Lesser prairie-chicken reproductive success, habitat selection, and response to trees

dc.contributor.authorLautenbach, Joseph Mark
dc.date.accessioned2014-12-19T22:23:41Z
dc.date.available2014-12-19T22:23:41Z
dc.date.graduationmonthMay
dc.date.issued2014-12-19
dc.date.published2015
dc.description.abstractThe lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) is a species of prairie grouse native to the southwest Great Plains. Population declines and threats to populations of lesser prairie-chickens led U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the species as “threatened” under the protection of the Endangered Species Act in May 2014. Lesser prairie-chickens are found within three distinct ecoregions of Kansas and Colorado and portions of the species’ range are affected by tree encroachment into grasslands. The effect of trees on lesser prairie-chickens is poorly understood. I evaluated habitat selection and reproductive success and across the northern portion of the species’ range. I captured female lesser prairie-chickens within the three different ecoregions in Kansas and Colorado to track nest and brood survival and measure nest and brood habitat. My findings show that there are regional and annual variations in nest and brood survival. Mean nest survival during 2013 and 2014 was estimated to be 0.388 (95% CI = 0.343 – 0.433) for a 35-day exposure period. Brood survival during 2013 and 2014 was estimated to be 0.316 (95% CI = 0.184 – 0.457) for 56 days. Chick survival was the lowest during the first week of life and is probably a limiting factor for population growth. Chick and brood survival decreased as Julian hatch date increased. Across the northern portion of the species’ range, females consistently select visual obstruction between 2-3 dm. Vegetation at the nest changes between regions and years to reflect environmental and regional conditions. Broods consistently selected habitats with greater percent cover of forbs than was expected at random across all study sites. Broods also selected against areas of bare ground. The threshold of lesser prairie-chicken use was 2 trees/ha throughout the year. No nests were located within areas with greater densities. Lesser prairie-chickens had a greater probability of use at greater distances from trees and at lower tree densities. To provide adequate nesting habitat managers should provide 2-3 dm of visual obstruction. Providing forb cover with visual obstruction between 2.5-5 dm near nesting habitat should provide adequate habitat for broods. Removing trees in core habitats and expand removal efforts outward should expand potential habitat for lesser prairie-chickens.
dc.description.advisorDavid A. Haukos
dc.description.degreeMaster of Science
dc.description.departmentDepartment of Biology
dc.description.levelMasters
dc.description.sponsorshipKansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative, Farm Services Agency, The Nature Conservancy
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2097/18810
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherKansas State University
dc.rights© the author. This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
dc.subjectLesser Prairie-Chicken
dc.subjectTympanuchus pallidicinctus
dc.subjectNest survival
dc.subjectBrood ecology
dc.subjectTrees
dc.subjectKansas
dc.subjectColorado
dc.subjectHabitat
dc.subjectEcology
dc.subject.umiBiology (0306)
dc.subject.umiWildlife Conservation (0284)
dc.subject.umiWildlife Management (0286)
dc.titleLesser prairie-chicken reproductive success, habitat selection, and response to trees
dc.typeThesis

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
JosephLautenbach2015.pdf
Size:
1.3 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.62 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: