Article
Potential for post-fire recovery of Greater Sage-grouse habitat
Ecosphere
(2019)
Abstract
In the western United States, fire has become a significant concern in the management of big sagebrush
(Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) ecosystems. This is due to large-scale increases in cover of the fire-prone invasive
annual cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) and, concurrently, concerns about declining quantity and quality of
habitat for Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). The prevailing paradigm is that fire results in a loss
of sage-grouse habitat on timescales relevant to conservation planning (i.e., 1–20 yr), since sagebrush cover can
take many more years to recover post-fire. However, fire can have effects that improve sage-grouse habitat,
including stimulating perennial grass and forb production. The conditions under which fire results in the permanent
loss or enhancement of sage-grouse habitat are not well understood.We used long-term data from the
Utah Division ofWildlife Resources Range Trend Project to assess short-term (1–4 yr post-treatment) and longterm(
6–10 yr post-treatment) effects of fire on vegetation cover at 16 sites relative to sage-grouse habitat vegetation
guidelines. Sagebrush cover remained low post-fire at sites considered historically unsuitable for sagegrouse
(<10%initial sagebrush cover). In contrast, at sites that had higher (>10%) pre-fire sagebrush cover, sagebrush
cover decreased to <10% in the short-termpost-fire, but by 6–10 yr after fire,most of these sites exhibited
a recovering trajectory and two sites had recovered to >10% cover. Post-fire sagebrush cover was positively
related to elevation. Across all sites, perennial grasses and forbs increased in cover to approximately meet the
habitat vegetation guidelines for sage-grouse. Cheatgrass cover did not change in response to fire, and
increased perennial grass cover appears to have played an important role in suppressing cheatgrass.Our results
indicate that, while fire poses a potential risk for sage-grouse habitat loss and degradation, burned sites do not
necessarily need to be considered permanently altered, especially if they are located at higher elevation, have
high sagebrush cover pre-fire, and are reseededwith perennial grasses and forbs post-fire.However, our results
confirm that fire at more degraded sites, for example, those with <10% sagebrush cover, can result in cheatgrass-
dominated landscapes and sagebrush loss at these sites should be avoided.
Keywords
- Artemisia tridentata,
- Bromus tectorum,
- Centrocercus urophasianus,
- cheatgrass,
- perennial grass,
- resielience,
- wildfire
Disciplines
Publication Date
2019
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2870
Citation Information
Kari E. Veblen. "Potential for post-fire recovery of Greater Sage-grouse habitat" Ecosphere Vol. 10 Iss. 11 (2019) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/kari_veblen/74/