groups varied with prairie dog species and the grazing tolerance of dominant perennial grasses. White‐tailed prairie dogs C. leucurus in sagebrush steppe did not reduce shrub cover, whereas black‐tailed prairie dogs suppressed shrub cover at all complexes with tall shrubs in the surrounding habitat matrix. Black‐tailed prairie dogs in shortgrass steppe and Gunnison's prairie dogs C. gunnisoni in Colorado Plateau grassland both had relatively minor effects on grass cover, which may reflect the dominance of grazing‐tolerant shortgrasses at both complexes. Variation in modification of vegetation structure may be understood in terms of the responses of different dominant perennial grasses to intense defoliation and differences in foraging behavior among prairie dog species. Spatial variation in the engineering role of prairie dogs suggests spatial variation in their keystone role, and spatial variation in the roles of other ecosystem engineers. Thus, ecosystem engineering can have a spatial component not evident from single‐place studies.     

Provision of Service Dogs for People With Mobility Disabilities

ABSTRACT

Interactions among domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus), and people were studied at Dry Creek, Boulder, Colorado. Our objective was to develop a basic understanding of the nature of dog—prairie dog interactions in this recreational area, because this is an issue that has high visibility and over which there is conflict in Boulder: There are those who want dogs to run free regardless of their impact on the behavior and lives of prairie dogs and those who want to protect prairie dogs and have dogs restrained or go elsewhere. We found that dogs clearly influenced the behavior of prairie dogs, however, no prairie dogs were known to be caught or killed by any dog during the course of study. Prairie dogs disturbed by dogs were more alert (vigilant) and wary of dogs and played less than undisturbed individuals. However, disturbed prairie dogs were less wary of the presence of humans than undisturbed animals. People tried to stop dogs from harassing prairie dogs only 25% of the time. A survey showed that 58% of people polled at Dry Creek (all dog owners) did not believe that prairie dogs should be protected even if dogs are a problem. Increased human responsibility would likely go a long way towards reducing existing conflict among people wanting to protect prairie dogs and those who do not. Boulder city officials have not yet incorporated our data into their immediate management plans. However, by identifying the nature of dog—prairie dog encounters and specific areas of conflict among people who side either with dogs or prairie dogs, in the future, proactive strategies grounded by empirical data can be developed and implemented so that the interests of all parties can be accommodated.     

Connectivity of prairie dog colonies in an altered landscape: inferences from analysis of microsatellite DNA variation

Connectivity of populations influences the degree to which species maintain genetic diversity and persist despite local extinctions. Natural landscape features are known to influence connectivity, but global anthropogenic landscape change underscores the importance of quantifying how human-modified landscapes disrupt connectivity of natural populations. Grasslands of western North America have experienced extensive habitat alteration, fragmenting populations of species such as black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Population sizes and the geographic range of prairie dogs have been declining for over a century due to habitat loss, disease, and eradication efforts. In many places, prairie dogs have persisted in the face of emerging urban landscapes that carve habitat into smaller and smaller fragments separated by uninhabitable areas. In extreme cases, prairie dog colonies are completely bounded by urbanization. Connectivity is particularly important for prairie dogs because colonies suffer high probabilities of extirpation by plague, and dispersal permits recolonization. Here we explore connectivity of prairie dog populations using analyses of 11 microsatellite loci for 9 prairie dog colonies spanning the fragmented landscape of Boulder County, Colorado. Isolation-by-resistance modeling suggests that wetlands and high intensity urbanization limit movement of prairie dogs. However, prairie dogs appear to move moderately well through low intensity development (including roads) and freely through cropland and grassland. Additionally, there is a marked decline in gene flow between colonies with increasing geographic distance, indicating isolation by distance even in an altered landscape. Our results suggest that prairie dog colonies retain some connectivity despite fragmentation by urbanization and agricultural development.     

Kidney structure and function of obligate and facultative hibernators: the white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus) and the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)

The white-tailed prairie dog is an obligate hibernator that enters a heterothermic phase when maintained in the cold with low intensity light and ad libitum food and water. The black-tailed prairie dog (a facultative hibernator) will not hibernate under similar conditions. It has been suggested that the black tailed prairie dog remains active during the winter because it can conserve water more effectively due to a more efficient kidney. The present study revealed no significant differences between the species in renal morphology: relative medullary thickness, nephron heterogeneity, renal vasculature, or fornix dimensions, all of which are structures associated with the urinary concentrating mechanism. In addition, there was no difference in number of nephrons between the two species. The black-tailed prairie dog does produce a more concentrated urine when food and water deprived. However, this difference was not observed when the animals were salt loaded. The water-deprivation and salt-loading experiments suggest that the higher urine osmolality produced by the back-tailed prairie dog during fasting is a result of a higher urea load due to a greater protein catabolism and not because of a differential capacity to concentrate urine.Abbreviations C cortex - GFR glomerular filtration rate - H height - IS inner stripe - IZ inner zone of medulla - L length - OS outer stripe - PE polythylene - RMT relative medullary thickness - T _a ambient temperature - W width     

Extreme plasticity in thermoregulatory behaviors of free-ranging black-tailed prairie dogs

In the natural environment, hibernating sciurids generally remain dormant during winter and enter numerous deep torpor bouts from the time of first immergence in fall until emergence in spring. In contrast, black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) remain active throughout winter but periodically enter short and shallow bouts of torpor. While investigating body temperature (T(b)) patterns of black-tailed prairie dogs from six separate colonies in northern Colorado, we observed one population that displayed torpor patterns resembling those commonly seen in hibernators. Five individuals in this population experienced multiple torpor bouts in immediate succession that increased in length and depth as winter progressed, whereas 16 prairie dogs in five neighboring colonies remained euthermic for the majority of winter and entered shallow bouts of torpor infrequently. Our results suggest that these differences in torpor patterns did not result from differences in the physiological indicators that we measured because the prairie dogs monitored had similar body masses and concentrations of stored lipids across seasons. Likewise, our results did not support the idea that differences in overwinter T(b) patterns between prairie dogs in colonies with differing torpor patterns resulted from genetic differences between populations; genetic analyses of prairie dog colonies revealed high genetic similarity between the populations and implied that individuals regularly disperse between colonies. Local environmental conditions probably played a role in the unusual T(b) patterns experienced by prairie dogs in the colony where hibernation-like patterns were observed; this population received significantly less rainfall than neighboring colonies during the summer growing seasons before, during, and after the year of the winter in which they hibernated. Our study provides a rare example of extreme plasticity in thermoregulatory behaviors of free-ranging prairie dogs and provides evidence contrary to models that propose a clear delineation between homeothermy, facultative torpor, and hibernation.     

Avian Community Structure Along a Mountain Big Sagebrush Successional Gradient

Abstract: We compared vegetative structure and bird communities among 4 successional states in central Oregon representing a continuum from 1) postburn grassland, 2) mountain big sagebrush—Idaho fescue (Artemisia tridentatA—Festuca idahoensis) shrub—steppe, 3) sagebrush—steppe—juniper (Juniperus occidentalis), to 4) old-growth western juniper. Species richness, evenness, and diversity of bird communities were highest in old-growth and mid-successional juniper (22.9 species/transect and 23.6 species/transect, respectively) but lowest in the grasslands (17.6 species/transect). Bird species diversity was positively correlated with physiognomic cover diversity (r = 0.74, P = 0.001). Density of breeding birds was greatest in old-growth juniper (6.6 birds/ha) and lowest in postburn grasslands (3.6 birds/ha) but similar in shrub—steppe and sagebrush—steppe—juniper (6.0 birds/ha and 5.5 birds/ha, respectively). Old-growth juniper had the highest total densities of both tree and cavity nesters. Mountain chickadees (Parus gambeli), Cassin's finches (Carpodacus cassinii), chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina), brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater), mountain bluebirds (Sialia currucoides), dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), Empidonax flycatchers, ash-throated flycatchers (Myiarchus cinerascens), and northern flickers (Colaptes auratus) were more abundant in cover types dominated by junipers. Vesper sparrows (Pooecetes gramineus), western meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta), green-tailed towhees (Pipilo chlorurus), and horned larks (Eremophila alpestris) were associated with grassland communities. Brewer's sparrows (Spizella breweri), sage sparrows (Amphispiza belli), sage thrashers (Oreoscoptes montanus), and horned larks (Eremophila alpestris) were most abundant in sagebrush cover types. Management strategies should restore or maintain the desired proportions of the different successional states to maintain populations of grassland and sagebrush birds while providing habitat for tree and cavity nesting species.     

Plant-herbivore interactions in a North American mixed-grass prairie

Summary Studies were conducted during the 1979 growing season to examine how North American bison (Bison bison) use prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota. Objectives included (1) determining whether bison selected for prairie dog towns parkwide; (2) characterizing in greater detail bison use patterns of a 36-ha colony in Pringle Valley as a function of time since prairie dog colonization; and (3) relating these bison use patterns to measured changes in structure and nutritional value of vegetation on and off the dog town.During midsummer, prairie dog towns were one of the most frequently used habitats by bison parkwide. Day-long observations at Pringle Valley revealed that bison exerted strong selection (nearly 90% of all habitat use and feeding time) for the dog town, which occupied only 39% of the valley. While there, they partitioned their use of the colony by grazing in moderately affected areas (occupied <8 years by prairie dogs) and by resting in the oldest area (>26 years occupation).Prairie dogs facilitate bison habitat selection for a shortgrass successional stage in this mixed-grass community by causing a broad array of compositional, structural, and nutritional changes in the vegetation.     

Prairie dog presence affects occurrence patterns of disease vectors on small mammals

Wildlife disease is recognized as a burgeoning threat to imperiled species and aspects of host and vector community ecology have been shown to have significant effects on disease dynamics. The black‐tailed prairie dog is a species of conservation concern that is highly susceptible to plague, a flea‐transmitted disease. Prairie dogs (Cynomys) alter the grassland communities in which they exist and have been shown to affect populations of small rodents, which are purported disease reservoirs. To explore potential ecological effects of black‐tailed prairie dogs on plague dynamics, we quantified flea occurrence patterns on small mammals in the presence and absence of prairie dogs at 8 study areas across their geographic range. Small mammals sampled from prairie dog colonies showed significantly higher flea prevalence, flea abundance, and relative flea species richness than those sampled from off‐colony sites. Successful plague transmission likely is dependent on high prevalence and abundance of fleas that can serve as competent vectors. Prairie dogs may therefore facilitate the maintenance of plague by increasing flea occurrence on potential plague reservoir species. Our data demonstrate the previously unreported ecological influence of prairie dogs on vector species assemblages, which could influence disease dynamics.