Northern Idaho Ground Squirrels

Transcription

1 Northern Idaho Ground Squirrels effectiveness of thin-burn treatments sylvatic plague study Amanda Goldberg & Courtney Conway University of Idaho, U.S. Geological Survey Diane Evans Mack, IDFG Greg Burak, USFWS Dean Biggins, USGS Ana Egnew, USFS Jon Almack, USFS Russ Richards, USFS Distribution of NIDGS (from Burak 2011)

2 ~5000 in 1985 (Yensen 1985)

3 Threats to NIDGS: 1. Forest encroachment into meadows 2. Habitat conversion to agriculture 3. Residential construction 4. Recreational facilities (golf courses) 5. Road construction & maintenance 6. Motorized recreation 7. Recreational shooting 8. Poisoning 9. Inadequate regulatory mechanisms 10. Competition with Columbian GS 11. Roadway mortality 12. Changes in climate

4 Technical Working Group recommended addressing these information gaps: a. Diet of NIDGS and effects of forage competition with livestock and COGS b. Other impacts of livestock grazing c. Other effects of competition with COGS d. Effectiveness of habitat treatments e. Impacts of predators and illegal hunting f. Dispersal patterns and importance of habitat corridors for dispersal

5 Forest encroachment

6 Joint Fire Science Proposal in experimental plots 2 treatments Year 5 of 10-year study

7 Began efforts to implement plague work in experimental plots

8 Threats to NIDGS: 1. Forest encroachment into meadows 2. Habitat conversion to agriculture 3. Residential construction 4. Recreational facilities (golf courses) 5. Road construction & maintenance 6. Motorized recreation 7. Recreational shooting 8. Poisoning 9. Inadequate regulatory mechanisms 10. Competition with COGS 11. Roadway mortality 12. Changes in climate disease is not considered to be a current threat to NIDGS

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15 maps

16 Forest Restoration Study Design Thin-and-burn 5 treatments 4 controls

17 Forest Restoration Study Design Thin-and-burn 5 treatments 4 controls

18 Forest Restoration Study Design Thin-and-burn 5 treatments 4 controls

19 Forest Restoration Objectives Determine whether thin-and-burn affects: Size of N. Idaho ground squirrel colonies

20 Forest Restoration Objectives Determine whether thin-and-burn affects: Size of N. Idaho ground squirrel colonies

21 Forest Restoration Objectives Determine whether thin-and-burn affects: Size of N. Idaho ground squirrel colonies

22 Forest Restoration Study Design Thin-and-burn 5 treatments 4 controls Burn only 4 treatments 4 controls

23 Forest Restoration Study Design Thin-and-burn 5 treatments 4 controls Burn only 4 treatments 4 controls

24 Forest Restoration Study Design Thin-and-burn 5 treatments 4 controls Burn only 4 treatments 4 controls

25 Forest Restoration - Objectives Determine whether burn-only affects: Abundance of N. Idaho ground squirrels

26 Forest Restoration - Objectives Determine whether burn-only affects: Abundance of N. Idaho ground squirrels

27 Forest Restoration - Objectives Determine whether burn only affects: Abundance of N. Idaho ground squirrels

28 Data Collection Trapping Mark-recapture adults and juveniles

29 Data Collection Trapping Mark-recapture adults and juveniles Telemetry

30 Data Collection Trapping Mark-recapture adults and juveniles Telemetry

31 Data Collection Trapping Mark-recapture adults and juveniles Telemetry Vegetation

32 Vegetation Plots

33 Data Collection Trapping Mark-recapture adults and juveniles Telemetry Vegetation Plague treatments

34 Survival Estimates - Annual Female

35 Survival Estimates - Annual Female Male

36 Survival Estimates - Annual (Sherman & Runge 2002) Female Male

37 Survival Estimates - Annual (Sherman & Runge 2002) Female Male

38 Summer 2013 Winter 2013 Summer 2014 Winter 2014 Survival Estimates - Seasonal

39 Summer 2013 Winter 2013 Summer 2014 Winter 2014 Survival Estimates - Seasonal (Turbill et al. 2011)

40 Distance Between Trap Location and Hibernacula

41 Hibernacula Location Site Within colony Within forest Edge Tree cluster within site Steve s Creek Fawn Creek 4 Summit 1 YCC 1 Rocky Top 2 Tamarack East 2 3 Mud Creek Private

42 Hibernacula Location Site Within colony Within forest Edge Tree cluster within site Steve s Creek Fawn Creek 4 Summit 1 YCC 1 Rocky Top 2 Tamarack East 2 3 Mud Creek Private Total %

43 Females Males Females Males

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