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. 2016 Oct 27;11(10):e0165399.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165399. eCollection 2016.

Seasonal Habitat Use by Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) on a Landscape with Low Density Oil and Gas Development

Mindy B Rice  1 , Liza G Rossi  2 , Anthony D Apa  3
Affiliations

Seasonal Habitat Use by Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) on a Landscape with Low Density Oil and Gas Development

Mindy B Rice et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Fragmentation of the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem has led to concern about a variety of sagebrush obligates including the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Given the increase of energy development within greater sage-grouse habitats, mapping seasonal habitats in pre-development populations is critical. The North Park population in Colorado is one of the largest and most stable in the state and provides a unique case study for investigating resource selection at a relatively low level of energy development compared to other populations both within and outside the state. We used locations from 117 radio-marked female greater sage-grouse in North Park, Colorado to develop seasonal resource selection models. We then added energy development variables to the base models at both a landscape and local scale to determine if energy variables improved the fit of the seasonal models. The base models for breeding and winter resource selection predicted greater use in large expanses of sagebrush whereas the base summer model predicted greater use along the edge of riparian areas. Energy development variables did not improve the winter or the summer models at either scale of analysis, but distance to oil/gas roads slightly improved model fit at both scales in the breeding season, albeit in opposite ways. At the landscape scale, greater sage-grouse were closer to oil/gas roads whereas they were further from oil/gas roads at the local scale during the breeding season. Although we found limited effects from low level energy development in the breeding season, the scale of analysis can influence the interpretation of effects. The lack of strong effects from energy development may be indicative that energy development at current levels are not impacting greater sage-grouse in North Park. Our baseline seasonal resource selection maps can be used for conservation to help identify ways of minimizing the effects of energy development.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Study Area.
The North Park study area in Northwest Colorado, USA along with the associated energy development during our study period (2010–2012). Energy development includes active well locations, oil and gas fields, 2 km boundaries used for local scale development models, McCallum field, and the Niobrara formation.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Relative probability of presence during the breeding season.
Relative probability of female greater sage-grouse presence in North Park, U.S.A. (2010–2011) during the (A) breeding season (1 April– 15 July), (B) breeding season with the addition of the distance to oil/gas roads variable at a local scale, and (C) breeding season with the addition of the distance to oil/gas roads variable at the landscape scale.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Relative probability of presence during the summer season.
Relative probability of female greater sage-grouse presence in North Park, U.S.A. (2010–2011) during the summer season (16 July– 1 September).
Fig 4
Fig 4. Relative probability of presence during winter season.
Relative probability of female greater sage-grouse presence in North Park, U.S.A. (2010–2012) during the winter season (1 October– 1 March).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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