Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program:
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Project

Understanding connectivity patterns for sagebrush habitat and associated wildlife

May 2021 - December 2024

Personnel

Participating Agencies

Disturbances, management, and changing environmental conditions have reshaped the sagebrush biome within the western United States. As a result, sagebrush cover and configuration have varied over space and time, influencing ecological processes and species' use of the landscape. Characterizing changes in sagebrush ecosystem connectivity over time will help us understand the effects of those changes on habitat fragmentation and wildlife population isolation, where actions can be taken to monitor and restore the important habitat connections.

For more information, see: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/fort-collins-science-center/science/changes-sagebrush-ecosystem-connectivity#overview

Research Publications Publication Date
Buchholtz, E. K., O’Donnell, M. S., Heinrichs, J. A., & Aldridge, C. L. (2023). Temporal Patterns of Structural Sagebrush Connectivity from 1985 to 2020. Land, 12(6), 1176. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12061176 | Abstract June 2023
Presentations Presentation Date
Shyvers, J.E., B.C. Tarbox, C.J. Duchardt, A.P. Monroe, D.R. Edmunds, B.S. Robb, N.J. Van Lanen, E.K. Buchholtz, M.S. O'Donnell, N.D. Van Schmidt, J.A. Heinrichs, C.L. Aldridge. Optimizing conservation and restoration of imperiled sagebrush ecosystems to benefit multiple species. Oral Presentation. The Wildlife Society’s 29th Annual Conference, Spokane, WA, November 6-10, 2022. November 2022
Shyvers, J.E., B.C. Tarbox, C.J. Duchardt, A.P. Monroe, D.R. Edmunds, B.S. Robb, N.J. Van Lanen, E.K. Buchholtz, M.S. O'Donnell, N.D. Van Schmidt, J.A. Heinrichs, C.L. Aldridge. Optimizing conservation and restoration of imperiled sagebrush ecosystems to benefit multiple species. Lightning Talk. WAFWA - 33rd Sage and Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Workshop, Hybrid format, Logan, UT, 15 - 18 August, 2022. August 2022
Shyvers, J.E., B.C. Tarbox, C.J. Duchardt, A.P. Monroe, D.R. Edmunds, B.S. Robb, N.J. Van Lanen, E.K. Buchholtz, J.A. Heinrichs, C.L. Aldridge. Optimizing conservation and restoration of imperiled sagebrush ecosystems to benefit multiple avian species. Oral Presentation. American Ornithological Society and BirdsCaribbean Ornithological Conference, Puerto Rico, 27 June - 2 July 2022. July 2022
Nicasio-Arzeta, S., E. Buchholtz, M. Pons, T. Wellicome, and J. Heinrichs. 2024. Spatiotemporal variation in sagebrush connectivity and opportunities to conserve transborder populations of Greater sage-grouse. Poster presentation, The North American Congress for Conservation Biology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 25 – 27 June 2024. June 2024
Buchholtz, E.K., J.A. Heinrichs, M.S. O'Donnell, and C.L. Aldridge. Understanding past and present connectivity patterns for habitat and wildlife in the sagebrush biome. Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society, Spokane, WA. 6 - 10 November 2022. November 2022
Buchholtz, E.K., J.A. Heinrichs, M.S. O'Donnell, and C.L. Aldridge. Patterns of structural connectivity in the sagebrush biome (1985-2018). Western Agencies 33rd Sage & Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse Workshop, Ogden, UT (virtual). 15 - 18 August 2022. August 2022
Buchholtz, E.K., J.A. Heinrichs, M.S. O'Donnell, and C.L. Aldridge. Patterns of structural connectivity in the sagebrush biome (1985-2018). North America Congress for Conservation Biology, Reno, NV. 17 - 21 July 2022. July 2022
Buchholtz, E.K., J.A. Heinrichs, M. O'Donnell & C.A. Aldridge. A functional guild approach to multispecies connectivity modeling in the sagebrush biome. International Association for Landscape Ecology - North America Annual Meeting, (virtual) 11 - 14 April 2022. April 2022
Buchholtz, E.K., J.A. Heinrichs, A.L. Whipple, M.S. O'Donnell, and C.L. Aldridge. Capturing variation in functional connectivity for data-deficient wildlife species in Wyoming. Annual Conference, International Association for Landscape Ecology - North America, Riverside, CA. 19 - 23 March 2023. March 2023
Buchholtz, E.K., J. Heinrichs, M. O'Donnell, A. Whipple and C. Aldridge. Multispecies connectivity: Insights across connectivity models and functional guilds in the Wyoming sagebrush ecosystem. The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. 19 - 23 October 2024. October 2024
Type Citation Publication Date
Data Release Shyvers J.E., B.C. Tarbox, E.K. Buchholtz, A.P. Monroe, C.J. Duchardt, N J. Van Lanen, B.S. Robb, D.R. Edmunds, M.S. O’Donnell, and C.L. Aldridge. Raster layers of optimal conservation and restoration sites, ecological status, and connectivity to prioritize multi-species, sagebrush ecosystem management across Wyoming, USA. USGS ScienceBase data release. 2024
Data Release Buchholtz, E.K., M.S. O'Donnell, J.A. Heinrichs, and C.L Aldridge. 2023. Sagebrush structural connectivity yearly and temporal trends based on RCMAP sagebrush products, biome-wide from 1985 to 2020: U.S. Geological Survey data release https://doi.org/10.5066/P9ED3OHH. April 2023