Parker Mountain, is located in south central Utah, it consists of 153 780 ha of high elevation rangelands dominated by black sagebrush (Artemisia nova A. Nelson), and mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. subsp. vaseyana [Rybd.] Beetle) communities. Sagebrush obligate species including greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) depend on these vegetation communities throughout the year. Parker Mountain is owned and managed by Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, Bureau of Land Management, and the United States Forest Service. Land management on Parker Mountain include wildlife conservation and providing sustainable ecosystem services such as livestock grazing. My research described the species composition of the black sagebrush communities, evaluated the long-term vegetation responses to two mechanical (Dixie harrow/Lawson aerator) and one chemical treatment (tebuthiuron), and herbaceous biomass responses to tebuthiuron treatments in mountain big sagebrush communities on Parker Mountain. My results indicated when black sagebrush canopy cover was <20%, average grass canopy cover was highest (13%). When black sagebrush canopy cover exceeded 40%, grass canopy cover was lowest (8%). Forb canopy cover was relatively consistent (5%) across black sagebrush communities with >20% canopy cover. Communities with <20% black sagebrush canopy cover had the lowest forb canopy cover. Tebuthiuron reduced mountain big sagebrush percent canopy cover (>9 years), increased grass canopy cover, and increased forb canopy cover more than the two mechanical brush control methods. Tebuthiuron treatments shifted sites from xeric to more mesic plant communities, which resulted in increased percent forb cover required by greater sage-grouse during late-brooding. Herbaceous biomass increased under tebuthiuron treatments in mountain big sagebrush pastures. Tebuthiuron treatments also reduced live sagebrush canopy cover for at least 9 years.

The Great Plains variety of the sharp-tailed grouse Pediocetes phasianellus jamesi Lincoln was the predominant upland game bird during the exploratory and early settlement period in North Dakota (Coues 1874 and 1878 . Larson 1928, and Williams 1926) . Since then its status has diminished as the prairie grassland gradually was converted to intensively used pastures and cropland. Although the sharptail is still abundant enough in its remaining habitat to provide for liberal annual harvests , further demand on these lands by a growing human population will make it necessary to apply game management measures other than hunting regulations if the sharptail is to be retained as an important game bird in the state.

The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) is the largest grouse species in North America and an indicator species for the condition of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems. The Box Elder Sage-Grouse Management Area (SGMA) in northwestern Utah encompasses one of the state’s largest sage-grouse populations. To fill knowledge gaps regarding the population inhabiting the Raft River subunit of the Box Elder SGMA, I captured, radio-marked, and monitored 123 (68 female, 55 male) sage-grouse from January 2012 through December 2013. My purpose was to describe how the seasonal movements, survival, and reproductive rates of this sage-grouse population are effected by small-scale habitat use and breeding season foraging patterns. Sage-grouse in the Raft River subunit have distinct winter and summer ranges, and some travelled long distances annually. Survival rates were similar to other Utah populations and range-wide averages. Nest and brood success rates were above range-wide averages and those reported in the adjacent Grouse Creek subunit of the same SGMA. Sage-grouse in the study area selected habitats with specific vegetation characteristics to fit their seasonal needs. Sage-grouse use sites differed from random sites with greater forb height, grass height, and shrub height and cover. Nest success rates were directly related to selected vegetation, as successful nests were located more often under sagebrush and within greater forb height and cover and grass and shrub height than unsuccessful nests. Brood sites were also greater in forb, grass, and shrub height than other use sites. In March and April of 2013, I located radio-marked sage-grouse at flock browse sites to observe their sagebrush diet selection patterns. Lab analyses showed no differences in nutritional quality or chemical composition between browsed sagebrush plants and non-browsed and random plants. However, browsed black sagebrush (A. nova) was lower in protein and higher in chemical content than browsed Wyoming big sagebrush (A. tridentata wyomingensis). Radio-marked females were frequently observed at sites where black sagebrush was browsed, and one individual chemical was considerably more concentrated in browsed plants associated with females that nested successfully. My research provides useful information regarding the seasonal habitat use patterns and vegetation preferences of sage-grouse in the Box Elder SGMA. To conserve the sage-grouse population in northwestern Utah, management actions must protect the seasonal habitats and vegetation that the species depends on for its productivity and survival.

Concern regarding the effect of energy development on greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is increasing as the search for fossil fuel intensifies. Sage-grouse may be especially sensitive to energy development because they require large, diverse areas of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitat to complete their life cycle. Additionally, the network of pipelines, roads, and wells required by energy development may fragment sagebrush habitat isolating populations and contributing to genetic drift, inbreeding, local extinction, or rapid divergence. Seep Ridge, located in northeastern Utah, is one area where sage-grouse habitat and energy development plans overlap. Approved leases call for the construction of an additional 4,000 natural gas wells in an area currently occupied by a small sage-grouse population. This research was completed to 1) collect baseline data on the survival, reproductive success and habitat use of the Seep Ridge sage-grouse population, 2) examine sage-grouse habitat use patterns in relation to development, and 3) describe sage-grouse mitochondrial genetic diversity in 3 northeastern Utah populations relative to other parts of the species range. I captured and monitored 16 sage-grouse from the Seep Ridge population in 2007 and 2008. Adult mortality rate of the Seep Ridge population was high (65.2%) and recruitment was low (7.1%) compared to other sage-grouse populations in Utah. Additionally, the monitored sage-grouse used habitats located farther from wells more frequently than habitat located near wells, relative to well spacing. Current habitats occupied by this population do not meet recommended guidelines. No unusual haplotype compositions were observed in the genetic survey of the northeastern Utah sage-grouse populations. However, differences in haplotype composition between the Anthro Mountain and Strawberry Valley populations and other northeastern grouse populations indicate there may be a barrier to gene flow in the area. I also documented that the Seep Ridge population is connected to another population inhabiting Ute Tribal land. This observation suggests that the populations inhabiting Ute Tribal land may constitute a source population to recolonize Seep Ridge during the post-energy development periods. I recommend that mitigation measures incorporate restricting development in breeding habitat, maintaining connections between populations, and actions to reduce adult mortality on the summer range. I also recommend that biologists continue collecting genetic samples from northeastern Utah sage-grouse populations to understand population structure, divergent evolution, and inform decisions concerning translocation

Šiame darbe buvo tiriamas Lietuvoje gyvenančių jerubių genetinis variabilumas panaudojant mikrosatelitinių pradmenų analizės metodus. Pavyzdžiai buvo surinkti iš Rietavo savivaldybėje, Ukmergės, Trakų, Vilniaus, Šakių ir Telšių rajonuose esančių miškų. DNR buvo išskiriama iš neinvaziniu būdu surinktų pavyzdžių, iškritusių plunksnų bei surinktų ekskrementų. Kadangi specialių mikrosatelitinių pradmenų jerubių rūšiai dar nėra sukurta, šiame darbe buvo panaudotos trys žvyrėms (Lagopus lagopus) specifiški mikrosatelitinių lokusų pagausinimui skirti pradmenys. Buvo apskaičiuoti alelių, genotipų ir heterozigotiškumo dažniai, ir individai iš Ukmergės MU pasižymėjo žemu alelių dažniu ir aukštu homozigotų dažniu. Mitochondrinės DNR analizė parodė, kad tarp 12 Lietuvos populiacijai priklausančių jerubių sekų, net 8 buvo skirtingos ir dėl to priskirtinos 8 skirtingiems haplotipais. Mitochondrinės DNR sekų filogenetiniai ryšiai parodė, kad Lietuvos jerubių populiacijoje aptikti haplotipai formuoja dvi filogenetiškai tolimas šakas, tuo tarpu Lenkijos haplotipų įvairovė gerokai didesnė. Tikėtina, kad šiuos skirtumus labiausiai įtakoja nevienodi lyginamų imčių dydžiai. / Non-invasively collected samples of feathers and faeces of Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) were collected in different parts of Lithuania and covered several local populations of Rietavas, Ukmergė, Trakai, Vilnius, Šakiai and Telšiai districts. Three primer pairs of microsatellite loci, designed for taxonomically related Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus), were used to verify their suitability for evaluation of genetic structure. Allele and genotype frequencies as well as heterozygosity were calculated and individuals from Ukmergė showed low frequency of allele, and high in homozigosity. Mitochondrial DNA analysis showed that in 12 sequences from Lithuanian population, 8 of them were different and could be assigned to 8 different haplotypes. Neighbour joining tree showed that haplotypes in Lithuanian population forms two branches with high distance. While variability of Poland haplotypes, obtained from Gene Bank was bigger. That could be affected by different compared samples sizes.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Research Project (M.B.A.) - Simon Fraser University, 2005. / Research Project (Faculty of Business Administration) / Simon Fraser University. Senior supervisor : Dr. Jennifer C. Chang. Includes bibliographical references (p. 39-41).

Research Project (M.B.A.) - Simon Fraser University, 2005. / Research Project (Faculty of Business Administration) / Simon Fraser University. Senior supervisor : Dr. Jennifer C. Chang. Includes bibliographical references (p. 39-41).

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Montana, 2008. / Title from author supplied metadata. Description based on contents viewed on July 15, 2009. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Dept., South Dakota State University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 74-85). Also available via the World Wide Web.