ABSTRACT
Abstract. The Sand Sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia) Prairie Ecoregion once supported the highest densities of Lesser Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), but the estimated population numbers in 2014 were <500 birds in ~15,975 km2 of potential available habitat. Contributing to ongoing declines are long-term conversion of sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia) prairie to row crop agriculture and reductions in the quality of remaining habitat, whereas short-term variation in climatic conditions with droughts and blizzards are the main causes of population fluctuations. Conversion of sand sagebrush prairie occurred later than the conversion of prairie in other ecoregions following the advent of center-pivot irrigation systems for the irrigation of sandy soils in the 1960s and 1970s. Furthermore, the avoidance of anthropogenic structures in the region has greatly reduced the amount of available quality habitat for Lesser Prairie-Chickens. Current populations in the ecoregion are becoming increasingly isolated, requiring consideration of potential corridors or other mechanisms to increase the connectivity to limit localized extinction events. Information
on the ecology of Lesser Prairie-Chickens in the ecoregion is limited. However, sand sagebrush has consistently been demonstrated as important throughout the life history of the species in the ecoregion. Provision of quality nesting and brood-rearing habitat is considered the primary management focus for the ecoregion. Restoration methods for sand sagebrush prairie are uncertain and presumably require a lengthy process in a semiarid environment. Applied practices to increase habitat quality include managed grazing, prescribed fire, and judicious use of herbicides to reduce the cover of sand sagebrush and enhance the composition of grasses and forbs. The presence of public lands in the National Grasslands of the U.S. Forest Service in the ecoregion provides additional conservation opportunities not found in other ecoregions. Established habitat and population goals for Lesser Prairie-Chickens in the Sand Sagebrush Prairie Ecoregion will require intensive and innovative approaches to conservation.
