Performing Department
Ecosystem Science and Management
Non Technical Summary
Species of plants and animals are nominated for consideration of Threatened or Endangered Status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. "Endangered" means a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. "Threatened" means a species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future. All species of plants and animals, except pest insects, are eligible for listing as endangered or threatened. For the purposes of the ESA, Congress defined species to include subspecies, varieties, and, for vertebrates, distinct population segments. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (and the National Marine Fisheries Service, which shares responsibility for administration of the ESA) were directed under the Interagency Policy on Information Standards under the ESA (FR Doc. 94-16022; http://www.fws.gov/endangered/laws-policies/policy-information-standards.html) to make decisions that represent the best scientific and commercial data available. Researchers at land-grant universities may be conducting research on different aspects of the species under consideration. There is the possibility that researchers at the same or different institutions may come to different conclusions because research is conducted in different systems or because the hypothesis being tested resulted in different methods or assumptions. These differing conclusions may lead to confusion from the public, stakeholders, and the agencies during determinations. We propose to examine a process whereby researchers can be brought together to examine underlying research assumptions, resolve issues of scale and applicability across the range of a species, and come to scientific consensus on how to interpret the data from multiple locations.The Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a species currently under consideration for listing under the ESA. Greater sage-grouse are found in sagebrush habitats in 11 western states. For these reasons, we propose to use it as a case study of a process. The USFWS decision on this species will likely be made by September 15, 2015, prior to this committee being functional. Regardless of the future status of this species, states and landowners will need to use the best available science and management knowledge to manage the species. The results of this case study can therefore be used as a model for how land-grant university scientists can address complex questions when there is both a wealth of peer reviewed information and many unanswered questions across the range of a species.This activity will address Goals 1, 2, and 4 of the Western Perspective. During the Western Region Joint Summer Meeting, July 6-9, 2015, the Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (WAAESD) identified this activity as the highest priority on which to move forward. It will also further many of the activities listed in the Western Agenda.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
1.To develop a process for scientist collaboration on assessing the best available science related to threatened and endangered species. This includes our ability: a.To understand the existing process for submitting science to the USFWS. b.To understand how land-grant universities are currently engaged in the process of ESA determinations. c.To find how land-grant universities can better engage in the process. d.To recommend how the process can be improved.
2.To document the process for scientist collaboration on assessing the best available science related to threatened and endangered species.
3.To integrate ecological, biological, economic, and social information to inform decision-makers.
Project Methods
1. The designated representatives will conduct a meeting to discuss the existing process for submitting science to the USFWS and other agencies, to understand how land-grant universities are currently engaged in the process of ESA determinations, to find how land-grant universities can better engage in the process, and to recommend how the process can be improved. These discussions will include alternative processes currently used in each state or that have been used in the past, the pros and cons of each process, the scalability of each process to a westwide approach, and to develop the report to the Agricultural Experiment Station Directors.2. To begin testing the identified best process using the greater sage-grouse as an example. More has been done on this large ranging species in recent years than for most candidate species. This process will examine how a multi-disciplinary group of land-grant university scientists can come to agreement on the best available science and its applicability to an ESA listing determination.3. We will assign teams to work on the ecological, economic, and social aspects of scientific information related to the listing determination of the greater sage-grouse and seek to integrate that information into a single report.