Ecological Archives C006-033-A1
Virginia L. Winder, Kaylan M. Carrlson, Andrew J. Gregory, Christian A. Hagen, David A. Haukos, Dylan C. Kesler, Lena C. Larsson, Ty W. Matthews, Lance B. McNew, Michael A. Patten, Jim C. Pitman, Larkin A. Powell, Jennifer A. Smith, Tom Thompson, Donald H. Wolfe, and Brett K. Sandercock. 2015. Factors affecting female space use in ten populations of prairie chickens. Ecosphere 6:166. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/es14-00536.1
Appendix A. Study site descriptions, environmental conditions, and monitoring efforts for ten populations of Greater and Lesser Prairie-Chickens in the Great Plains.
Table A1. Study site descriptions and environmental conditions for ten populations of Greater and Lesser Prairie-Chickens in the Great Plains.
Study site |
Counties |
Years |
Study site area (km²) |
Habitat description |
Mean annual precipitation (cm) |
CV for elevation (%) |
Road density (km/km²) |
Source |
L-NM |
Roosevelt |
1999–2010 |
400 |
Sand shinnery oak prairie |
38.0 |
1.2 |
0.41 |
1 |
L-KS |
Finney, Grant, Haskell, Kearney |
1997–2002 |
1700 |
Agricultural matrix; sand sagebrush prairie |
50.2 |
3.3 |
0.54 |
2 |
L-OK |
Beaver, Ellis, Harper, Woodward |
2001–2006 |
1100 |
Managed mixed grass prairie |
58.1 |
6.8 |
1.25 |
1 |
G-KS4 |
Clay, Cloud, Ottawa |
2007–2008 |
1700 |
Managed tallgrass prairie |
73.6 |
6.1 |
2.21 |
3 |
G-KS2 |
Chase, Greenwood, Lyon, Morris |
2011–2012 |
3000 |
Managed tallgrass prairie |
80.8 |
8.3 |
0.58 |
5 |
G-NE |
Gage, Johnson, Pawnee |
2007–2008 |
1400 |
Agricultural matrix; tallgrass prairie |
89.3 |
8.5 |
1.48 |
4 |
G-KS3 |
Geary, Morris, Riley, Wabaunsee |
2007–2009 |
1500 |
Managed tallgrass prairie |
90.8 |
11.3 |
0.77 |
3 |
G-KS1 |
Chautauqua, Cowley |
2006–2008 |
1100 |
Managed tallgrass prairie |
115.5 |
9.8 |
1.37 |
3 |
G-MO |
Cedar, St. Clair |
2010–2011 |
900 |
Managed tallgrass prairie |
125.1 |
7.0 |
1.43 |
7 |
G-OK |
Osage |
1998–2000 |
700 |
Tallgrass prairie preserve |
129.2 |
10.5 |
1.19 |
6 |
Notes: Study site abbreviations indicate Greater Prairie-Chickens (G) or Lesser Prairie-Chickens (L) and state (Fig. 1). Precipitation data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center weather stations for years of study duration plus one year prior to the start of the study at each site (ncdc.noaa.gov; L-NM = station number 298713, L-KS = 343489, L-OK = 346935, G-KS4 = 230789, G-NE = 258465, G-KS3 = 142980, G-KS2 = 147305, G-KS1 = 141858, G-OK = 145306, G-MO = 141767). Road density includes paved and unpaved permanent roads. Sources are: 1, Patten et al. (2005) and B. Grisham, unpublished data, 2, Pitman et al. (2005), 3, McNew et al. (2012a), 4, Matthews et al. (2013), 5, McNew et al. (2015), 6, Patten et al. (2011), and 7, Kemink and Kesler (2013).
Table A2. Monitoring efforts for ten populations of Greater and Lesser Prairie-Chickens in the Great Plains.
Study site |
No. leks monitored |
Average nearest neighbor index |
No. of females |
No. of bird-seasons |
L-NM |
31 |
1.37 |
29 |
31 |
L-KS |
30 |
0.64 |
104 |
107 |
L-OK |
30 |
0.78 |
14 |
14 |
G-KS4 |
16 |
0.97 |
27 |
28 |
G-KS2 |
35 |
0.69 |
61 |
71 |
G-NE |
12 |
1.31 |
55 |
56 |
G-KS3 |
16 |
1.09 |
31 |
34 |
G-KS1 |
24 |
1.03 |
36 |
41 |
G-MO |
5 |
1.35 |
18 |
21 |
G-OK |
74 |
0.79 |
7 |
9 |
Note: Study site abbreviations indicate Greater Prairie-Chickens (G) or Lesser Prairie-Chickens (L) and state (Fig. 1).
Literature cited
Kemink, K. M., and D. C. Kesler. 2013. Using movement ecology to inform translocation efforts: a case study with an endangered lekking bird species. Animal Conservation 16:449–457.
Matthews, T. W., A. J. Tyre, J. S. Taylor, J. J. Lusk, and L. A. Powell. 2013. Greater Prairie-Chicken nest success and habitat selection in southeastern Nebraska. Journal of Wildlife Management 77:1202–1212.
McNew, L. B., A. J. Gregory, S. M. Wisely, and B. K. Sandercock. 2012. Demography of Greater Prairie-Chickens: regional variation in vital rates, sensitivity values, and population dynamics. Journal of Wildlife Management 76:987–1000.
McNew, L. B, V. L. Winder, J. C. Pitman, and B. K. Sandercock. 2015. Alternative rangeland management strategies and the nesting ecology of Greater Prairie-Chickens. Rangeland Ecology & Management 68:298–304.
Patten, M. A., D. H. Wolfe, E. Shochat, and S. K. Sherrod. 2005. Habitat fragmentation, rapid evolution, and population persistence. Evolutionary Ecology Research 7:235–249.
Patten, M. A., C. L. Pruett, and D. H. Wolfe. 2011. Home range size and movements of Greater Prairie-Chickens. Studies in Avian Biology 39:51–62.
Pitman, J. C., C. A. Hagen, R. J. Robel, T. M. Loughin, and R. D. Applegate. 2005. Location and success of Lesser Prairie-Chicken nests in relation to vegetation and human disturbance. Journal of Wildlife Management 69:1259–1269.