RANGE ECOLOGY

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0205102
• Project Start Date: Oct 1, 2010
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2015
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
BOZEMAN,MT 59717

Performing Department
Animal & Range Sciences

Non Technical Summary
Federal, state and private land managers face a common set of management problems in certain vegetation types. Sagebrush habitat loss due to conifer encroachment is happening throughout the western U.S. Managers currently lack the information which would help them to decide if they should take steps to preserve sagebrush cover. We will sample 240 plots to determine the relationship between conifer cover and sagebrush cover. This model will be tested in southwestern Montana to see if this information will be a reliable tool in the decision making process. Millions of acres of western rangelands were converted to crested wheatgrass. Many federal agencies are now interested in restoring these areas back to other vegetation types which are more conducive to wildlife habitat. We have previously conducted a study on techniques for these conversions. Six crested wheatgrass suppression and seeding techniques will be tested at five locations with each treatment replicated 4 times at each location. Results from all these studies will be published as Master's Theses and scientific journal articles. These publications will be made available to land management agencies.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
135	0330	1070	50%
135	0630	1070	50%

Knowledge Area
135 - Aquatic and Terrestrial Wildlife;

Subject Of Investigation
0630 - Chaparral and shrub lands; 0330 - Wetland and riparian systems;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;

Keywords

sagebrush cover

conifer invasion

crested wheatgrass conversion

habitat restoration

Goals / Objectives
OBJECTIVES The objectives of our study are: 1. To model the combined effects of juniper and Douglas-fir canopy cover on sagebrush canopy cover in southwestern Montana. 2. Examine treatments used to convert crested wheatgrass pastures into other vegetation types in eastern Montana. TARGET DATES OF EXPECTED OUTCOMES December 2010 - Complete conifer/sagebrush study - Complete two (2) M.S. Theses July 2010 - Submit conifer/sagebrush study for publication to Rangeland Ecology and Management - Initiate similar conifer/sagebrush study in eastern Montana - Establish plots for crested wheatgrass study May 2011 - Field season for Crested Wheatgrass study December 2011 - Continue Crested Wheatgrass fieldwork. May 2012 - Continue Crested Wheatgrass fieldwork May 2013 - Continue Crested Wheatgrass fieldwork May 2014 - Continue Crested Wheatgrass fieldwork Dec 2015 - Complete Crested Wheatgrass study and submit for publication in Rangeland Ecology and Management

Project Methods
Objective 1 To model the combined effects of juniper and Douglas-fir canopy cover on sagebrush canopy cover in southwestern Montana. Data will be collected from three different study areas in southwest Montana. All study areas will include rocky mountain juniper and Douglas-fir in varying densities. All of the study areas will have an understory of mountain big sagebrush and Wyoming big sagebrush. Plots within each study area will be subjectively selected to equally represent the entire range of low to high conifer canopy cover. Canopy cover of both conifers and shrubs will be collected within 40 plots at each study area using the line intercept method (Canfield, 1941) along three 30 meter transects. Transects will be placed evenly across the south to north axis of the plots. Gaps in canopy less than 3cm will be included in cover measurements (Wambolt et al. 2006). Objective 2: Examine treatments used to convert crested wheatgrass pastures into other vegetation types in eastern Montana. Five 10-acre plots will be used to test several treatments designed to suppress crested wheatgrass and restore the area to native vegetation. The experimental design at all sites will be a randomized complete block with seven treatments and four replications of each treatment. The plots will be 36 m x 36 m surrounded by a 2 m wide buffer strip. Individual plots will be considered the experimental units. The treatments will consist of three crested wheatgrass suppression techniques combined with two seeding methods as well as a control plot within each block. Therefore the treatments will be: prescribed fire with a conventional and no-till drill, chemical suppressions with a conventional and no-till drill, disking with a conventional and no-till drill and a control plot.

Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience included land managers and natural resource scientists. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Through publication for land managers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Studies on crested wheat grass have been completed. Sage brush studies completed and manuscript submitted.

Publications

Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Our target audience includes land managers and natural resource scientists. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Manuscript submitted. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Studies on crested wheat grass completed. Sage brush studies completed and manuscript submitted.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Runyon, Molly,Daniel Tyers,Clair Gower, Bok Sowell. 2014. Aspen Restoration using beaver on the Northern Yellowstone Winter Rannge under reduced ungulate herbivory. Restoration Ecology.

Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience for our projects include research scientists, land managers for private, state and federal agencies. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Projects provided training for 6 technicians in the field. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Both projects have been submitted and accepted for publication in scientific publications. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Revise the manuscripts for publication.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Determined that beaver reintroduction was possible under current level of ungulate browsing. Built models to predict biomass on CRP lands.

Publications

• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Runyon, Molly. Effects of Beaver Reintroduction and Ungulate Browsing on Aspen Recovery in the Eagle Creek Drainage of the Northern Yellowstone Winter Range. M.S. thesis. Montana State University, Bozeman MT
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Porter, Tucker. Comparison of Remote Sensing Techniques to Measure Biomass on CRP Pasturelands. M.S. thesis. Montana State University, Bozeman, MT.

Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Previous studies have been been released as student papers or peer reviewed publications. PARTICIPANTS: Brad Bauer from The Nature Conservancy was contacted and we submitted a SARE grant proposal on sage-grouse and cattle grazing. We have taken USFS and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks employees to visit our locations. TARGET AUDIENCES: Our research is designed to assist land managers in federal agencies, state agencies, and in the private sector. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
Use of beavers to increase aspen in areas of high ungulate use were not suggested based on these findings. Information was shared with regional resource managers.

Publications

• McColley, Samuel D., Daniel Tyers, and Bok F Sowell. 2012. Aspen and Willow Restoration Using Beaver on the Northern Yellowstone Winter range. Restoration Ecology. Vol. 20, No. 4. pp. 450-455

Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Molly Runyon, M.S. Candidate, completed her first field season to investigate the effects of beaver reintroduction into Eagle Creek near Gardiner, MT. The results of a previous study by Sam McColley were accepted for publication in Restoration Ecology. He found that beaver use stimulated aspen growth but ungulate herbivory prevented aspen recovery. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Dan Tyers is a USFS employee that has provided monetary and logistical support for this project. Dr. Mike Frisina was an employee of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. He retired this year, but he was providing support and coordinated our research with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Jay Parks is a wildlife biologist who provided oversight on sagebrush studies with the Bureau of Land Management. TARGET AUDIENCES: Our projects are designed to answer management questions brought forward by federal and state land management agencies. We do get questions from private land owners and non-profit organizations, such as the Nature Conservancy, who manage lands. The major organizations we work with include the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Tribal Land managers and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Our target audiences also include the scientific community (Society for Range Management and The Wildlife Society). PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: There were no major modifications.

Impacts
Our results with beaver and aspen have been evaluated by a number of land management agencies in Montana. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is using our information to evaluate their beaver reintroduction plans. Results from our sagebrush-conifer studies have caused federal and state land management agencies to consider the biological relationship of conifers to sagebrush cover. Burning to control conifer cover in order to increase sagebrush cover does not appear to be a sound biological practice on our study sites.

Publications

• Kimble, D.S., D.B. Tyers, J. Robison-Cox, and B.F. Sowell. Aspen Recovery Since Wolf Reintroduction on the Northern Yellowstone Winter Range. 2011. Rangeland Ecology and Management 64:119-130.
• Woodward, J., C. Wambolt, J. Newell, and B. Sowell. Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Habitat in Central Montana. 2011. IN: Proceedings: Shrublands: wildlands and wildlife habitat. 15th Wildland Shrub Symposium. Bozeman, MT June 17-19, 2008.
• Kimble, D.S., D.B. Tyers, and B.F. Sowell. Quaking Aspen Ecology on Forest Service Lands North of Yellowstone National Park. 2011. IN: Proceedings: Shrublands: wildlands and wildlife habitat. 15th Wildland Shrub Symposium. Bozeman, MT June 17-19, 2008.
• McColley, S.D., D.B. Tyers, and B.F. Sowell. Restoring Aspen Riparian Stands with Beaver on the Northern Yellowstone Winter Range. 2011. IN: Proceedings: Shrublands: wildlands and wildlife habitat. 15th Wildland Shrub Symposium. Bozeman, MT June 17-19, 2008.
• Sowell, B.F., C.L. Wambolt, J.K. Woodward and V.R. Lane. Relationship of Wyoming Big Sagebrush Cover to HErbaceous Vegetation. 2011. IN: Proceedings: Shrublands: wildlands and wildlife habitat. 15th Wildland Shrub Symposium. Bozeman, MT June 17-19, 2008.
• Pehrson, K.A. and B.F. Sowell. Converting Crested Wheatgrass Stands to Enhance Big Sagebrush: A Literature Review. 2011. IN: Proceedings: Shrublands: wildlands and wildlife habitat. 15th Wildland Shrub Symposium. Bozeman, MT June 17-19, 2008.
• Kimble, David S., Daniel B. Tyers, Jim Robison-Cox, and Bok F Sowell. 2011. Aspen Recovery Since Wolf Reintroduction on the Northern Yellowstone Winter Range. Rangeland Ecol. Manage. 64:119-130.

Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Two projects were completed and the results were presented at three scientific meetings. PARTICIPANTS: Dr Carl Wambolt, Dr. Mike Frisina, US Forst Service and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks cooperated on this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Federal, state and private land managers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: No major changes were needed.

Impacts
Results from the study on conifers and sagebrush cover have been shared with federal and state land managers in meetings, so there are some agencies that have changed their approach to conifers as a result.

Publications

• The influence of Douglas-Fir and Rocky Mountain juniper on Wyoming and mountain big sagebrush cover in southwest Montana. 2010 Karen Kitchen. M.S. thesis, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT.
• Factors influencing big sagebrush cover in southwest Montana. 2010. Brittany Mendelsohn. M.S. thesis, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT.

Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Results from this study were used for management decisions by land managers in both the public and private sectors.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Results from four projects were shared at the Shrub Symposium, June 2008 in Bozeman Montana. The proceedings for this symposium are being prepared at this time. PARTICIPANTS: Three graduate students worked with the US forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Montana State University. Collaborators included Dan Tyers, USFS, and Jay Parks, BLM. TARGET AUDIENCES: Public and private land managers received the papers which were prepared for publication. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Land managers in the public and private sectors learned the results of beaver and ungulate impacts on aspen communities.

Publications

• Quaking aspen ecology on Forest Service lands north of Yellowstone National Park. 2008. Kimble, Tyers, and Sowell
• Restoring aspen riparian stands with beaver on the northern Yellowstone winter range. 2008. McColley, Tyers, and Sowell
• 15th Wildland Shrub Symposium. June 17-19, 2008. Bozeman, Montana.

Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Four seminars have been presented on the MSU campus and 3 reports will be given at a scientific meeting in June 2008. Two M.S. Theses were printed and two M.S. professional papers were printed. Copies of these reports were sent to federal agencies. PARTICIPANTS: Dan Tyers, US Forest Service, Gardiner Ranger District, MT Jayson Parks, Burea of Land Management, Billings, MT Samuel McColley, Graduate Student David Kimball, Graduate Student Baigalmaa Purevsuren, Graduate Student Krystle Wengreen, Graduate Student Field visits with cooperators and private land owners took place to explain results. TARGET AUDIENCES: Public Land Agencies Private Land Managers

Impacts
The results from three of these studies were used for management decisions by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.

Publications

• Kimble, David. 2007. Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) ecology on Forest Service Lands North of Yellowstone National Park. Master's Thesis. Montana State University. Bok Sowell, Thesis Advisor.
• McColley, Samuel David. 2007. Restoring aspen riparian stands with beaver on the Northern Yellowstone Winter Range. Master's THesis. Montana State University. Bok Sowell, Thesis Advisor.
• Purevsuren, Baigalmaa. 2007. Hustai National Park, Mongolia. Master's Professional Paper. Bok Sowell, Master's Advisor.
• Wengreen, Krystle. 2007. Converting crested wheatgrass stands to enhance sage-grouse habitat. Master's Professional Paper. Bok Sowell, Master's Advisor.

Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06

Outputs
A. The field work for the aspen-beaver study was completed this fall. B. The winter and summer use study was completed by December 2006.

Impacts
The results of these studies demonstrate the importance of trees and shrubs to wildlife habitat.

Publications

• Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) habitat in central Montana. Jennifer Woodward. M.S. Thesis. Montana State University - Bozeman, MT. November 2006.

Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05

Outputs
This project has two main objectives. The first is to examine key begetative components of elk habitat north of Yellowstone National Park. The second objective is to identify habitat attributes of sage-grouse in Montana. Sagebrush habitats comprised 97% of the total nest sites and 92% of all brood locations.

Impacts
The results of two studies should give land managers north of Yellowstone National Park and indication of aspen trends associated with elk and beaver. Sage-grouse studies will identify which areas are suitable for nesting, brood rearing and winter use.

Publications

• Lane, V.R. Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophaxianus) nesting and brood-rearing sagebrush habitat characteristics in Montana and Wyoming. 2005. M.S. Thesis.
• Lane, V.R. Preliminary vegetation survey for the rest rotation grazing system implemented on the Cowell Ranch conservation easement. 2005. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and MSU Animal & Range Sciences Technical Report.