Effects of Fire and Rehabilitation Seeding on Sage Grouse Habitat in the Pinyon-Juniper Zone

GBEM-Team Leader

   -Jeanne Chambers

EPR-Project Leader

   -Robin Tausch

The Book

   -Great Basin Riparian Ecosystems

GBEM-Field Tour

Employment

Joint Fire Science

Program

The project uses the existing Great Basin Demonstration Project to examine the effects of prescribed fire and rehabilitation seeding on sage grouse habitat within the Pinyon-juniper zone. It addresses the following objectives:

1. Determine the effects of fire alone on soil erosion and vegetation composition and structure of sagebrush communities over the elevational and tree density gradient that typifies the pinyon-juniper zone in the Great Basin.

2. Determine the effects of rehabilitation seeding with mixtures dominated by introduced vs. native species on soil erosion and vegetation composition and structure of sagebrush communities over the elevational and tree density gradient that typifies the pinyon-juniper zone in the Great Basin.

3. Examine the effects of fire on the survival, seedling establishment, and nutritional value of plant species used by sage grouse within the sagebrush communities typically found in the pinyon-juniper zone of the Great Basin.

4. Determine the presence, abundance, and location of sagebrush obligate bird species over the tree density and elevational gradient that typifies the pinyon-juniper zone within the study drainages, and monitor any changes that occur in patterns of use following fire.

Information from this project is being used to develop guidelines for managing fire and determining appropriate rehabilitation procedures for sage grouse habitat within the pinyon-juniper zone. The duration of this project is from June 1, 2002 to May 30, 2006 funded by JFSP.

Researchers:

Jeanne C. Chambers, Robin J. Tausch, and Michael C. Amacher-USDA Forest Service, RMRS

Bob Blank-USDA ARS

Erica Fleishman-Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University

Contacts:

Jeanne C. Chambers jchambers@fs.fed.us

775.784.5329

Robert R. Blank Blank@unr.nevada.edu

775-784.784.6058 ext. 225

Erica Fleishman efleish@stanford.edu

650.725.9914